These all-natural laundry hacks will make doing laundry easier and quicker, help you get out every kind of stain, and make your clothing last longer without the use of any toxic chemicals whatsoever.
Unfortunately, there are all kinds of toxic chemicals lurking in laundry products like detergents, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets. For example, this Tide detergent contains chemicals that can harm the reproductive and endocrine systems!
Skin is extremely absorbent, and since our skin touches our clothing and linens more than anything else, it’s really dangerous to have toxic chemicals in our laundry.
I’m always looking for ways to make routine tasks more efficient and to avoid using toxic chemicals as much as possible, so I’ve put together this list of 13 all-natural laundry hacks to share ways you can do laundry more quickly and efficiently without using any toxic chemicals!
Just a heads up: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thanks for supporting me!
1. For A Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent…
Check out my Guide to the Best Green & All-Natural Laundry Detergents. I share the best laundry detergents that are completely non-toxic, but that also work really well!
Or, you can make our own non-toxic laundry detergent.
2. To Get Out Mildew or Sour Smells…
This is one of the laundry hacks I’ve come across most! With just two things, vinegar and baking soda, you can naturally get rid of any unwanted smells in your clothing. Pam from Brown Thumb Mama has a super helpful tutorial! Using vinegar in your load of laundry will also help to soften the fabrics.
3. To Remove Grease Stains…
According to Apartment Therapy, rubbing a bit of chalk into a grease stain before washing, whether from lipstick or bacon or something else, helps to soak up the grease and the stain comes out in the wash! Martha Stewart says sprinkling corn starch on it right away and letting it sit for 10 minutes works too.
4. For A Quick Fix for Wrinkles…
If you have just a couple of garments that are wrinkly, throw them in the dryer on the hottest setting with three ice cubes (or a damp washcloth). According to Life Hacker, the ice cubes melt and become steam in the dryer that helps to smooth out the wrinkles.
These laundry hacks will definitely come in handy when getting ready for an event or interview last minute!
5. To Rid Your Washing Machine of Lingering Bacteria and Germs…
I wasn’t convinced washing machines need to be cleaned until I read this article. It turns out bacteria like E. coli can live on through regular washing cycles and contaminate the clothing we think we’re cleaning.
Really hot water needs to be used with vinegar and baking soda in order to kill that bacteria. Apartment Therapy gives the details on how to do it and how often you should be cleaning it.
6. To Brighten White Fabrics…
Martha Stewart says you can put your linens in a pot of water with some lemon slices, bring it to a boil, then turn it off. Let it soak for an hour, then dry in sunlight for the best results. You can find more Martha Steward laundry hacks in this article.
7. To Stop Losing Socks…
Put all socks in a mesh laundry bag that closes. Throw it in with the rest of the laundry. When it’s done you can open the bag and all your socks will be together! If you have multiple family members, you can give each person their own bag. Then you don’t have to sort the socks either! That tip came from Pam at Life, Creatively Organized.
8. To Speed Up Dry Time in the Dryer…
Sylvia shared that throwing a dry towel in with a load of wet laundry in the dryer can drastically speed up dry time!
9. To Remember to Treat Stains before Washing…
These ideas came from an article by Jillee’s One Good Thing blog. One idea is to keep your stain treatment in your bathroom where you change out of your clothes into your pjs. That way you’re more likely to remember to spray the stain before you put it in the hamper.
Another idea is to tie sleeves together or find another way to make the garment stand out when you go to put it in the washer.
10. To Keep Clothes from Wearing Out as Quickly…
Always zip zippers and unbutton buttons before putting clothing in the washer. That way zippers don’t snag on other garments, and buttons don’t get pulled and come off or stretch out holes.
I also turn my jeans and fabrics that might get pilly inside out to keep them from losing color or pilling from rubbing on other clothes.
Air drying clothing also lengthens their life span, because the heat of the dryer can be hard on fabrics.
If you have clothes that have pilled, don’t get rid of them! Read my post, How to Get Rid of Pills.
11. To Remove Juice or Wine Stains…
Hold the fabric over a bowl and pour boiling water over the stain and through the fabric (preferably while the stain is fresh). The stain disappears! (I’ve tried this one myself and it works like magic.)
12. To Remove Any Kind of Stain Naturally, without Chemicals…
Wellness Mama has a Natural Stain Removal Guide where she describes an all-natural and chemical-free way to remove pretty much every kind of stain imaginable!
13. For a Non-Toxic Alternative to Fabric Softener and Dryer Sheets…
Try wool dryer balls! When you put them in the dryer with your clothes they help your clothes dry faster, soften clothing naturally, and reduce static.
Plus, they can last for thousands of loads, so you’ll save a ton of money, and they are entirely free of toxic chemicals (unlike most fabric softeners and dryer sheets)! You can add a few drops of essential oils to them to make your laundry smell even better.
You can make your own wool dryer balls, or buy them on Amazon.
