Compensation and product have been provided for this blog post. However, all opinions are my own.
Laundry is one of those chores that I don’t much mind. There is something therapeutic about folding laundry and breathing in that fresh, just cleaned scent. I would much rather wash clothes than say… scrub the commode or dust. Oh, how I dislike dusting and the sneezing fits that soon follow. When it comes to doing laundry I am a bit of a stickler about a couple of things…
Don’t let it pile up. I try to stick to washing a load each day. This keeps the chore of laundry much more manageable and less intimidating.
Use Laundry products you trust and save time by having extras on hand. Tide laundry detergent is something I have used for many years. It has gently washed my family’s clothes for as long as I can remember. When they were little, I used Tide laundry soap to wash my children’s school clothes, team uniforms and ballet costumes. Now I am washing my grandchildren’s clothes with Tide. When you find something that works well, I believe in sticking with it.
Do you have a any laundry tips? I would love to hear them!
I have more recently become familiar with Gain Flings. The three-in-one single-use flings include 50% more scent, an oxi boost and the freshness of Febreze, for long-lasting freshness and cleaning power. Those little laundry packs have a lot going for them, and are so convenient. I like them.
When my favorite brands are on sale, I like to stock up. P&G and Family Dollar make it easy for your clothes to last longer and stay cleaner over time, by offering quality products at an affordable price. Thanks to the great prices at Family Dollar, my laundry room is currently stocked with Tide Simply Clean & Fresh, Tide Plus A Touch of Downy, Tide Plus Bleach Alternative, and the new Gain Flings.
For those particularly strong odors, and also for my linens which I like to have especially nice and soft, I like to use Tide + A Touch of Downy. It makes clothes feel soft & fresh with an wonderfully upgraded scent.
I simply couldn’t do without the Tide + Bleach Alternative for keeping whites extra white and bright. It removes dinginess and gets whites whiter.
Tide Simply Clean & Fresh – Offers a dependable clean and superior mal-odor removal with 2X baking soda power. I love this particular laundry detergent for my every day laundry.
Also available at Family Dollar you’ll find more of the Tide Plus products, such as: Tide + Bleach Alternative, which removes dinginess and gets whites whiter; Tide + Ultra Stain Release, for stubborn everyday stains and with a new pre-treat stain Zap! Cap that lets you use Tide as both a detergent and a pre-treater on tough stains; Tide + Febreze Freshness, providing long lasting freshness with an upgraded scent; Tide + Coldwater Clean, coldwater cleaning with whitening ingredients; and Tide + Febreze Sport which removes body soils, odor and sweat stains – perfect for when your child is playing team sports.
Win a $25 Family Dollar Gift Card + P&G Fabric Care Samples
One lucky About A Mom reader will win a $25 Family Dollar Gift Card and assortment of P&G Fabric Care Samples! Giveaway is open to U.S. readers, ages 18+ and ends on March 22, 2014 at 11:59pm EST.
Related articles
Brenda McCracken says
March 8, 2014 at 4:50 PMI use All Free and Clear detergent because my youngest has sensitive skin and it cleans well.
Dawn Monroe says
March 8, 2014 at 5:09 PMMy tip is to put a dryer sheet in your drawers to keep clothes smelling great.
Amy Orvin says
March 8, 2014 at 5:11 PMPre-soaking is key to remove the odors and stains better.
tiffany f says
March 8, 2014 at 5:18 PMWe use a little baking soda with our laundry. Seems to leave things a little fresher and keep colors brighter longer.
Sheila K. says
March 8, 2014 at 5:41 PMI aways use Downy Unstopables in the wash to keep everything feeling soft and smelling great!
KARENALBERTWINSLOW says
March 8, 2014 at 5:59 PMUSING CHEAP DETERGENTS NEVER MAKES SENSE. THEY DONT DO THE SAME JOB & YOU END UP USING MORE FOR LESS CLEAN. COLD WATER WASHES JUST AS WELL AS WARM & THE ONLY REASON TO WASH IN HOT IS TO SANITIZE BUT SOAP ALREADY DOES THAT FOR YOU & SO DOES THE DRYER SO WHY WASTE THE MONEY. DONT USE ANYMORE SOAP THAN IS RECOMENDED. IF YOU HAVE TO PRE TREAT USE FROM THAT AMOUNT & SET THAT LOAD ASIDE AND DO ANOTHER WHILE IT SITS ALWAYS REMEMBER IF YOU PUT TOO MANY CLOTHES IN YOU DONT CLEAN WELL & YOU DONT RINSE OUT THE SOAP SO YOU GET RASHES FROM THE LEFT OVER SOAP IN YOUR CLOTHES.
