No one likes to do laundry. It’s time-consuming and a lot more complicated than you’d think. Certain fabrics need to be treated a certain way, other fabrics respond differently to hot and cold temperatures, one wrong move and your clothes are shrunk. When it comes down to it, laundry isn’t as simple as it might seem.

Luckily, we have 40 simple tips that will make you a laundry-pro and time-saving hero.

Take a few extra seconds to practice these tips, and you’ll save so much time and energy in the end.

1. Take clothes out of the dryer right away to help reduce static cling.

2. Save energy by letting laundry partially dry on a rack before finishing in the dryer.

3. Unroll wadded up sleeves, hems, socks, or pant legs before throwing them in the dryer. This will help prevent extra ironing.

4. Help remove stubborn wrinkles by spraying clothes with a mixture of five parts water and one part fabric softener before ironing. Smells great too.

5. Protect delicate fabrics, like lace, while ironing by placing a damp napkin over the area that is being ironed. It will protect the fabric from burning.

6. If dye bled onto other items in the wash, do not dry the stained items. Instead, put them through the wash cycle again with detergent. Make sure to leave out the culprit garment!

7. Before putting brightly colored clothes outside to hang or into the dryer, be sure to turn the garment inside out. Doing so will prevent fading.

8. If you tend to suffer from allergies, avoid line-drying your clothing. Pollen and other allergens will cling to the fabric and irritate your symptoms.

9. If two loads of laundry are being done, it’s best to dryer both loads back to back instead of at later times. It will save energy because the machine only needs to heat up once.

10. If line-drying your towels, do not hang them by the corners. The heavy weight of the wet fabric will stretch the towel. Instead, drape over the line.

11. Before starting your dryer, be sure that the vent is clear, in addition to having a clean lint basket. It will save drying time and help save energy.

12. Vinegar is a must-have while doing laundry. Throw a cup into the rinse cycle for a fabric softener or add some to the water while hand-washing to prevent soap residue.

13. Help keep your blacks black and your brights bright by turning garments inside out and washing them on the coldest temperature setting.

14. Make sure to spread out your clothing if drying them outside. Leave a foot or two between pieces to minimize dry time.

15. If clothes are extra filthy, soak them overnight in a tub of water. It will help loosen up any dirt, grease, or grime.

16. Save yourself the energy of ironing by folding lightweight items like t-shirts or pillowcases and placing them on top of a running warm dryer.

17. Even though it’s tempting, do not overload your dryer. You should have approximately a quarter to a third of the dryer empty to operate efficiently.

18. Looking to save money? Line drying can cut your electric bill by almost 65%. Plus, clothes dried outdoors don’t develop static cling.

19. If a stain didn’t come out in the wash, don’t throw it in the dryer, it will only set the stain in more. Instead, try other methods while the garment is wet.

20. Help prevent stretched shoulders on lightweight shirts while line-drying by hanging them with the top button buttoned, or by hanging them upside down.

21. Before you load the washer, take the time to make sure all sleeves and pant legs are unrolled; as well as zipping zippers and untangling sheets. This will save time on drying, ironing, and clothes will retain their shape.

22. Be sure to dry like-materials together. If not, it can cause over-drying and shrinkage.

23. Buy a small apartment ironing board to place on your coffee table to iron. Sitting down while ironing will prevent any neck or back pain.

24. Plan line-drying around a breezy day. The constant movement of the wind will help keep your garments soft and prevent stiffening.

25. Take the pain out of ironing pleated items by starting at the bottom of the fold and iron upward. The iron will follow the crease with ease.

26. Over-bleached whites can look dingy. Prevent this by adding a cup of hydrogen peroxide to the load once it has filled with water. Allow to soak, then add just 2/3 of the normal amount of laundry detergent before washing.

27. Moisten cotton and linens with water, bundle them in a plastic bag, and place them in the refrigerator for a few hours to make them easier to iron.

28. If you’re home dying clothes in your washing machine and it has left stains, run an empty cycle on hot with two cups of bleach. If stains are still there, soak with bleach and repeat.

29. It’s important to keep clothespins clean, otherwise, they can grow mold. To clean them, place them in a mesh bag, clean a bucket of warm soapy water, rinse, then hang the bag to dry.

30. Throwing a tennis ball or a sneaker into the dryer will not help drying time or prevent wrinkles. They may even melt to your clothing or spread more dirt. Use a dry, fluffy towel instead.

31. If you’ve noticed a stain after you’ve dried your clothing, soak the garment in a mixture that’s equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide, then wash immediately.

32. Help Spandex and elastic keep its elasticity by avoiding the dryer. Line-dry instead.

33. Placing white fabrics out in the morning sun can act as a natural bleaching agent.

34. Add a quarter cup of baking soda to your wash to eliminate musty odors. It will also freshen up your machine.

35. If you’re not a fan of ironing, it’s all about properly hang-drying your clothing. Shake each item out, straighten and smooth them once more after they’re hung.

36. Body oils and lotions can rub onto shirt collars. Remove the grime by rubbing shampoo into the collar before throwing in the wash.

37. Under-packing your dryer can also be an issue. Too few clothes reduces tumbling action, leading to lengthened drying time and wasted energy.

38. Prevent down items from clumping in the dryer by removing them a few times throughout the cycle and giving them a good shake.

39. Add a clean, dry bath towel to dryer loads containing jeans, rugs, or wet bath towels. The dry towel will help absorb extra moisture and reduce the drying time.

40. Stubborn stains such as coffee, mustard, or soy sauce, blot the area with shaving cream and allow to sit for 30 minutes, then rinse. If the stain remains, let the shaving cream soak on the stain overnight.

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Country Living

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By Ashley Fike

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Ashley Fike is a contributor at SBLY Media.