Let's be honest, laundry can feel like a mountain that never shrinks.
I remember a time when my life felt just as chaotic as an overflowing laundry basket. I was stuck in a cycle of unhealthy habits—binge eating, laziness, just letting things pile up. The thought of making big changes was overwhelming. It felt impossible. But I learned something crucial on my journey to losing over 110 pounds and finding a more balanced life: it all starts with small wins. Taking control of a simple, tangible task like laundry was one of my first steps. It was a way to bring a little order to the chaos and prove to myself that I could follow through. It’s a small victory but it builds momentum for bigger ones.
If you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, let’s start here. Let’s conquer the laundry pile together.
Small Changes Big Results
These aren't just tips to get your clothes clean. They are ways to save time, money, and mental energy. Think of each hack as a small upgrade to your routine. A tiny step that makes a real difference. When we handle these small responsibilities with care, we build the discipline to handle the bigger challenges life throws at us.
It's about turning a dreaded chore into a simple, satisfying task.
25 Laundry Hacks That Actually Work
- Use a mesh bag for socks. This is a game-changer. No more lost socks. Just toss the bag in the washer and dryer. All pairs stay together.
- Sort clothes into hampers as you go. Instead of one giant pile, have separate bins for whites, colors, and delicates. This saves a huge amount of time on laundry day.
- Draw on grease stains with chalk. Before you wash, cover a fresh grease or oil stain with white chalk. The chalk absorbs the oil, making it easier for the detergent to wash it out.
- Use cold water for most loads. Modern detergents work great in cold water. You’ll save a lot of money on your energy bill and your clothes will fade less.
- Add a half-cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. It acts as a natural fabric softener and gets rid of stubborn odors. Don’t worry, your clothes won't smell like vinegar.
- Brighten whites with baking soda. Add a half-cup of baking soda along with your detergent. It helps boost the detergent’s power and softens the water, making your whites brighter.
- Tackle yellow underarm stains with lemon juice. Before washing, scrub the area with a mix of equal parts lemon juice and water. The natural acid helps break down the stains.
- Use shaving cream for makeup stains. For foundation spills on collars, work a little shaving cream into the stain before you wash it.
- Toss aspirin in with your whites. A few uncoated aspirin tablets in the wash can help restore dingy whites thanks to the salicylic acid.
- Never overload the machine. Your clothes need room to move around to get clean. Washing two medium loads is much more effective than one giant, packed load.
- Use the right amount of detergent. More soap doesn't mean cleaner clothes. Too much detergent can leave a residue that traps dirt. Check the instructions on the bottle.
- Clean your washing machine. Run an empty cycle with hot water and two cups of vinegar once a month. This prevents musty smells from transferring to your clothes.
- Shake clothes out before drying. This simple step reduces wrinkles and helps clothes dry faster and more evenly.
- Use wool dryer balls. They cut down on drying time, reduce static, and soften clothes without chemicals. You can use clean tennis balls in a pinch.
- Clean your lint trap after every single load. A clean trap improves air circulation, which helps your dryer work efficiently and prevents a fire hazard.
- Don’t over-dry your clothes. It wears them out, causes them to shrink, and creates static. Take them out as soon as they’re dry, or even slightly damp if you plan to iron.
- Dry towels and heavy fabrics separately. Lighter items dry much faster. Grouping similar fabrics together saves time and energy.
- Throw a dry towel in with a wet load. Need something to dry fast? A clean, dry towel will absorb some of the moisture and speed up the process.
- Use ice cubes to de-wrinkle clothes. If you forgot a load in the dryer, toss in a handful of ice cubes and run it on high heat for 10 minutes. The steam from the melting ice will smooth out the wrinkles.
- Hang delicates and dark jeans to dry. This preserves their shape and color. Air-drying is gentler and saves electricity.
- Fold or hang clothes immediately. I know it’s tempting to leave them in the basket. But taking five minutes to fold right away prevents wrinkles and keeps the clean pile from becoming a new messy pile.
- Use rubbing alcohol on ink stains. Dab the stain gently with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. The ink should start to dissolve. Then wash as usual.
- Turn T-shirts with graphics inside out. This protects the printed design from cracking or fading in the wash.
- Zip all zippers before washing. This prevents zippers from snagging or tearing other delicate clothes in the same load.
- Use a quick wash cycle for lightly soiled items. Not every load needs a heavy-duty, 90-minute cycle. For clothes that are just a little dusty or need a quick refresh, the quick cycle is your best friend.
From Laundry Pile to Life Wins
See? It’s not just about clean clothes. It’s about taking action. It's about finding simpler ways to manage your home so you have more energy for the things that truly matter. For me, creating order in my physical space was a reflection of the order I was seeking in my spiritual life and personal habits. A clean, folded pile of laundry was a small, quiet victory in a long, difficult battle. It was proof that I could create good out of chaos.
You can do this too. It starts with one small step, one simple change.
So next time you face that pile of clothes, which small hack will you try first? Pick one. Start there. You’ve got this.
