Susan here… I’ve got some laundry tips and an awesome giveaway for you thanks to the OxiClean Ambassador Program. This post is sponsored, but as always, my opinions are my own. If you’d like to “take a load off”, read on…
Every generation of mothers has been busy, but I’d say our modern mothering lives push the limits of what’s possible.
We are just too busy! So we have to find ways to get it all done. Each woman’s life is different and we’ve all got our own unique tools and support systems – whether it be new technologies, fabulous friends, or help from our families.
To survive and enjoy life, we need to find ways to “take a load off.”
OxiClean Laundry Detergent’s stain fighting power can help you “take a load off” by easing one of your daily chores and making laundry a little simpler.
How I “Take a Load Off”
I’m always looking for ways to simplify my routine and make my housekeeping chores easier. I love that OxiClean Laundry Detergent gets our family’s clothes clean quickly and without a lot of scrubbing and pre-soaking.
Some of the other ways I juggle work, family and everything else are…
- Support from Family – I don’t have much family… but I’m thankful for my twin sister and my mom. Together we work as a team and help each other.
- Smartphone Apps – A few simple apps, like those to help with to-do lists and grocery shopping, can really make a big difference.
- A Simple Schedule – I try not to over-schedule our lives. For example, leaving Saturday morning free of activities gives us all a chance to sleep in and have a relaxing break.
Simple Summer Laundry Tips
Here are 5 Laundry Tips to add to your list of ways to “take a load off”.
- Hang Your Laundry to Dry Outside
If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard where you can hang your laundry to dry, take advantage of the summer weather and use a laundry line or drying rack. You’ll save electricity and enjoy some sunshine while you hang your laundry.
- Multi-Task
Laundry is boring! So activate your brain while you’re doing laundry by listening to an audio book or a podcast. Use an app on your smartphone and pop in some ear buds and you can enjoy your book wherever you’re doing your laundry.
- Sort Laundry While Still In The Hampers
I use a hamper that’s split into three sections as well as an additional hamper. In the three sections I have whites, darks, and colors. In the extra hamper I have delicates. That way the laundry goes straight from the hamper to the washing machine.
- Don’t Be A Perfectionist
Many women (my own mother included) are so picky about their laundry being washed and folded perfectly that they decline help from their husbands and kids. With the kids out of school, they have extra time to get involved. Lower your expectations and get help. If you have some high quality, delicate items that you want to ensure are washed with extra care, keep those in a separate hamper that only you wash.
- Take a Day Off
I admit that I’m guilty of letting my laundry pile up so I have almost nothing to wear. But especially in the summer, I think it’s good strategy to do a load a day except for certain “days off”. You might pick one day a week or have special summer day trips where you never even think about laundry and other chores.
About OxiClean
OxiClean is America’s #1 stain-fighting additive brand and it is also now a laundry detergent.
You’ll love how OxiClean Laundry Detergent…
- lifts out even tough, dried-on stains.
- removes “summer stains” like grass, soil, fruit juice, iced coffee, chocolate ice cream, barbeque sauce and — everyone’s favorite stain — ketchup.
- deep cleans for brilliant whites and vivid brights with three color-safe OxiClean stain-fighters.
- comes in Fresh Scent and Free (Perfume & Dye Free) formulas, as well as single-dose detergent paks and powder detergent.
- available in food, drug, club and mass retailers nationwide.
For more information visit www.oxiclean.com and www.facebook.com/oxiclean
“Take a Load Off” Giveaway – Enter To Win
Leave us a comment telling us either a laundry tip or a way you like to “take a load off”. Then enter using the Giveaway Tools widget below.
Grand prize: To help you “take a load off”, this prize includes a $100 Visa Gift Card and 3 bottles of OxiClean Laundry Detergent.
Runner-up prize: 3 bottles of OxiClean Laundry Detergent.
Prizes awarded randomly and open to US and Canadian residents.
