In these economic times, you have to save wherever you can... Here's one tip

[FlyingSquirrel]

If you buy liquid laundry detergent.

I know for many this will probably be a "Well, duh!" but this is something I just realized today. My wife usually does the laundry and there is of course always a little bit of liquid left in the bottle when she's done. I've tried leaving the bottle upside down to drain it into a jar, but it often falls over and it's just a pain in the neck. Plus I don't really spend much time around there, so the empty containers just pile up and I don't usually have the inclination to drain them. It's also a pain to rinse them out so the container can be recycled.

So the answer is a "Well, duh!" but for some reason it just never occurred to me before. You turn on the washer, and rinse the bottle out into the machine with the water that's filling it up. There's certainly at least a load of detergent still in it, so you're killing two birds with one stone - getting an extra load out of the container and rinsing it so you can recycle it.

[Fovea]

1. good advice!

And many profoundly good ideas start out with a 'well duh' moment.

[driver8]

2. That is a great tip!

This never occurred to me, either...

Thanks for the tip!

[lapfog_1]

3. I've always done that. Thought everyone did.

Do it with shampoo and conditioner as well...

[SoCalDem]

27. me too..

I'm a cheapskate :)

[Tikki]

4. Experience is....

the mother (father) of all invention...

Good on you...thanks for the tip...works with shampoo, often.


Tikki

[seemslikeadream]

5. I thought you were talking about this

http://powerfullifenetwork.ning.com/

[tabatha]

6. I always rinse out plastic ontainers of liquid

dishwasher, shampoo, etc and use the rinsed out liquid, before putting in the recycling bin.

But I use Trader Joe's laundry powder because it is far more economical.

[lunatica]

7. It's a good practice and I've been doing it for years

But that's usually because I feel I can squeeze out one more wash load rather than go buy a new container.

Sometimes being plain lazy makes for some interesting conservation practices. Like shaking that toner bottle for the printer until you finally just have to get new toner because you can't read what you print anymore, or doing your work as it comes up because you're too lazy to tackle large work loads.

:thumbsup:

[AlCzervik]

8. same thing with shampoo and conditioner bottles and catsup and any other bottles

with flat caps.

[lunatica]

10. Restaurants have been doing the ketchup bottles forever

It's all part of the setup routine just before opening the doors.

[ben_meyers]

9. Welcome to the "Last Droppers Club"

My parents were Great Depression era and many of their friends called themselves Last Droppers. Toothpaste, shampoo, ketchup etc.

[cornermouse]

11. a pair of pliers usually pulls out that little insert that keeps

the last bit of soap from coming out. And you don't have that thing banging around inside the washer putting more wear on your clothes.

[TNDemo]

12. Or make your own.

I've been making mine for years and it is much cheaper than the stuff from the store.

[lunatica]

13. Making your own laundry detergent? nt

[FSogol]

14. How do you make it? n/t

[TNDemo]

15. Here's a site that basically details it:

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

There are others out there too. I went to the Dollar Store and got a bucket that had a lid just because I didn't want dust and stuff landing in it. It is a rectangular bucket with a lid that flips back but you can use whatever you have. I also make soap (not for financial reasons but used to be in business and now just make it for fun and gifts) so I usually have some scent to throw in there, but you don't have to make it smell and smell usually doesn't stay long anyway. I don't fragrance much because it bothers my husband's asthma.

Also, don't use fabric softener if you are trying to save money. Put vinegar into the dispenser thing or just add it in the rinse or whatever. It softens and keeps the static away and does not smell like a pickle (I promise).

[zeemike]

16. Here is another tip

Try using half the amount of detergent you now use. Unless you have a lot of really dirty and grease close you don't need all that much detergent to get them clean.
But I like even better the idea of making your own detergent.

[AlCzervik]

18. same thing with the dishwasher, i use about half what is recommended and the

dishes come out fine. i have a high efficiency washer and it uses very little det and water plus i got a rebate from the gas company and the company that makes the washer.

[dweller]

19. heh, shampoo and creme rinse

cut in 1/2 w/ water.

been doing that for years, Just save one empty bottle and begin w/ the new bottle split btwn them. Add h20 and try it.

(remember the instructions always say 'rinse, repeat' anyway) :D
dp

[Mist]

20. Yep--half, or even a bit less than half, is plenty for most laundry loads. Otherwise,

there's a strong soapy smell, and clothes get dingy because the soap is still in them.

[AlCzervik]

21. and i try to hang dry almost everything, all the clothes that are coming out of China

seem totally disposable, like won't make it through the wash cycle once so for those and i really to avoid buying them i put them in a woolite wash bag and then i hag them to dry and they actually last longer.

[zeemike]

23. I guess your motto is use less save more

Smart living
You must have a front loader washer
With that you save more than half the water...more like 1/3 and the same for the detergent.

[AlCzervik]

26. i do have a front loader, i got it about 6 months or so ago and my water bill went down

about 15% which is a good start.

[zeemike]

28. There are good machines

I do know something of the subject because I was in the appliance repair business for a food many years...retired now
The front loader is actually an old idea but was complicated mechanically.
But with the use of computers they now can do electrically what they use to do mechanically.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

17. I always put water in the bottle when it gets near empty and shake it up

I do that with liquid dishwashing soap, laundry detergent and even shampoo. There are always a few days of use left from the soap that lines the inner sides of the bottle.

[Warpy]

22. I thought everybody did that one!

It also works for that heel tap of shampoo. Just remember when you get the last of the shampoo out the ordinary way that you need to run a little water into the bottle for next time. You can often get as many as three shampoos out of it, depending on how long your hair is.

The sliver of bar soap is useful, too. Get the sponges that have a plastic abrasive on one side, use a razor blade to make a slit between them, and put the sliver of soap inside. By the time the soap's gone, that sponge will be too scuzzy to use. I like this one for the sponge I use around the kitchen to clean up spills.

Kim & Aggie had a good one last week for burnt on grease on a broiler pan. Use household ammonia on a cloth over the whole pan (cheesecloth will do), bundle it all up in a black trash bag, and leave it out in the sun for a few hours. The grease will melt off and you'll no longer be in danger of burning the house down the next time you broil a steak, and if that isn't a money saving proposition, what is?

[Lars39]

24. I've been cutting back on the detergent I use.

I used to pour exactly what was recommended for what size load. Now I pour the recommended amount into the cap, but then add only enough to create a bit of suds in the tub. It takes a lot less detergent this way, and I can't tell a difference. If something is really dirty, put it on to wash for the maximum amount of time, several times, until it is clean.

I have been using a home made spray n wash for about 8 yrs now, too. Much cheaper to make, and it gets stains out, even after the garment has been in the drier.

In an empty Spray N Wash bottle: 3/4 cup each of ammonia, Whisk detergent, white vinegar. Lightly shake...***Don't use with bleach!***

[conspirator]

25. I do that with dish washing liquid n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

29. Always do that!

Also, although the detergent container will instruct you to use a full capful - don't. Use half that.

The guy who came to fix our washer explained that a whole capful is far, far too much, and will leave residue on your clothes. At most, half a cap.

[pink-o]

30. Back before Proctor and Gamble, people used Ammonia and vinegar to clean stuff.

It was cheaper, and worked just as well!

Check out Graham Haley, who's written all sorts of books on household stuff and how to clean economically.

http://www.haleyshintsdvd.com/