Donna L says
March 8, 2014 at 6:24 PMWe wash our clothes in cold water and we use fabric softener.
Crystal says
March 8, 2014 at 6:51 PMI put a dryer sheet in where my extra blankets and sheets are stored so they smell fresh when you get to use them.
Karen R says
March 8, 2014 at 6:52 PMUse the coldest water possible to get clothes clean.
Nan Bixby says
March 8, 2014 at 7:08 PMRather than using dryer sheets I use dryer balls.
Ali Goff says
March 8, 2014 at 7:33 PMThe only real tip I know is to rub dish soap into a stain as soon as it happens; always does the trick.
Kate D. says
March 8, 2014 at 7:49 PMI always make sure to pre treat stains before they set.
Mindy Grant says
March 8, 2014 at 8:24 PMI dry clothes on low heat so they don’t shrink!
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
March 8, 2014 at 8:24 PMI haven’t tried any of those Tide products but would love, to, I’ve always had good experiences with Tide. I do most of our wash on cold, with the exception of my youngests who I do on hot for dirt and odor.
Jenn says
March 8, 2014 at 8:36 PMI don’t have any great laundry tips but I do only use cold water. I never really separate colors so using cold water helps prevent the colors from bleeding 🙂
Tammilee Tillison says
March 8, 2014 at 8:59 PMI am such a fan of the P&G Laundry Products. I was at their headquarters in Cincinnati a few weeks ago and can not believe the science that goes into each of their products.
Kathy Lane says
March 8, 2014 at 9:04 PMI pre treat stains with a little detergent,and rub it in good with a soft brush.
Sarah @ Must Have Mom says
March 8, 2014 at 9:14 PMI try to do one load each day so it doesn’t pile up and it’s so important to fold it and put it away right away or else it stacks up and is a huge chore!
Allison Downes says
March 8, 2014 at 9:16 PMI use cold water to save energy.
Thanks for the nice giveaway!
Jessie C. says
March 8, 2014 at 9:35 PMAdd Lavender oil to linens rinse cycle for fresh scent.
brett says
March 8, 2014 at 10:17 PMwe do tide pods. and a pretreat when necessary. my kids play hard and dirty!
vickie says
March 8, 2014 at 10:44 PMTry not to let the clothes pile up. If you can do a load a day you don’t become overwhelmed
Mayela says
March 8, 2014 at 10:48 PMWashing clothes in cold water!
Amanda says
March 8, 2014 at 10:59 PMOh I haven’t seen those Gain flings before! We use Gain sometimes, but haven’t seen these.
Seyma Shabbir says
March 8, 2014 at 11:20 PMAlways pretreat stains, add baking soda to your wash!
Cheryl Abdelnour says
March 8, 2014 at 11:44 PMI wash my clothes in cold water most of the time.
HilLesha says
March 9, 2014 at 5:40 AMTide is one of my favorite brands. As for laundry tips, I always wash in cold water to avoid shrinkage. Furthermore, I now refuse to put jeans in the dryer to avoid shrinkage (I had to learn the hard way).
Barbara Mc / Whenihave Time says
March 9, 2014 at 8:51 AMAlways pretreat grease/stains with a stain stick – will work for several days before the wash and leave clothes stain free.
Kelsey Apley says
March 9, 2014 at 9:12 AMI really love Gain and I love the Flings they smell SO good! We wash our clothes in warm water.
Singapore Mum Blog says
March 9, 2014 at 10:20 AMWe always sun our laundry. It’s one of the greatest natural sources of laundry care!!
Onica {MommyFactor} says
March 9, 2014 at 11:31 AMIt’s great that there’s so many options to keep your clothing clean and cared for. The winner of this giveaway will be happy to win
Kelsey Apley says
March 9, 2014 at 11:45 AMI am a huge fan of PG products. Tide and Gain are my two go-to laundry soaps! Thanks for the giveaway!
Tammy says
March 9, 2014 at 1:14 PMI use a good detergent and cold water. Here in TX our pipes are warmed up anyway so the cold water setting usually is luke warm anyway, LOL!
Paula @ Frosted Fingers says
March 9, 2014 at 2:26 PMI always forget to check out Family Dollar for good prices. Thanks for the reminder
Mayela says
March 9, 2014 at 3:24 PMseparate clothes by color!
Marti Tabora says
March 9, 2014 at 5:28 PMMy tip is to wash in cold water, it really does get clothes just as clean and it saves money too.