Disclosure: I am participating in a compensated Ambassador Program with OxiClean.
Written by Susan Carraretto, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at http://pinterest.com/5minutesformom/
I started sorting my laundry as I acquire more dirty clothes and it has saved me loads of time when laundry day comes. Thanks for the great tips!
I like to take a load off by painting, which always ends up leading to more laundry…
Distilled vinegar in the rinse water will act as a natural fabric softener.
Actually, I take lots of loads off right now – LOL I live in an apartment complex and my oldest is renting a house and has the washer and dryer. I babysit her dog now and then and cook a big family dinner once a week and she does her laundry 🙂
I make sure to pre treat the stains in my laundry.
I have my teens do their own laundry 🙂
we hang dry a majority of our laundry.
When I used to have a clothesline, I would hang a load and dry a load at the same time.
i pretreat stains to make it easier
I only wash with cold water and pre-treat stains as soon as I see them.
I lay in the bathtub with a book to take a load off
I always do a full load and wash with cold water most of the time!
I like to take a load off by watching a movie.
Spot Shot carpet spot remover is an excellent clothing spot remover! Spray it, let it sit for an hour and wash it. You won’t have to worry about it again!
I fold and separate laundry while watching my favorite show on TV
I never let my laundry pile up, do loads all through the week so I’m not overwhelmed with lots of loads at once.
My tip is to make your husband do it.
I add white vinegar to every load of laundry. It keeps the clothes soft, prevents static, and kills smells.
My kids are helping now. One will put the laundry in the wash, the other puts is in the dryer. Doesn’t seem like a lot, but it is a big help.
I taught my kids how to do the laundry so now they help. 🙂
Hydrogen Peroxide will get Kool Aid stains out of a white shirt also Calgon is great if you have hard water like I do! It helps the detergent get your clothes cleaner. Love all these tips!
i do a load each night before bed to make it easier than waiting and doing it all at once.
I don’t let it pile up.
I try to take a load off by doing all laundry in one day to get it out of the way
I use different laundry baskets so the kids can toss in their dirty clothes according to color (whites, darks, etc). That way the laundry is pre-sorted! Saves tons of time!
Have the kids fold and put away their own clothes- teaches them responsibililty and I don’t have to do it– yeah!
Best tip.. Do not be afraid of letting things line dry. Sometimes putting delicates can be ruin in the dryer
I put laundry in while I am cooking or cleaning, easy way to multitask.
Be specific when you tell your teenager to add bleach to the laundry.
My laundry tip is I keep a bottle of stain remover in the kitchen so when accidents happen I treat it right away rather than waiting.
I take a load off by having EVERYONE help with the laundry. I don’t believe I or anyone else should be the household’s ‘maid’.
I like to take a load off by doing a word or number puzzle.
I like to do a few loads a week so that it doesn’t pile up.
I try to do laundry throughout the week so it doesnt pile up at any time.
take a dip in the pool
i try to do only full loads to save water and saves time too
I take a load off by having the whole family help do their laundry, so one person isn’t doing it and so it will go by faster.
I do one thing the old fashioned way… I soak white clothing to help get out stains and dirt. Instead of going into a hamper, white socks and tees go into a small tub of water, Oxiclean and borax and they soak until I have enough for a wash load. They come out fresh and white.
i do a load a day ..some days big load or some day a small load
I pretreat stains s they happen which makes them easier to remove.
My older children are responsible for their own laundry and each have a day of the week assigned to them for that which helps me to take a load off each week.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I got my little guys involved. They don’t mind helping at their ages. They put away their clothes so I don’t have to go up and down the stairs.
my treating the stains asap after it happens
I do a load of laundry every day or so. That way, I don’t end up with tons of laundry do to on one day.
If i see blood stains on any clothing I immediately saturate it with hydrogen peroxide which pulls out all the protein; you will see if fizzing up right away.
