[cab54]

dh is highly allergic to Tide (sometime I'll tell you about the first 3 mos of our marriage....:uhh

I use purex or an off-brand. I look for BOGOF sales. Especially w/ a coupon. I stockpile this and I don't stockpile that much. I keep a REALLY cheap crummy brand around for washing rugs and cleaning rags. I hate to use my 'regular' detergent on these things.

And of course, I use about half as much, and sales on dryer sheets or off brands, but I use a whole dryer sheet, I don't tear them. I also keep around some off brand liquid fabric softener for things I'm going to line dry.

 

[ilovechocolate]

I use Arm and Hammer detergent, which is not expensive and we're not allergic to, and I use a good bit less than the recommended amount. I also don't use dryer sheets much unless there is a possibility of static, and even then I use only 1/4 or 1/3 of a sheet.

 

[DixieJ]

Read the directions. For years I thought you were supposed to fill the cap - not realizing that you only need about half of it.

I was guility of this for years as well. I was using twice the amount I needed.
Gosh, just think of the money I've wasted on laundry detergent through the years.

Dixie Jean

 

[sdrjeolsen]

I also use 2 tablespoons per load. I usually buy tide when its on sale and I have a coupon. Also I'll add 1 tablespoon of borax to each load. One $2.45 box of that last 4-5 months and seems to really boost he cleaning power. I rinse out the detergent container when empty to get every drop.

I found putting detergent in an old sport top drink bottle helps me control the amount I use. You'd have to be careful with small children around that they don't think its something to drink though. I guess a person could use an old dish detergent bottle or soap dispenser with the same effect...just count out how many pumps equals the amount you want to use and write it on the dispenser.

 

[savin4disney]

I bought a bottle 50 oz of Tide the day after Thanksgiving for 1.79 and so far I have gotten 28 loads out of it. The bottle says you can get 16 using the recommended amount. I use 2 Tablespoons per load. Works fine.

 

[savin4disney]

I did not start using it till May when I was keeping track. I have a ton of laundry soap. I stock up on Friday after Thanksgiving and don't need anymore for a year.

 

[Judi Dial]

Well, I read this entire thread and I didn't see this, so I'll post it.

I buy from CVS, cloth, unscented wetwipes (intended to be used as babywipes). If whatever I've used them for isn't gross, I wash and reuse them.

The biggest way I reuse them is to wipe off the outside of the bottle of detergent when I do a load of laundry. We use sun & earth, expensive stuff, but it gets our clothes clean and doesn't make either of us go nuts from allergies. We used HM soap for a while, but things didn't get clean.

We wash in cold water mostly and have lots of minerals in our water.

Anyway, I wipe off the outside of the bottle with one "dry wipe" and then wet a 2nd and wipe down the washing machine too. Both the wipes get added to the load washing. I don't dry them, I stick them in a string bag to dry, then they get added to the available collection (an upsidedown cube tissue holder) in my laundry room.

JD

 

[Jskell911]

Anyone who uses Purex and has a CVS near them, the Purex is B1G1 this week! I think there are even coupons floating around.

 

[Judi Dial]

This isn't for detergent, but fabric softener. I have a tupperware jug that I fill with softener. When I do my wash I almost always have a washcloth in it (we use a fresh one every day). I dip the wet washcloth in the softener and that goes in the dryer. No dryer sheets to buy or throw out, my washcloths stay sweet smelling, and the bottled stuff is easier to buy no scent/limited scent than the sheets, and of course it costs way less too.

Yeah!

JD

 

[annymoll]

Read the directions. For years I thought you were supposed to fill the cap - not realizing that you only need about half of it.

I thought this also!! I learned in the village that you don't have to!My number one costcutter in this area!(Thanks Frugalmomof3):tay:

 

[bugsmom125]

I make my own laundry detergent
2 cup borax
2 cup washing soda
2/3 bar FelsNeptha soap grated
mix in jar use 1-2 tbs per load
this mixture works really good, if you have a stubborn stain take the FelsNaptha and rub it on stain :laundry:

 

[Judi Dial]

Never used Fels,

used to make the same mixture, except that I used the cheapest powdered detergent I could find! I'll have to try this, thanks!

Judi

 

[schellie69]

I also have a front loader, just to let you know I did some research when we got our front loader, and I found out the using regular detergent, even a smaller amount still makes suds and it can ruin your motor and drum parts, I found a web site where people wrote about this, I now only buy he detergent, I just use less then they say and it works, but i don't have to worry about suds, just thought I would let you know, the prices i saw to fix the front loader it is more then worth buying the he soap, just my opinion,
Pam

I have a front loader machine. I do not buy the HE detergent I use regular detergent and I only use about a Tablespoon of detergent. So a bottle of detergent last me a looooooonngg time.

I also dilute the fabric softener with 50% water and 50% fabric softener.

 

[boogiemum]

I make my own too. And also make my own fabric softener and stain remover.

I have a front loader and these work wonderful and are very cheap too.

 

[Jaded]

For my last load out of each large bottle, I just fill up the empty bottle with water as the machine is filling, and pour it into the tub twice. That not only gets out all the leftover detergent, but it does a normal load of relatively clean clothes very nicely.

 

[ravenmaniac]

Wow! Thanks for all the great tips. When I do laundry tomorrow I'm only using half the amount of detergent. I do this already for liquid fabric softner, why didn't I think of it for detergent. I'm going to cut the dryer sheets in half too. I do use washing soda. Our well water leaves our towels smelling funky. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Suzee]

We have a front loader washer, and we buy the bucket of soap at Costco. I use about a tablespoon of soap and then use regular vinegar for the rinse cycle. We haven't had any problems except once, when we put a load of rags in that already had lots of soap on them. Yep...repairman. Eek! Since then, we're careful. One of those tubs of soap lasts about 7 to 8 months.

 

[Opal]

And I thought I was just going to learn how to save money on my food bill.. :dancing:

 

[oklahomapoet]

I use dryer sheets 2 or 3 times then use it to dust my laundry room and kitchen.