Frugal Living Tips #3
@renitaperrone (547)
United States
October 26, 2008 12:36pm CST
Here are a few more tips to help save
1) When doing laundry, dry your clothes in consecutive batches. This way the dryer is always warm and doesn't have to waste electricity heating up each time.
2) Use less laundry detergent. They want you to use more than is needed so you buy more of their product!
3) Don't spend money on tools you won't use often. Instead, see if you can borrow from a friend, neighbor, family member, etc.
4) Make your own room deodorizers. Use essential oils and drop onto cotton balls. Place in a jar with a lid and open the lid whenever you want to deoderize the room.
5) Remove muddy footprints from carpet with salt. Sprinkle salt on the mud and rub it in. Vacuum it off after an hour. If some of the spot remains, or the mud is dried, cover with a solution of 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid in a quart of warm water. Vacuum again once it dries.
2 people like this
7 responses
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
26 Oct 08
That is a great tip about removing the mud from the carpet. do you have any ideas on what I can use to remove pet smells from the carpet besides an expensive carpet cleaner? I don't have a steam cleaner so I have to rent one if I clean it that way.Any ideas would be helpful.
1 person likes this
@nancygibson (3736)
• France
26 Oct 08
baking powder sprinkled on the carpet overnight before vacuuming it up will help hugely with the pet smells
1 person likes this
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
26 Oct 08
Grated orange or lemon peels also help. The white part of the peel absorbs the odor. Obviously its not cost effective if you're not eating the orange or lemon, but try saving the peels in a baggy in the fridge or something until you're ready to use them.
Borax does help with that as well. (and helps keep bugs away)
1 person likes this
@peedielyn (1207)
• United States
28 Oct 08
Thank you for the tips. I am a frugal nut and these are cheap ways to conserve. Thanks again!!
1 person likes this
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
28 Oct 08
You're welcome. I hope you found some new ones to try out!
1 person likes this
@nancygibson (3736)
• France
26 Oct 08
Its much cheaper and better for the environment to dry your clothes on a washing line or airer rather than in a tumble dryer. I live in one of the wettest places you could imagine but even so I've never felt the need for a tumble dryer, line dried clothes smell so nice and fresh too when they come in from the garden :)
1 person likes this
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
26 Oct 08
That's true and I don't know why I didn't mention that! I do dry my clothes on a line when I can. But for alot of people who may live in apartments or homeowners associations who don't allow line drying, it's hard to have clothes hung up all over your house to dry! :)
Thanks for commenting.
1 person likes this
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
28 Oct 08
Skipping the fabric softener or dryer sheet is a good idea. If you use the dryer sheets be sure to check the lint screene because it will plug up the wire mesh and over time will cause a fire. I use those dryer balls and it cuts the dryer time in half and I don't have to add fabric softener to the laundry. They fluff up the clothers nicely. If you don't want to but the dryer balls crumple up and arms lengthe of alumin foil in to a ball. Works the same way. If you want to add fregrance to your laundry add a couple of drops of scented oil to a wash clothe and toss it into the dryer.
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
29 Oct 08
I've tried the dryer balls too and they work good...except my kids keep messing with them and losing them! LOL However, I've heard this over and over again about the dryer sheets and I've checked my lint screen by running water through it numerous times and it's never been a problem. I wonder if maybe that had something to do with the original dryer sheets and they've since resolved the problem ???
thanks for your comments.
1 person likes this
@happythoughts (4109)
• United States
28 Oct 08
I have saved a good deal of money by using less laundry soap and my clothes come out just as clean, in fact they seem to be softer. Maybe the laundry detergents leave a little behind.
I have never thought of doing laundry all ina row though. It makes sense to me. I usualy let the clothes dry a bit in the washer before I put them in the dryer to air dry a bit, and I only do a load a day. I might switch up and do a laundry day and see if I can save even more.
Thank you.
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
29 Oct 08
We probably have soap residue left on our clothes from using the full recommended amount!
Good luck on your experiment with laundry day!
Thanks for your comments.
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
27 Oct 08
thanks. i get a newsletter like that in my email. i just went to frugal living website and they deliver it.
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
28 Oct 08
Yes there are lots of frugal tips available online. Glad you found one you like.
1 person likes this
@thebeaddoodler (4262)
• Lubbock, Texas
28 Oct 08
Great tips! Here's a couple more. Only use 1/2 dryer sheet per load, or better yet, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the last rinse and skip the dryer sheet.
I haven't used the salt to remove mud, but my family always removed stains with cornmeal. Rub it in, let it set overnight and vacuum. Cornmeal is especially good on oily stains.
@renitaperrone (547)
• United States
29 Oct 08
I actually use 1/4 of a dryer sheet in mine and it works fine. Quadruples my value!!! I can never remember to add stuff in the last rinse. When I use liquid softener I use the Downy ball or I forget! Of course my washing machine is upstairs and I often start a load before leaving the house anyway.
Thanks for those suggestions.