I make a real effort to not allow laundry to pile up because I loathe putting away laundry. If I do the wash regularly, I can put away small loads. I can tolerate that and it also means clean clothes don’t get wrinkled from piling up in the basket.
I usually make Monday and Saturday y laundry days
I add white vinegar to the rinse cycle for a natural fabric softener and a great way to get all the soap out of your clothes in that final cycle.
Always check all the pockets of pants and shirts. Nothing worse than a tissue in the wash.
Even though I have a separate laundry room, the dryer still heats the house up some. So in the summer I wait til sundown to do laundry.
My best tip is for keeping whites white. I add just a dash of liquid bluing into my white clothes and skip the harsh bleach!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
My tip is not to forget about the clothes in washer while doing other things in the house.
For me, the key is staying on top of it so it doesn’t build up as much as it used too. Takes a lot of the stress out…
I will let the white soak for a while in water and bleach before washing.
My laundry tip is to use a timer; especially if your washer and dryer are in the basement like mine. That way you don’t forget clothes and end up with soured towels or clothes that need to be fluffed numerous times.
I also take a break and go walking.
I like to go for a walk to talk a load off
We have separate baskets for whites and colors so we know when the load needs done.
vmkids3 at msn dot com
wash on cold water to prevent shrinking and save money
I bought a hamper divided into three sections to make sorting laundry easier
My tip check all pockets before putting cloths in the wash.
I tend to let the laundry accumulate till I have almost nothing clean. Then I have a marathon laundry day. But there is only me, so I’m not doing laundry for multiple people.
hang my clothes out during summer and have my kids fold and put away their own clothes
Do some laundry everyday, so you don’t have a lot to do at one time!
Treat stains right away. Make sure to check them before putting them in the dryer which will set the stain
Don’t overstuff. You want to wash full loads only so you save on water use and energy consumption, but you don’t want to fill your machine so much that your clothes can’t get clean.
I started doing this a few months ago when I found the tip on a blog. Towels can get a smelly build up. So now I always wash them in vinegar & baking soda only, with vinegar in the rinse instead of softener. Now, granted, they don’t have that awesome smell like when you use softener, but they don’t have a bad smell. They simply DON’T smell at all. And I like using vinegar as a rinse for my towels because they’re not quite as soft as using fabric softener & I feel like they dry better.
I have 9 kids, so you could just imagine my laundry pile! I do about 3 loads every day and I LOVE to hang my clothes on the clothes line! Saves on electricity and smells super!
I have my teenage daughters help and I do the washing and drying and they do the folding.
I try to do a load a day so it never becomes overwhelming
My laundry tip is to use your washing machine as a hamper. Just have everybody toss their clothes in and when it’s full run it.
I buy two kinds of socks, period. Black socks and white socks. The same brand and size for everyone in the house except the baby. When I sort socks, it takes two minutes and there’s — at most — one black and one white sock left over.
I ‘take a load off’ by going swimming – it’s anti-gravity in the water.
Thanks for the contest.
I designate 1 day a week to laundry – it challenges me to get it all done and put a way!
I am definitely not a laundry guru, so seeing all these tips have really given me some good ideas! I carry a stain pen with me at all times during the summer, and when we get home I put detergent directly on the stain to soak in.
My tip is to use a vinegar rinse instead of dryer sheets.
I like to soak my towels and whites in bleach weekly 🙂
Treat your stains right away and don’t let them sit.
I do a small load of laundry every day so I never feel overwhelmed with too much to do !!
my daughter folds her own laundry which is really helpful for me because I HATE folding laundry and her tiny clothes are so annoying. I figure they will be a mess in her drawers in a day or two anyway, so why not let her fold them herself? She’s actually pretty good.
I hang my laundry outside in the summer and just let the sun dry it
Here is a laundry tip. Always use hot water because there are minute amounts of fecal matter in every load. No pun intended. Thanks for the giveaway!