Heather Hayes Panjon says
March 9, 2014 at 5:35 PMWash Clothes In Cold Water And Air Dry When Possible.
Toni says
March 9, 2014 at 9:04 PMI love family dollar, you can really find great deals on brands there. I always wash darks in cold water.
Debbie Jackson says
March 9, 2014 at 9:08 PMbloglovin as mrsrodjac
save water and soap and electricity by using full loads.
Jennifer T. says
March 9, 2014 at 10:36 PMMy best tip is to treat stains early and to not dry the clothes if the stains haven’t come out in the wash as the heat will set it.
jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com
Raijean says
March 10, 2014 at 1:50 AMI love P&G products.
Cindy T says
March 10, 2014 at 5:52 AMI wash everything in cold except I wash whites in hot. I also put all of my delicates in lingere bags & wash on delicate cycle. Thank u for the chance to win. 🙂
Liza @ Views From the 'Ville says
March 10, 2014 at 12:35 PMWe wash pretty much everything in cold, other than towels. Great way to save on heating, and I think it helps clothes last longer. We also love using the pods – like those Gain flings! It’s less messy.
Also, keep a garbage can next to your washer and dryer so you don’t have to lug around dryer sheets, lint, and anything that you find in pockets!
Sarah Elyce says
March 10, 2014 at 3:25 PMI wash everything in cold water besides sheets, towels, and blankets. I use half a dryer sheet and don’t notice a difference. I also like to keep up with it instead of letting it pile up but never run a load that isn’t full unless I absolutely have to, adjusting the water level.
desaree martin says
March 10, 2014 at 3:34 PMWash in cold water.
Cynthia R says
March 10, 2014 at 4:58 PMI hang dry my jeans and sweaters, it helps them last longer I think.
hicksfan7 says
March 10, 2014 at 5:23 PMDo not ‘set in’ a stain by putting it into the dryer.
Sandra Beeman says
March 10, 2014 at 5:53 PMI always do smaller loads of laundry with how water and a touch extra of laundry soap, Everything turns out a little brighter and is easier to dry in one load as well.
Georgia Beckman says
March 10, 2014 at 6:35 PMTo freshen up your towels (sometimes they hold their stink even after being washed), wash in hot water with 1 c vinegar & 1/2 c baking soda. I also only use vinegar for softener in my towels because I find when I use traditional softeners they seem slick & don’t absorb water well.
Marcie W. says
March 10, 2014 at 7:21 PMI always recommend letting your stained items soak prior to washing. It’s worked for me through three messy babies!
Jeannie Yeager says
March 10, 2014 at 7:27 PMMy old favorite is dawn on a stain will remove anything 🙂
Barbara Montag says
March 10, 2014 at 8:00 PMThe clothes are never in the dryer longer than necessary.
Thank you.
Barbara Montag says
March 10, 2014 at 8:02 PMBlog lovin barbaramontag
Pam Gurganus says
March 10, 2014 at 9:30 PMMy laundry tip is I always launder according to the instructions on the tag. It really does make a difference!
Amanda Alvarado says
March 10, 2014 at 10:13 PMUse vinegar in the wash cycle to help combat odors naturally. Use it in the rinse cycle for a natural fabric softener!
stacey b says
March 10, 2014 at 11:22 PMMy laundry tip is to only do full loads to save water!
steve weber says
March 11, 2014 at 3:19 AMrun stains under cold water before washing.
Holly Thomas says
March 11, 2014 at 4:23 AMPre-treat stains before they set in.
Gail S. says
March 11, 2014 at 4:42 AMI use cold water to save energy and cost on electric bill. Using hot and warm water will run your bill higher. I also use stain remover to soak and baking soda for fresher clothes and helps with static cling in the dryer.
Wilma P says
March 11, 2014 at 8:18 AMDawn dishwashing liquid works great on greasy stains
Cynthia C says
March 11, 2014 at 8:56 AMI keep a laundry stain stick in the bathroom to treat stains on clothing as soon as I take it off.
BeckyM says
March 11, 2014 at 9:06 AMUse cold water when possible!
judy watts says
March 11, 2014 at 10:15 AMI always wash my Winter Blankets in all color bleach powder and soak them in the washer for 20 minutes with the dry bleach and detergent to keep them fresh in storage.
alena svetelska says
March 11, 2014 at 11:07 AMpre treating stains before washing the clothes in washer.
Catie says
March 11, 2014 at 11:08 AMThis isn’t really a secret tip or anything, but I always put a few dryer sheets in my drawers to keep my clothes smelling fresh and clean.
