home Washing and ironing hacks to save money

n As energy bills continue to rise and make a dent into our bank accounts, people are looking for as many ways as possible to save. Both running a washing machine and ironing are fairly energy consuming, so doing them both in one day is likely to whack up your usage. Luckily, Sam Whillance, a savings expert at Deal.Town has shared five money saving tips people can do when washing and ironing clothes.

1. Always use stain remover before a wash

There is nothing worse than taking an item of clothing out of the washing machine after a long cycle, only to see the stain still there. Therefore, before putting any stained items through the washing machine, always remember stain remover. If it is a stain from a beverage, whether it be tea, coffee, soft drinks or winestart by sponging or soak the area in cool water. Then, pretreat with either prewash stain remover, liquid laundry detergentor create a paste using a powder laundry product and water. This will prevent you having to put the same items through the wash again, causing you to use more energy.

2. Wash at 25C

The cooler the setting on the washing machine, the less energy the cycle will use. Alongside prepping your stained clothes with remover, a 25C wash can in fact be extremely effective. Researchers at the University of Leeds found that clothes which are washed at 25C on a 30-minute cycle shed fewer microfibres into waste water and keep their colour for longer. People have been encouraged for years to wash their clothes on a colder cycle, and according to the Energy Savings Trust, washing clothing at 20C instead of 40C can save around 66% of the energy used for a full load.

3. Spritz with wrinkle releasing product

Wrinkle releasing products can help release any creases in your clothes and keep them in good condition. When clothes or towels dry without any moisture, they will go hard and crusty, not to mention this will damage the microfibres, and eventually you will have to replace them. Fortunately, you can make your own wrinkle releasing product at home. Simply fill a spray bottle with two small cups of water, one teaspoon of hair conditioner, and one tablespoon of white vinegar. Then shake vigorously and spray onto your clothes until they are slightly damp, but not completely soaked. Then run your hands over the items, stretching and pulling the fabric until the wrinkles release.

4. Hang your clothes in the airing cupboard

Your airing cupboard is warm, which means it can be used to dry clothes. Delicates are also fine to involve here, and this is particularly good for long dresses, shirts and trousers that sit easily on hanger, simply hang items up and leave to dry out. It is important to note here not to leave clothes that are too wet, as you want to avoid the risk of any dripping water coming in contact with electricals. Try to partly air dry clothes out on an airer before moving to the airing cupboard.

5. Press with a towel https://deal.town/

Put your creased item on a flat surface and place a damp towel over the top. The dampness of the towel will easily eliminate any creases in the clothes. Press until you are happy the creases are gone, and then hang up to dry, whether that’s over a shower rail, an airer or on the line to dry out. Note that this trick works best with delicate garments, so if you are planning to wear a posh dress for a night out, try to pre plan this method the night before as it can be fairly time consuming.