This year I have decided that I’m not going to have resolutions but instead aims. I aim to be more organised and I aim to tidy up more.
If you have kids I’m sure like me you will have a never EVER ending pile of laundry to either wash or / and put away. It’s even harder in the winter and having the dryer running constantly is horrible and not just because of the electricity bill.
Addis have sent us some laundry products to help get us more organised and on top of our mountains of clean and dirty laundry;
Rattan slimline hamper & washing basket
Slimline X Wing Airer
Over the door airer
With a 4 year old and 9 month old (and the amount of stuff that comes with them) we don’t have much floor space so the over the door airer and slimline airer (which fits in the bath) are perfect because it means I can keep all the washing up off the floor and away, giving Pops more room and stopping R from getting hold of the washing now she’s crawling round. She’s into EVERYTHING so at least that’s something I don’t have to worry about (now to figure out how to babyproof the other 100 things around the house). The only thing with these being slimline and over the door is that you won’t get many big things on them.. they are perfect for kids clothes though!
The cream rattan slimline hamper and washing basket are both pretty spacious and as well as looking nice and hiding the washing pile (I’m not the only one that does this surely?) they’re also strong and sturdy too.
Do you have any laundry tips for the winter? Ones that don’t include using a dryer?
Until the next post.
We were sent these laundry products for the purpose of this post. All opinions are our own. Need more tips on getting your house sorted? Check out what you can do with Zoflora.
Hanging tops on hangers on the airer helps the creases fall out. I use my conservatory to dry my washing which is great at getting the stains out as the sunlight bleaches them.
I never remember to hang shirts and always regret it when i iron (rarely but still haha)
I spot clean some items like school jumpers using a rough flannel and a drop of water rather than do a whole wash that takes longer. Also I’ve been teaching my kids about the difference in worn and dirty – they thought wearing something for 5 mins meant it was dirty because it had been worn!
That’s such a good idea about teaching the kids the difference. I’m forever washing things for no reasons like jumpers that were put on just to go to the shop or PJS that are still clean!
Use Chalk To Get Out Grease Stains – eg rubbing a little chalk into the stain before tossing an item in the wash will soak up every pesky grease issue, from lipstick to bacon!
To prevent colour fading, toss your clothes in the wash with a teaspoon of salt.
If I am running late and I dont have time to iron my clothes I put them in the tumble dryer for a few minutes, it takes all the creases out xx
Always place ” a colour sheet ” in the drum to prevent colour run – somehow a red sock seems to seek in my white wash
I use baby powder to remove grease stains
soak whites in Napisan before washing to keep them white
hang on radiators to dry my washing
baby wipes are perfect for a quick clean of the sofa, and smell good too
Mine is to use a stain remover pen, they are easy to keep in handbags and perfect for getting stains out when you’re not at home and most times will remove stains before washing so you won’t have to try and clean a dried in stain!
I love to clean with Dettol, smells great and feels lovely and clean
when I have a stain on a garment, I dampen the stain and rub in washing powder granules and keep working them in until the stain has pretty much gone. Then put it through the wash. This works for me.
Make use of your washing machine programmes. They are there for a reason. I have a cool 15 minute wash cycle which is enough for freshening things up and most of my day to day stuff. If it needs more, I put it through another 15 minute cycle. Use the eco programmes if you have them which reduces down a wash cycle and the power used.
I use indoor drying frames in the winter, plus put a few items on the radiators (particularly useful for drying bedding) – we don’t own a tumble drier and wouldn’t buy one as they are expensive to run and not good for the environment :o)
Add some baking soda to your whites wash – brightens and whitens
Hang properly so you don’t need to iron, or at least, don’t need to iron much.
I live in a tiny top floor flat. I put my washing on an Airer in front of the bathroom radiator & have to keep shuffling it all about
If you hang washing carefully, you can minimise the number of items you need to iron!
Add a few drops of essential oil to your wash for gorgeous smelling clothes
Keep your washing machine clean, a clean machine will hopefully ensure clean and nice smelling washing! Leaving your washing machine door open after a wash is also a good thing to do
Making my son wear the same clothes 2 days running as long as he can keep them clean for more than 5 mins!
Putting tour clothes in the dryer gets the creases out!
Always use softener for your towels it really does make a difference.
Fabric softener is nice for freshening clothes. I’d advise :- Use it effectively, by using it occasionally rather than regularly / frequently. As towels can become less absorbent, woollens can become bobbly and thin / worn and old in appearance.
When washing completed, hang washing up / out. As less creasing, which can mean less or no ironing required.
Teach / Educate / inform all within the household how to use the household washing / laundry equipment. As we all have clothes, household laundry, etc. Therefore seems sensible, and responsible as well as respectful that everyone is allowed and encouraged to reach their potential :- Towards adulthood, independence, caring and sharing attitude, etc. Is also of benefit if there is illness, dependents :- Such as children, elderly, disabled within the household.
keep on top of the ironing dont let it build up
My washing tip is always, always check pockets, there is nothing worse than finding a washed tissue in bits all over the washed clothes.
I hang items on hangers to dry as it helps the creases fall out and means less ironing! 🙂
My tip is to do laundry daily then it won’t all build up over a period of a few days.
