How many loads of laundry?

[QBVII]

How many loads of laundry do you do per day/week?

Right now, I'm averaging about three loads per day, maybe 4. Of course we're getting settled, hopefully that will slack off some.

Does it REALLY pay to make your own washing detergent, we use the "Sun" brand, got 200 oz/52 load bottle yesterday for $3/and change.

I don't see how that could be beat but feel free to educate me...LOL.

[Ravenlost]

There are only two of us and I average four loads a week. I don't make my own laundry soap. With coupons I get it so cheap it just isn't worth it to me to make my own.

[Helena]

Seems as if I am always doing laundry and there is only the 2 of us ! Either we are very dirty...or very clean figure. With the nice weather here I am going to have my husband haul my wringer washer out to the deck to do laundry. I just love my wringer washer !! I know..my city sister thinks I'm nuts already so this just puts it all together for her. I enjoy the time it makes me to slow down..and do the laundry. Life is too fast and this is a way for me to slow down myself. I be I do at least 10 loads a week. Buy the Purex brand or anything really on sale as I don't really think any brand is better than another. Soap is soap in my washer.

[tobo6]

At least 4 loads a day. There are six of us, and we are still in "mud" season here. This summer, it will go down to 2-3 loads a day, lol.

I buy laundry soap when the 5 gallon buckets are on sale, and stock up.

[shadowwalker]

I think the wifey does, about 4 to 5 loads a week. It used to be less, as I was using the 2 hour rule (if you wear it less than two hours, your get to hang it or fold it and put it back up just like unused) until I got caught at this about 3 years ago. shadowwalker

[Jenn]

Probably 5-7/wk depending on if houseguests have recently been/linen changing. Use Tide free, expensive but gets job done without yucky smell. We have a Europ frontloader that takes 4-5 hrs (visitors from US complain) but boy it gets clotjhes clean. We don't have mud thuogh except when DD plays football (soccer)- even when my jeans get muddy in garden I can wear 'em again in garden rest of week.

[okgoatgal2]

normally at least one load a day, with the 6 of us. i make my own soap, out of the lye soap i make. now, for the figures...
one can of lye, 18 oz, costs $3.56. i use 12 oz. the lard costs about that if i buy it in the store, far less if i get it from the butcher when i butcher hogs. my recipe calls for 1/3 c of ammonia and 2 T of borax, both of which i have on hand for cleaning, anyway. one hour of stirring (it's a no cook soap) and i get 2 dishpans of soap about 1.5 inches thick. the next day i can cut it. this batch of soap is used for showers, baths, and laundry soap. it lasts about 8 months. then i make another batch. so, for about 20 dollars (3 cans lye, 3 batches lard) and 3 hrs of work (to make a new batch every 8 months) i get bath and laundry soap for 2 yrs. hmmmmmm, seems i used to spend about 6-10 per month, buying the cheap stuff on sale.......

[nodak3]

Unless your water is really soft, just buy the cheap stuff on sale. Life is short.

[prhamell]

I'm doing about ten loads a week with five of us. One of my dd is a clothes freak and has to change her outfit if she even splashes a drop of water on them. She's only 4. DH has an office job so his work clothes don't get very dirty. If we're just hanging around the house we'll wear the same jeans and shirts for two days in a row in the winter time. Glad that it's summer, t-shirts and shorts take up less room in the washing machine. I remember fondly days of long ago pre-children when I only did about two loads a week! I use an environmentally friendly laundry detergent. Only use 1/8 cup and it gets the laundry really clean. Cheaper than most name brand soaps. Becky

[Kygardengal]

Just the 2 of us...usually 2 loads a week. DH works a clean job and can wear
clothes 2-3 times. I am a little dirtier but unless they are really caked with mud
I will wear the same jeans 2-3 days, same with t-shirts. I usually work alone anyway. I do one load of whites and one of darks each week. I bought all linens
in light colors so they all go in the wash together. I make my own laundry soap not because it is cheaper but because it is better. It is the ONLY thing that gets my jeans really clean. My washer is near death. It no longer agitates
so I fill, let things soak a couple of hours, scrub on my board, let the water drain
and spin. My dryer died a while back and I honestly DO NOT miss it. Everything
gets hung up to dry. DH's clothes get ironed anyway and mine don't need it. I use vinegar as fabric softner. I love the real clean smell. Works for me........

[ajaxlucy]

Two adults, one teenager, two dogs: about 4 loads a week.

[ajaxlucy]

...but I'm not really sure, since that's my husband's job.

[roughingit]

Just one of me and just one load a week. All I need. Don't need that many clothes anywho.

[Momo]

Just 2 of us and I average 3-4 loads a week. I use the cheapest detergent I can find (usually Purex or Sun) and it all comes clean.

[jrw422]

What is the recipe for the Homemade Laundry soap???

[Kygardengal]

There are several recipes over in "Cooking and Crafts". The one I use is:
1 cup Arm and Hammer washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1 bar of plain soap (I like to make mine but you can use Ivory)

Chop up the soap in little pieces. Disolve in 1 gallon boiling water
Disolve washing soda and borax in 1 gallon boiling water
When disolved very well and no longer gritty, Mix all together.
Mixture will gel..

I use1/2 cup per load of wash, more or less as I really don't measure

I also use 1/2 cup vinegar in the Downey ball as a softner

[Sparticle]

Just me and I only do about 2 loads a week. They are both small loads but I have whites, darks and delicates and have to wash them all apart. But rarely do all 3 have enough to even merit a small load except the whites. Man I can dirty up some socks. It's probably my worst habit but I love to wear socks everywhere including oustide (if on the driveway). Well as habits go, there are worse ones to have.

[betty modin]

I have a job working with children in a public place-I teach-so I wear all clean clothes daily to work. I have a pair of sweats that I wear out to the barn in the morning for chores all week and a pair of jeans to wear to work outside after work all week. Add towels and sheets....about 4-6 loads per week depending on what I do outdoors and company (which I seem to have lots of from spring to fall). I wouldn' t dare use any of the brands mentioned on my clothes and even the homemade soaps sound rather harsh. I have a front loader that adapts the water level to the load and uses about 12 gals total for a full load so I can really cut back on the amount reccommended. I use only ALL free and clear or Seventh Generation ( an all natural-from the natural food store brand) because of my skin sensitivities. I also have pretty limited choices of other skin care and soap products as well. Then, there's the spetic tank to worry about as well.....cheap is only good if it does the job you need it to, the way you need it too, in the way that works best for you. Otherwise it creates more trouble than it's worth. I've always had to be careful with my skin and my children's skin. That's always meant paying a little more for the right product. betty

[Quint]

I'm single and I do probably 4 or 5 loads a week. Sometimes I don't do laundry for a week though.

One of my worst laundry habits is doing 1 set of clothes at a time. I get behind in doing laundry and then when I need clean clothes and I'm pressed for time I find myself doing a load of laundry consisting of 1 pair of pants, 1 shirt, 2 socks and a pair of underwear along with 2 towels and a washcloth for my bath. One of those horrible bachelor laundry habits. My late fiancee would come over and do my laundry because it drove her nuts to see me do that. To be perfectly honest it sorta made me better about doing my laundry because it was somewhat embarrassing to have her tossing my dirty drawers into the wash. I always wondered about how long it would have taken me to get over that after I was married.

[Alex]

For the two of us,

• One load a week at the cabin,

• Two loads a week in the City

WOW! some of you are really clean, or dirty?

Good Luck,

Alex