Last Updated on June 25, 2026
Laundry rarely ranks as a favorite pastime, but it is a necessary part of life for most people. Without proper care, clothing wears down quicker, looking worn down and grungy. Not to mention the smell that will inevitably catch up with you. Here are six surprising hacks that, while they won’t completely eliminate your need to hit the laundry room, can make the experience more tolerable.
6 Surprising Laundry Hacks That Make Laundry Day Easier
Not all laundry solutions require expensive products or professional cleaning services. Many of the most effective tricks involve simple changes to the way you wash, dry, and care for your clothing. By incorporating these easy hacks into your routine, you can extend the life of your garments while making laundry day less time-consuming and more efficient.
1. Turn Clothes Inside Out
Turning your clothes inside out before washing them may seem counterintuitive, but it is an excellent way to keep them looking fresh for longer. Inside-out washing protects normally visible surfaces and helps preserve any designs. That’s a big bonus for graphic tees and tacky Christmas sweaters. This is especially useful for dark-colored garments, since friction inside the drum is one of the main reasons dark fabrics fade faster than lighter ones.
OK, so this won’t make your laundry routine any easier, but it will help your clothes look better for longer. Plus, you have to admit that when you pull your favorite item out of the dryer and you know it is good for the rest of the season and maybe all of next season, too it feels pretty great.
2. Make Your Own Laundry Products
Making your own laundry soap and fabric softeners is simple, and it only requires a few basic ingredients. You probably even have some of them on hand at home, and the ones you don’t can be picked up during a weekly grocery run. The most basic supplies include pure soap, washing soda, vinegar, baking soda and Borax. Many people add in their favorite Young Living essential oils for stain fighting or a fresh scent. Lemon, lavender and rosemary are a few popular options that make clothes smell great right out of the wash. One practical ratio that works well for a basic powder detergent is one cup of washing soda, one cup of baking soda, and half a cup of grated pure soap, mixed together and stored in a sealed jar. Use two tablespoons per load.
3. Give Dryer Balls a Whirl
Dryer sheets are a staple in many laundry rooms, but they may not be the best way to keep your clothes free of wrinkles. Many households are turning to dryer balls for the same effect in a more economical and environmentally friendly form. Just toss a couple in the dryer with your clothes and they come out soft and non-clingy. No chemicals needed. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, dryer balls can reduce drying time by up to 25 percent by improving hot air circulation inside the drum, which also lowers energy use per cycle.
There are several types of dryer balls, so you can choose the one that works best for your washing needs. They are traditionally made from felted wool that is compressed into a three to six-inch ball. Wool balls can be undyed or colorful. Newer plastic versions are also available, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. If you prefer DIY solutions, you can crumple up a piece of clean aluminum foil and toss it in the dryer with your clothes. Then, recycle it when you are done. For best results, use three to six dryer balls at a time rather than just one or two. The more balls in the drum, the more effectively they separate the fabric and allow heat to move through evenly.
4. Freeze Sticky Stains
Make quick work of stubborn, sticky stains like gum by freezing them off. Simply place your garment in the freezer until the spot is stiff, peel off the stain, and wash the item like normal. You may need to do a little extra scrubbing if it has worked its way into the fabric, so be sure to check that out before tossing it into the machine. If freezer space is at a premium in your home, try holding a few ice cubes against it for a similar effect. This same freezing method also works well on candle wax and tree sap. Once the residue is frozen solid and peeled away, a small amount of dish soap rubbed directly onto the remaining spot before washing usually clears it completely.
5. Learn a Quick and Easy Way To Unshrink Clothes
Everyone has, at some point, shrunk an item in the laundry. Maybe it was a favorite sweater or a knit blanket. Either way, the new, miniaturized version simply isn’t going to cut it. Luckily, there is a fix for this problem. This trick uses baby shampoo, a towel, and a little finesse on your part to unshrink your clothes back to their original sizes. The process works because baby shampoo relaxes the protein or cotton fibers enough to allow gentle reshaping. Soak the item in a basin of lukewarm water with one tablespoon of baby shampoo for about 30 minutes, then gently stretch it back into shape on a flat towel and leave it to air dry. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric during this process.
6. Skip the Wash
Some clothes actually perform better if they aren’t washed after each use. Jeans are the poster children for this type of laundry procrastination. They wear better if you go days, weeks, or even months between laundry cycles. Plus, they feel so much more comfortable after a few wears. So, ditch the guilt and the extra load of laundry by only washing jeans when they are obviously dirty or stained. Levi Strauss, one of the most recognized denim brands in the world, openly recommends washing jeans as infrequently as possible and suggests spot cleaning between washes to maintain both fit and fabric quality.
Laundry may be a necessary chore, but it doesn’t have to be a dreaded one. Simple swaps like making your own DIY detergent, swapping dryer sheets for balls, and freezing sticky stains and these hacks can make laundry day easier.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Does turning clothes inside out actually prevent fading?
Ans: Yes, it genuinely helps. The agitation inside a washing machine drum causes friction on the outer surface of fabric, which breaks down dye over time. Turning clothes inside out shifts that friction to the inner surface, where it is far less visible.
Q2. Are wool dryer balls better than plastic dryer balls?
Ans: Wool dryer balls are generally considered the better option for most households. They are natural, biodegradable, gentler on fabrics, and can last for hundreds of loads. Plastic dryer balls work too, but they can be noisier in the dryer and do not last as long.
Q3. Can you really unshrink clothes, or is the damage permanent?
Ans: In many cases, shrinkage can be partially or fully reversed, particularly with wool, cotton, and knit fabrics. The baby shampoo method works by relaxing the fibers so they can be gently stretched back. Heavily shrunk synthetic fabrics are harder to recover and may not respond as well.
Q4. How do you make homemade laundry detergent that actually cleans well?
Ans: A basic mix of washing soda, baking soda, and grated pure soap handles most everyday loads effectively. For heavily soiled items or stain-fighting, adding a small amount of Borax to the mix improves cleaning performance. Essential oils like lemon or tea tree can be added for a fresh scent without synthetic fragrance.
Q5. How often should you wash jeans?
Ans: Most denim experts, including brands like Levi Strauss, recommend washing jeans every ten or more wears rather than after each use. Frequent washing breaks down the denim fibers faster, causes fading, and distorts the fit. Spot cleaning and airing them out between wears keeps them fresh without the wear and tear of a full wash cycle.
