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Tip Store: Laundry: Clothes & Accessories

Spring Fresh Winter Woollies

I found that after the summer months, when it is time to pull on the winter woollies, often they have a stale smell to them. One day I had bought some soap that was on special. I thought of the savings and I stocked up, buying many of them. When I got home of course I didn't have enough room to store them. So I thought what am I going to do? I unwrapped them and placed them amongst my sheets, towels, socks and underwear, jumpers etc. When I open the draws and cupboard doors I still get a lovely smell. I am saving storage space and money because I can still use the soap and just buy more when on special. There really is no waste at all. I have even used the small soaps given out in Hotels/Motels - they are good for your suite case while away on holidays.
Contributed by Kerran

​Rice Bag Laundry Bag

I buy my rice in bulk 5 kg bags when Coles or Woolworths when they have them on a half price sale. When I opened a new bag the other day, I got to thinking that the quality of the cotton bags that it comes in is of a decent standard. It even has a sturdy zipper sewn in across the top. I thought these bags could be very useful if I did some lateral thinking to find a use for them. Then I had a light bulb moment! Quite frequently, when I purchase the laundry wash bags for my delicates, the first thing to fail is the zipper, so I decided to give my rice bag a wash and use it now as my delicates laundry bag!
​Contributed by Rozzi Russell

​Homestyle Dry Cleaning

Approximate $ Savings: $45

The local dry cleaner wanted $45 to clean my suede jacket but I knew I could do it for much less. I did a bit of research and challenged myself. Looking in my cupboard I saw a half opened packet of raw bran cereal that I poured into a clean pillowcase along with my jacket. Securing the top with a rubber band I shook the whole thing vigorously a few times a day then I used it as a cushion for a couple of days enabling the bran to be used as an abrasive. Then I tipped the bran out of the pillowcase on the grass for the birds, brushed the jacket with a stiff brush and lo and behold I had a bright and clean suede jacket that looked brand new for very little effort and no money outlay.
​Contributed by Wendy, Mount Eliza

​Defeat the Sock Fairy and Save Time Too

​When hanging socks on the line to dry, hang them in matching pairs. That way when they are dry and you remove them from the line, you can fold them together straight away. It saves time sorting and folding later. My husband taught me this hint: if you hang the socks by their toes it's even quicker.
Contributed by Catherine

​Sick of Odd Socks?

Approximate $ Savings: Time & Energy & Socks!

Ask your family to do one thing after taking their socks off - fold them together (or put one inside the other). This way you either get both socks into the wash or none! Even the littlies can put one sock inside the other. (Another tip to help stop odd socks is to not wash them with bed linen - socks love to hide in fitted sheets and pillowcases.)
​Contributed by Melinda, The Gap

​Time Saver

Here's a time saving tip for busy Mums and Dads with more than one child (coming from a Mum of 3 boys). To help save time with laundry sorting, buy more than 1 pair of the same socks for each child. Each child gets a different colour, so then if a pair gets holes in it and needs to be thrown away, the 'odd' sock can still be teamed up with a sock from one of the extra pairs. It also solves the problem of lost socks too!!
​Contributed by Rachel

​Keeping Ladies’ Bras for Longer Wear

When washing your bras do not put them on the cloths line outside. Where the sun gets to them. Place inside the laundry to hang away from the sun. The elastic lasts a lot longer hence you do not need to buy as often. I have not needed to buy for near 5 years now. A great saving.
​Contributed by Yvonne

​No More Odd Socks

​A hint for solving at least part of the unmatched sock problem: safety pins. When you buy socks, as they are unwrapped from the package, pin them together in pairs. The pairs then get dropped in the laundry. Thereafter, socks come out of the dryer or off the clothesline in pairs. Unpin the pair, put them on, and put the pin on the dressing table. Take socks off, pin them back together, (good luck getting the kids to do this, but it sounds great) toss the pair in the laundry basket. No more time spent matching socks, no lost single socks. You might still be losing socks to the washing machine - but at least it s eating an entire pair at a time!

​Laundering Fleecies

​If you have children you have fleecy tracksuits to launder. To keep them looking new, wash them inside out (it helps to stop that annoying 'balling' effect) and if they are stained, try soaking them overnight in wool wash then wash and dry as usual. Works like a charm.