Bonniep says
March 11, 2014 at 12:13 PMUse old hair conditioner as a fabric softener Just put some on a clean cloth and throw in the dryer with wet clothes
Margie says
March 11, 2014 at 3:54 PMTo save electricity, I put the towels in the dryer for a short time to soften them, then hang them on the line. Thanks for this giveaway.
paty says
March 11, 2014 at 5:35 PMdry clothes for less time to avoid shrinking
Brynn says
March 11, 2014 at 6:18 PMRegularly clean your washing machine to extend the life of your clothes and washing machine
Dana Rodriguez says
March 11, 2014 at 7:16 PMI leave the washer door open to keep it from getting mildewy
Jane Thomas says
March 11, 2014 at 8:47 PMI use cold water and sort the colors.
Shari says
March 11, 2014 at 10:25 PMWash your clothes in cold water.
Marilyn Jaegly says
March 12, 2014 at 8:02 AMMy laundry tip is to never let stains sit to long, take care of them right away
Katherine R says
March 12, 2014 at 12:43 PMI like to soak any stains in cold water and a little bit of detergent.
Valarie Davenport says
March 12, 2014 at 5:43 PMI couldn’t live without Shout Advanced Spray Gel and Gain Flings for my laundry. Oh and Downy Unstoppables too…need them for the smelling good for a long time
Helga says
March 12, 2014 at 9:02 PMVinegar is a good laundry aid to eliminate odors..
Rhonda Martin says
March 12, 2014 at 11:55 PMAlways zip up zippers. Unzipped zippers cause wear down of fabrics wearing out your clothes faster. Secondly, If you wash t-shirts with transfers on them inside out your design will last longer. Last but not least buy Tide at Family Dollar because it will save you money and get your clothes cleaner!
Tami Lewis says
March 13, 2014 at 11:02 AMI use vinegar in a downy ball as a fabric softener. Cheaper and just as effective!
Danalee Davis says
March 13, 2014 at 8:21 PMI use lemon essential oil to get stains out.
Shannon says
March 14, 2014 at 7:06 AMDon’t us cheap detergent, use Tide or name brand. Also, as soon as you get a stain on your shirt place detergent on it so it doesn’t set.
Shannon says
March 14, 2014 at 7:10 AMuse, that should of said
richelle bowers says
March 14, 2014 at 5:50 PMmy tip is pay attention to the instruction on the clothing tag
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says
March 16, 2014 at 2:34 AMI’ve never heard of family dollar but I love me some P&G products.
curiouskit10 says
March 17, 2014 at 10:30 AMNever use dryer sheets on towels (or they’ll stop being absorptive….i.e., stop being towels).
angie says
March 17, 2014 at 8:36 PMI love to hang clothes out to dry when possible leaves them smelling fresh
joni says
March 18, 2014 at 12:15 AMI keep different basket for colors, whites, jeans, and towels, then everything is already separated when washing close.
Matthew Flowers says
March 18, 2014 at 11:38 AMWhen you dry your wet shoes shut the door with the shoe strings hanging out of the door. Tie them in a knot, and there won’t be any banging noises.
Lacey says
March 19, 2014 at 11:18 AMI really don’t have any tips, but after reading everyone else’s I’ve learned alot! I think it will be quite helpful!
Lorayne Gothard says
March 19, 2014 at 6:42 PMI found that at times my laundry will smell weird, so I add straight vinegar in the bleach compartment and that freshens the smell.
Karen Drake says
March 20, 2014 at 4:17 PMI pre treat my stains with a bar of ivory soap, I simply dampen and apply the soap then scrub the fabric until the stain is gone.
Daniel M says
March 20, 2014 at 5:33 PMi always use the lowest dryer setting with logo’d shirts, they last a lot longer
Deb C says
March 21, 2014 at 2:14 AMUse a short wash cycle if you clothes are only lightly soiled . It helps clothes last longer and look better.
Paula Tavernie says
March 21, 2014 at 12:57 PMMy tip is to always pretreat stains when it first happens!!
Theresa D says
March 21, 2014 at 2:09 PMMy laundry tip, pre-treat stains as soon as possible.
Robin says
March 21, 2014 at 3:37 PMI usually don’t wash until I have a full load.
matt lehman says
March 21, 2014 at 3:41 PMi dont do much laundry but when i do i love to soak my socks in hot water and bleach for an hour
ellen casper says
March 21, 2014 at 4:15 PMPretreat stain immediately and don’t let clothes sit in the dryer.
