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" Pretreat stains Cut down on second washings (not to mention ruined clothes) by acting quickly on nasty spills. Use a stain-treating bar soap like Fels-Naptha ($1.09;Amazon.com), or soak delicates in a liquid stain treatment, so you don&amp;#039;t damage the fabric by rubbing it (try OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover Powder, $9; Amazon.com). Bleach pens like Clorox&amp;#039;s ($10.99 for two; Amazon.com) are handy for washable whites mixed with color, like a striped shirt. SAVINGS: About 65\u00A2 per wash cycle Switch to cold Ninety percent of the energy washing machines use goes into heating the water, but clothes don&amp;#039;t need hot water to get clean. You might prefer to use it for heavy-use items (sheets, towels), but try cold water for anything colored or for items that are lightly soiled. And always rinse in cold\u2014it gets suds out better and doesn&amp;#039;t set wrinkles. SAVINGS: 30\u00A2 to 60\u00A2 per load Save on detergent If you don&amp;#039;t already, buy in bulk\u2014the bigger, the better (decant into a smaller container, if desired)\u2014and try store instead of name brands (they&amp;#039;re often made by the same company). Pay attention to how much detergent the manufacturer recommends you use for each load. Most people add far more than advised, and often your clothes will be just as clean if you use as little as half of what is suggested. SAVINGS: Up to 30\u00A2 per load Hang it out to dry The less time your laundry spends in the dryer, the more you save. Try drying the old-fashioned way: on a clothesline. A retractable one\u2014like the Household Essentials Hotel Style Clothes Dryer ($17.99; Amazon.com)\u2014stays out of sight when not in use. A shower curtain rod also makes the perfect &amp;quot;line&amp;quot; in a pinch. SAVINGS: About 50\u00A2 per 45-minute dryer cycle Dry-clean at home Many items that say dry clean only can be washed by hand or in the delicate cycle of your machine. For fast freshening of lightly soiled items, consider Woolite Dry Cleaner&amp;#039;s Secret Dry Cleaning Cloths ($28.16 for 14 cloths; Amazon.com)\u2014toss up to four garments in the dryer with a treated sheet and hit start. It even works on bulkier pieces like blazers! SAVINGS: $5 to $10 per item Worth the investment If your old washer or dryer kicks the bucket, replace it with an EnergyStar\u2013rated one\u2014you may save up to $135 a year in energy costs. Other features to consider: FOR WASHERS Look for a high-efficiency (HE) machine and think about switching from a top-load to a front-load machine. The latter cuts energy by about a third and water use by half. FOR DRYERS New built-ins like steam drying can help freshen clothes (so you skip dry cleaning) and moisture sensors automatically shut off the dryer once your clothes are dry. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/tips/a7051/save-money-on-laundry/>