I have a few kids with sensitive skin, for 3 years I have made my own laundry detergent, 1:1 ratio borax:Arm and Hammer washing soda, boiled in large pot full of water…Allow to cool, add 1/2 cup Dawn (yes it matters) pour into reused container. Use full strength, 1/2 cup for small loads to 1 1/2 cups for really dirty stuff (dog towels anyone?) Then add one cup vinegar for fabric softener…If drying in a dryer, use a toss in sheet. Otherwise it hangs on my line, super soft towels. Add oxygen cleen to whiten non bleach able items.
I take a load off by taking a few minutes in the day to sit down and relax and read a book.
I’ve found that clothes are less likely to shrink if you wash them with cold water and either hang-dry or use a low heat setting with the dryer!
My best laundry tip was teaching my daughter how to do her own laundry before she was 12. She was responsible and she took care of it.
Use rubbing alcohol to take out ink stains
Pre-treat stains the night before you do the laundry.
Biggest tip that has helped me a lot — be patient with getting stains out…Never dry in dryer, soak and spray with a good stain remover, wash a couple of times. It works almost 100% 🙂
Use a different hamper for cold, hot and warm.
My washing machine is next to the bathroom, so i wash clothes everyday.
My girls are getting old enough to were they can help fold and put up now. That takes a load off for me. I think that’s the worst part of doing laundry. Thank you!
My tip is to fold the laundry as it is coming out of the dryer – otherwise it will pile up forever!
I use home made soap to remove stains – it’s great!
thank you
I do laundry while cleaning the bathroom next to it
I always multi-task while doing laundry!
always check the pockets of pants, and pull out the pockets
When using liquid detergent, I wash the measuring cup with the last load. That can be one sticky mess.
Everyone separates dark from lights, but I try to also separate fabrics that “shed” (towels, fleece, sweats) from other clothes (sheets, delicates).
We love to hang our clothes out on a line.
My husband does the laundry-he watches TV, and once an hour, runs downstairs to switch loads-he folds while still watching TV!
Reading or binge-watching tv series is my favorite way to take a load off.
I use Lestoil to pre-treat stains. It works especially well on greasy stains.
I hang up everything I can to save money drying.
My laundry tip is to make sure to separate colors before washing.
I take a load off by reading in bed.
My tip is to buy lots of underwear so you don’t have to wash so often.
I like to take a load off by relaxing on my bed reading a good book!
I take a long bath to take a load off.
Tip: if you must use the dryer in summer, try and only turn it on at night (when the house is at it’s coolest), that way you’re not heating up your already hot house!
I never throw my clothes into a basket when they come out of the dryer. I hang, fold and put them all away. I like doing laundry much more now that I actually finish it – and there’s not as much ironing required.
I do certain loads every day, so monday I do whites, tuesday I do darks etc, this way the kids know what to bring me for their laundry! And if they forget they wait a week, but they never do!
My best laundry tip is use the eco setting on items that do not need intense cleaning.
our laundry is in the kitchen so I do a load while cooking supper… killing 2 birds with one stone
always let stains soak awhile before washing
I now know to check my whites better before I put them in the washer–somehow I missed my new black pashmina, and all my whites are a dingy gray now!
I always separate the colors and do small loads.
Watch out for softeners – can bleach out clothes
My tip is to do one load of laundry each night, wash one and fold one. It keeps it all from pilingup at the end of the week!
Love to drink an iced tea by the pool
im doing laundry while i am doing cooking and doing dishes..multitasker;-)
In the summer, use a laundry line! You save loads of $$$ on not having to use a dryer. We have 9 kids, so we go through insane amounts of laundry and I save a lot of money using a clothesline instead of a dryer all summer (not to mention, it keeps the house cooler!)
I like to jump in the pool to take a load off!
I do a little laundry daily to keep up with a family of six.
I do laundry in between grocery and shopping trips to save time.
My tip is to pretreat your stains before putting the clothes in the washer. I usually soak them a day or two.