Always check pockets for tissues…. i have lost count the number of times I have not checked and then everything is then covered in tissue bits aaaaagh
Ah this happens too much!
If I tumble dry I always put the clothes straight on hangers or fold them as it cuts down my ironing pile massively. Most things are crease free after a good tumble in the dryer
to clean your washing machine every few week
I use a dehumidifier in the room my washing is drying in to make it dry quicker
Vinegar is a magic cleaner for all sorts of tarnish
Never wash towels with clothes, they cause bobbling. Also always check pockets for tissues.
I use straighteners to iron collars in a last minute rush!
Oh I must admit I do love washing! I always feel super clever when I hear the washing machine on ha ha!!
My top tip for washing would be never ever to put conditioner in your machine when you are washing towels or cotton bedding! You need your towels rough to dry you properly and I find the cotton bedding softens too much with conditioner.
Dry delicates fabrics on hangers for less creases!
Hanging some clothes while wet will reduce the amount of ironing needed
We don’t have a dryer, so for winter we make sure the airers are in front of the windows for any sunlight that will come through and in the kitchen as that stays warm.
We have super king size sheets so to dry them we use the curtain rail in one of the rooms, it’s above a radiator and gets light from the window, plus leaves the airers free for more washing!
Really good quality products that last for a long time. I hope to win some to help my daughter she is looking at houses at the moment
I never do any ironing. most clothes go on hangers and creases fall out and fold in half in drawers
Have separate washing bins for darks and lights to make loading the machine easier!
I dont really have any tips…I dont use a tumble drier as it costs a fortune and takes up too much space. I will say that if airing clothes then make sure the room is ventilated to avoid mould
If you get the clothes out the washer as soon as its finished, give it a shake and leave to dry on the radiator; it will take out most of the creases.
Wash socks in a pillow case so that they don’t get lost or caught up In any washing
You can use some baking soda and water to make a paste and rub into on the armpits of shirts if they have sweat or deodorant stains.
do smaller washes through the week rather than letting it pile up for a day off
I have always put into piles before i wash, Colours ,whites but items that don’t fit I add a colour catcher,Prespray on stains zip up zips,Undo buttons & wash woolies inside out.Always shake & fold out of washer to prevent creases.Drying outside when possible & dry coloured inside out especially sunny day to prevent colour loss.
I have a little folding flat children’s clothes aired that opens out that daddy made for the kids when young & it’s great for standing above the radiator for drying small things like pants & socks.
I always do an extra spin cycle and it makes such a difference with the drying time!
Hang your washing out in the bathroom so when you shower it dries and irons out creases etc
Use an outside washing line when possible. Cheaper, easy and it smells even fresher!
I wash coloured fabrics inside out to prevent colour fading
Mine is use bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar mixed together to remove tough collar stains on white shirts. it works like a dream! x
I have airers on the radiators to help dry smaller items more quickly when the heat is on.
my tip is get someone else to do it for me LOL
The odd pyjama day can make a difference to the amount of washing you need to do. My kids love it!
The odd pyjama day can make a difference to the amount of washing you need to do. My kids love it!
Rub fairy liquid into grease spots before washing…works for me better than any stain remover
Curtains that are for dry cleaning – I put them in a duvet cover on a cool wash. Never had any problems
I just hang mine on the radiator it’s not great but I dont own a dryer
I don’t own a dryer, can’t afford it, plus no room in silly sized kitchen , family of five,I discovered if I get one of those over bath airers and another across the balcony landing I can get things dry within a day as the heat rises.
Whitening toothpaste applied to stains can really help to shift them.
do a small load everyday
My washing was getting very out of hand but have taught that kids that using a towel for a couple of minutes doesn’t make it dirty. I was getting through 8 towels a day!!! Now they are very hot washed after 2 uses and saving lots
I always do my washing in an evening so it is ready to hang as soon as i am up the next day.
Don’t forget to clean the washing machine! It really does get dirty
If you have designs or pictures on your clothes turn them inside out before washing.
I use eco washer balls for washing lightly soiled items and for washing woolens and delicate clothes. I only use washing powder for linens, towels and for clothes that are really dirty or sweaty, such as gym kit.
I wash then tumble dry for a couple of minutes to get the creases out and hang on coat hangers on a rail which means hardly ever having to do any ironing
Always check the pockets, sometimes i leave the tissues and everything gets ruined.
Pre-soak stubborn stains, or use an organic spray stain remover before putting item in the machine.
Take washing out the machine straight away when wash finishes.
Don’t always go straight for the big brand names when it comes to washing tablets and fabric softeners. Some of the cheaper versions are just as good if not better 🙂 x
You can use salt to prevent colors from fading. Just toss a teaspoon of salt in with your dark clothes to help make the color last longer
My washing tips are use lower temperature washes to colour
I like to add a scoop of soda crystals into the towels wash to keep them fluffy.
My washing tips are use natural ingredients
We have seperate colour bins – so one for whites, colours and darks xx
My tip is to always check those pockets! There’s nothing worse than the kids putting tissues in their pockets and putting a wash on… Looking through the door at your poor laundry covered in tissue! Xx
Seperate your laundry into lights and darks and always use colour catcher sheets in with your whites
Keeping on top of the washing and ironing so no last minute panics