Samantha says
March 21, 2014 at 7:08 PMHang dry as much as possible. Less folding if you keep things hung and less drying time!
Brandi Kerr says
March 21, 2014 at 7:20 PMuse mean green on bottom of socks and they come out really white.
laurie says
March 21, 2014 at 8:44 PMmy tip is read the label in the clothes to make them last longer
Leanne G says
March 21, 2014 at 9:34 PMI put tennis balls in my dryer to fluff up my comforters.
Tammy Woodall says
March 21, 2014 at 9:59 PMI always wash colors in cold water. I also wash delicates on the Hand-Wash Cycle in Warm Water.
Sarah L says
March 22, 2014 at 12:37 AMWash in cold water. Things come clean and you won’t set stains.
Thanks for the contest.
Kimberly Hilbert says
March 22, 2014 at 7:59 AMI do all my laundry one day a week. It makes it much easier throughout the week.
Patrice says
March 22, 2014 at 8:48 AMI do a lot of laundry. I just bought some detergent at Family Dollar this week, since they had a good price on it. To keep towels smelling fresh, add some baking soda or distilled white vinegar (or both) to the laundry.
tina d reynolds says
March 22, 2014 at 10:26 AMTreat stains as soon as they happen always separate colors, and whites
Sherry Eckman says
March 22, 2014 at 10:52 AMI pretreat stains as soon as possible! I love Dawn dish liquid and shout.
Dana says
March 22, 2014 at 11:43 AMUse cold water & save on energy bills. / danabeeman(at)gmail(dot)com
Crystal Rogers Walker says
March 22, 2014 at 12:52 PMMy best tip is to use Afresh to clean you washing machine because if it’s not clean it will make your clothes not smell clean
Amanda Sakovitz says
March 22, 2014 at 12:52 PMI air dry my clothes.
Susan Smith says
March 22, 2014 at 12:55 PMMy tip is to pretreat stains when it first happens!!
Barb says
March 22, 2014 at 12:59 PMTip is always soak stained items with baking soda
Cecily Faith says
March 22, 2014 at 12:59 PMI love to line-dry my clothes in the summer! I sure hope I win!
Sandy Coyle Mattox says
March 22, 2014 at 1:04 PMPresoak any hard to get out type stains. Use can use your detergent and just rub it in (if it is liquid) a little while before starting your load.
Denise Welch says
March 22, 2014 at 1:04 PMAll I can think of is per soak
Jasmine P says
March 22, 2014 at 1:26 PMPre-soak for bad stains! It always helps!
Annette says
March 22, 2014 at 1:39 PMRegularly toss your pillows in the dry and use the heat cycle; this kills bugs.
Nancy says
March 22, 2014 at 1:44 PMMy laundry tip: Treat clothing stains promptly, as any delay will just make the stain harder to remove. Also research your type of stain and how best to remove it.
sarah jerome says
March 22, 2014 at 1:49 PMI use peroxide to get out blood stains.. works great..
Janice Crespo says
March 22, 2014 at 2:48 PMPretreat right away – even if you aren’t washing right away – love my tide pen
tracey isbell says
March 22, 2014 at 2:49 PMMy tip is to get children involved as early as possible!!!
Mia Dentice Carey says
March 22, 2014 at 3:05 PMI soak/pre-treat all stains….I also tend to DRY my close at night especially during the summer time!
Mya Murphy says
March 22, 2014 at 3:31 PMI would say the best is washing things in cold so clothes don’t wear so quick.
Candie L says
March 22, 2014 at 5:09 PMIf you can wash at least one load a day, the pile at the end of the week wont be so bad. Thank you
[email protected] says
March 22, 2014 at 5:46 PMI do my best to wash, dry, fold and put away on the same day, otherwise I let the laundry overwhelm me.
Erika Sternberg says
March 22, 2014 at 6:45 PMIf you wash once a week it wont pile up.
Thomas Murphy says
March 22, 2014 at 9:45 PMI pre treat bad stains right away.
Betty C says
March 22, 2014 at 10:04 PMI use borax to boost the cleaning power.
Beverly Metcalf says
March 22, 2014 at 10:53 PMI use Dawn dish detergent to remove stains from clothing. It works great on most stains and is really good on grease stains. Just rub a little into the stained area and wash and most stains will be gone.
Bryan E. says
March 22, 2014 at 11:32 PMThanks for the giveaway…we always try to pre-soak our laundry for 30-45 minutes, if time allows; gives detergent time to work on tough stains.