I listen to music when I fold clothes, it makes it go by faster, while clothes are washing and drying I do other chores or read or watch tv. Also, i do two loads, lights and darks, I don’t separate into a whole bunch of tiny categories.
Every once in awhile I bleach my whites to help them look good again.
My 5yr old daughter has taken an interest in helping with the laundry and i’m glad to teach her! It’s helping out more than I thought it would!
Do laundry at night in order to save money by doing it at off peak hours.
My laundry tip is to do all the laundry in one day. You’ll get it done for the week and everyone will have clean clothes and towels. Just figure it’s your day “off” from running tons of errands.
I hung a closet bar in our laundry room, and all clothes that get hung up in the closets…I hang up right away. Then…I just carry them up and hang them right up!
I enlist the whole family to help out with laundry!
I do a load every day to keep the chaos away!
I have my teen son do his own laundry , I dont help , I dont nag , I just leave it to him ! sure does take a load off me !
I use hairspray on tough stains. It works well!
I fold clothes while I watch the news. Also, white distilled vinegar is a great substitute if you run out of softener.
I like to take a load off by knitting while I wait for my laundry to dry. It’s just enough time for a little “Momma Break”! 🙂
Watching my favorite shows on the built-in laundry room TV makes folding clothes less tedious.
I fold while I’m watching TV, makes it a bit more enjoyable
My tip is try to get rid of stain right away when you can by using a stain remover.
I fold my laundry straight from the dryer into one of the 4 hampers I have. One for each family member. They clothes aren’t as wrinkled and I don’t have to sort them twice.
I have hubby do the heavy job of carrying it upstairs and everyone’s responsible for getting dirty clothes into a hamper. Both help me take a load off.
Each family member has their own laundry baskets to bring down, and then back to their room. They are also responsible for putting the clothes away. While I am waiting for a machine to finish up, I take that time to clean the laundry room and the family room which is in the basement. Two jobs get down in one time frame.
I like tip #4. It took me awhile to lower my expectations and get help, but as our family grew, I accepted it. We are very practical about the amount of clothing each person in our family owns, I think having less, forces us to keep up with laundry and not let it pile up.
I like to soak my towels in oxiclean weekly before a wash to keep them fresh.
I like to go swimm on the pool and read a book to take a load off, Thank you~!
two loads, white and the colors.
Staying on top of the laundry and not letting it get overwhelming keeps me happy.
I don’t let the laundry pile up. I do laundry every other day.
My laundry tip is to always pretreat stains so they won’t get set in.
A tip I have to get wrinkles out is take the clothes into the bathroom when you shower with you and the steam from the shower will help some of the bad wrinkles.
I use mesh bags to keep certain items from getting tangled. I hang my laundry up on the line in the summer to save money. I also empty all pocket before throwing the laundry in.
My laundry tip for parents of babies is to use mesh lingerie bags to hold/wash their socks and other small accessories to keep them from getting lost.
I drink a nice cup of coffee and watch a movie in my air conditioned apartment to take a load off!
Here in Ottawa, Ontario we our electricity charges is determinded by time of day therefore my laundry is done either in the evenings or on the weekends
I fold as I take it out of the dryer or as I take it off the line,,I like to wash in cold water only and hang my clothes out to dry whenever I can
I don’t really have a tip, but I LOVE to hang clothes out on the line in the sunshine and love the smell–but usually just do sheets.
I enlist the help of my husband to help me with the laundry
I do all our laundry every other day. Through the summer it’s all dried on the line, but ends up scratchy, so I’ll throw them in the dryer for 10 minutes to soften them up a bit.
I fold and put away asap, so it doesn’t back up and get overwhelming. It’s such a good feeling to get the laundry completely done when you do loads of wash.
i do laundry first thing on a weekend morning to get it over with so i can be productive outside the house the rest of the day or relax or whatever !
I hang my clothes in the summer outside and in the winter I use a fan to dry them in the house. Thanks for the offer and best of luck to all.
Peace to you.
Use hairspray on stains before washing.
Empty all pockets before washing clothes
Make sure you spray a stain on your clothes right away. Also line dry your clothes if you can.
I make sure I don’t have tissue in the pockets before putting in the wash.
Use dryer balls, I prefer wool balls. I found my drying Time decreased at least a third of the time it took without the balls
I advocate diligent pretreating.
I add baking soda to the washing machine when I wash white clothes to keep them whiter
My 5 & 7 yr old boys do each load for Chuck-E Cheese coin. I fold and they help put them away.
Treat stains as soon as possible and put yourself on a laundry schedule – like I do laundry on Mondays and Thursdays mostly.
I soak stained clothing in ammonia overnight and then wash them the next day.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
My tip is to treat the stain right away.
My laundry tip is to shake your clothes out before you put them in the dryer or hang them to dry because it really cuts down on the wrinkles!
andysavi.mom@gmail.com
I like to do the laundry first thing in the morning around 8am so that I can have the rest of the day to do whatever I want.
I always do all my laundry in one day… then you can look forward to a whole week without doing laundry.
I’d like to read a good magazine with a cup of tea to take a load off.
I like to soak in a hot bubble bath to take a load off.
I like to read to take a load off
I’m not sure if this is a tip but I use my fabric softener sheet to empty out the lint trap in the dryer.
I like to shake my clothes before hanging them to dry..less wrinkles! I also love sweet smelling detergents. And I get the kids to help.
I like to shake my clothes before hanging them to dry..less wrinkles! I also love sweet smelling detergents.
I like to shake my clothes before hanging them to dry..less wrinkles!
I like to shake my clothes before hanging them to dry..
Less wrinkles!
I don’t let laundry pile up!! I do tons of loads each week just so i don’t have to spend one whole day to doing it. Its spread out throughout the week.
I need to “shake out” my son’s work clothes – works construction
He gets very dirty – would love to try this
I wash, the kids fold, and their dad puts the folded laundry in their rooms. Teamwork!
i ask for help when needed
I try to do laundry while my son is working on homework so I can help him and get chores done.
I do laundry while cooking or cleaning.
I do my laundry while I am cleaning the house – it doesn’t seem like an extra chore when I do this.
I was wondering if you ever considered changing the structure of your website?
Its very wll written; I love whhat youve got to say.
Buut maybe you could a little moe in the way of content so people could
connect with it better. Youve got an awfuul lot of text for only having one or 2 pictures.
Maybe you could space it out better?
I put my laundry in while I clean- not a new idea!
My laundry tip is to apply detergent directly to stains and use the pre-soak cycle to remove stains effectively.
I sort my kids’ clothes into piles on the kitchen table off the laundry room. They bring their piles upstairs one at a time so I don’t have to lug the clean clothes back upstairs!
I like to take a dip in the pool to take a load off.
I miss hanging my clothes outside to dry! I do often soak laundry in detergent for a day or two before finishing it on a very gentle cycle. I try to not use the dryer too much, as it is the most damaging to the clothes long-term.
I enlist help from my kids with sorting and getting things in the machines, and then fold while I watch a favorite show – either bring it in front of the TV, or via my iPad resting on top of the dryer.
I have a laundry “system” whereby each kid has a day assigned to bring down their load of dirty clothes. They sort colors from whites and I wash, dry and fold their laundry for them. Those who choose not to or forget to comply with their day are on their own for getting their laundry done start to finish. (This does not apply to the littles!). That also leaves time in the rest of the day or even later in the week for me to do my laundry and hubby’s as well as whites, sheets, and/or towels AND still have the weekend off from laundry duty. working well for us so far…. and frees me from nagging and following them around the house to get them to comply.
I organize laundry according to colors, and love to hang it outside all summer.
i like to hang my clothes outside alot in the summer 🙂
Never let your teenagers sort the laundry you are only asking for a red sock in a white load!