It’s National Barbeque (BBQ) Day! You’re chilling in the garden and enjoying your BBQ! Suddenly you realise to see that there are BBQ sauce stains on your clothes.
Your emotions may shift from BBQ delight to BBQ despair but not to worry, we are here to show you that the BBQ sauce stains haven’t ruined your clothes and there are ways to remove them!
Image from Shutterstock.com
Why are BBQ Sauce Stains Difficult to Remove?
BBQ sauce stains are great on our burgers and chips. However, when they drop on our clothes, they can be a cleaning nightmare because of their greasy nature. They can ruin the colour of your fabric and they contain oily residues too.
Having said that, it’s not impossible to remove the BBQ sauce stains. Much like tomato sauce, they can be removed.
How to Remove BBQ Sauce Stains
The first step in removing BBQ sauce stain is to act fast when you notice your clothes have a funny looking colour! Don’t let the stain settle in your clothes. With care, immediately wipe the stain off with a paper towel.
If you’ve spotted the stain a little late, don’t panic. You can still scrape it off with a fork, spoon, or butter knife. Removing the external stains is important because it prevents them from spreading to other parts of your clothes.
Pour Cold Water
Secondly, pour cold water on the stained parts for a couple of minutes because it helps makes the cleaning process as seamless as possible. You’d be forgiven to think hot water helps but unfortunately, this is a misconception as hot water will only make the stain difficult to remove due to the complex mix of ingredients in the BBQ stains.
Rub Liquid Detergent and Rinse
Proceed with care and start to rub a liquid detergent into the part that has the BBQ sauce stains. As we talked about before, due to the greasy nature, you need a strong liquid detergent that does the magic. After this, let the clothing sit for 5-10 minutes (always keep an eye out) before rinsing. Once you start rinsing, make sure you don’t stop until the stain is completely removed.
Wash and Dry
You’ve rinsed the clothes so now you need to wash and dry them. Simply put your clothes in the washing machine with the hottest water settings. After the cycle is completed, the next step is drying. It’s always best to be pragmatic and approach this with precaution so double-check once again the BBQ sauce stain is removed. Even if there is a little bit of stain remaining, this could still ruin the particles in your clothing. If there is none, then start drying.
We hope your National BBQ Day is full of joy, laughter, and plenty of BBQ but no BBQ sauce stains on your clothes!
You’ve put your bed sheets in the wash and they come out smelling nice! This may seem like the end of your laundry chores, but you could unintentionally be making laundry mistakes.
We’ve compiled a list of 5 laundry mistakes you could be making when washing your bedsheets. If you’re guilty of making these mistakes, it’s time to stop if you want your sheets to have a longer life span!
1. Washing Only When Sheets Look Visibly Dirty
A common laundry mistake most people make is they only wash their bedsheets when they are visibly dirty. This mistake leads to people washing their sheets every one or two months. Germs, sweats, and dirt build up over time and can cause negative effects to not only your sheets but also yourself. As a rule of thumb, wash every two weeks and you can even schedule your laundry if it helps you to remember!
2. Leaving Your Bedsheets on the Tumble Dryer
Bedsheets need to be comfortable and in good condition for a good night’s sleep. However, if you’re leaving your bedsheets on the tumble dryer, you are making a laundry mistake because this will shrink your bedsheets. To avoid uncomfortable bed sheets getting in the way of good sleep, we recommend drying your sheets in the drying line or rack for better longevity and results!
3. Mixing With Other Clothes and Towels
You love your clothes, sheets, and towels but they don’t love each other. A laundry mistake people often make is they think mix their bedsheets with other clothes and towels. If you mix everything in the washing machine, it’s not efficient and the results won’t be great. Every material has a different washing process and needs more room to circulate. It’s best to have laundry days especially dedicated to your bedsheets for bigger space in the machine.
If you find yourself too busy to have laundry days for your bedsheets, book with us and we’ll launder them for you just before your bedtime!
4. Adding Too Much Laundry Detergent
It’s a common misconception that the dirtier the bedsheet, the more detergent it needs. Unfortunately, this laundry mistake has been proven to do far more harm than good to your sheets. Not only can they leave a stain, leaving them looking less clean, but they also can damage your sheets and your washing machine. The more laundry detergent used, the higher the water use.
We recommend using ½ cup of baking soda and vinegar to wash your bedsheets for silky and soft results.
5. Not Checking Label
Everyone has been guilty of ignoring labels on products and food so naturally, it’s a very common laundry mistake to not check the labels before you start washing your bedsheets. For proper laundry care, always read the labels carefully because every bedsheet has different washing requirements; cotton sheets are best washed at a lower temperature and some fabric bedsheets shouldn’t be ironed or put on the tumble dryer.
If you follow the instructions, you’ll wash your bedsheets efficiently and keep them crisp and clean.
You’d be forgiven for not paying too close attention to washing your bedsheets but hopefully, our list of common laundry mistakes will save you some stress and frustration in the future!
Laundryheap is always available to do your bedsheets for you so you can get a cosy sleep at night.
Book your services at our website or download the free Laundryheap app on iOS or Android.
Laundryheap has completed the acquisition of Laundrapp, one of the key competitors in the UK laundry market industry. Founded in 2014 as a start-up on-demand laundry service, Laundryheap’s mission was to give the public a convenient laundry service and the growth certainly hasn’t stopped! Acquiring Laundrapp is a testament to the astronomical rise of Laundryheap.
What does this mean for Laundryheap?
The acquisition of Laundrapp means Laundryheap has expanded its regional reach across the UK, making us the market leader in the UK. Previously, Laundrapp acquired Wash box and merged with competitor Zipjet.
CEO and Founder Deyan Dmitrov made the following comments:
‘The acquisition of Laundrapp is a testament to the resilience of our model and ongoing demand for high-quality, reliable on-demand laundry services. We’re delighted to be expanding our UK footprint‘ Source: City A.M
Essentially, this also means Laundryheap’s customer base has increased. The hard work doesn’t stop, and the mission and objectives will remain the same. Laundryheap will still make it a key priority to give you, the consumer, the best on-demand laundry service that is fast, easy, and convenient for your laundry duties!
What will happen to Laundrapp?
Laundrapp’s employees will be retained. Before the acquisition of Landrapp, both laundry services worked to make laundry easier for everyone and this won’t change now! We are looking forward to welcoming the team from Laundrapp and getting involved in working together!
Over the coming months, however, the Laundrapp brand will be replaced by the Laundryheap brand.
What’s next for Laundryheap?
The magnitude of Laundryheap’s success has been massive. Operating globally in countries such as UAE, Denmark, Singapore, Netherlands, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Ireland and USA was a success in its own right. Becoming the main market leader in the UK now bodes well for the future. There is still a (laundry) list of goals and objectives that we’ll work on.
The focus on helping the environment, even more, remains a priority still. Laundryheap has recently invested in e-cargo bikes. It’s great that customers get their laundry cleaned within 24 hours but doing it in a sustainable way is the icing on the cake!
We would like to thank everyone that has been involved in the journey since 2014! The Laundryheap members, partners and especially the customers have all been essential to the success and growth!
Book with Laundryheap today by visiting our website or downloading the free Laundryheap app on iOS or Android.
Liquid, powder, pods- there are so many different types of laundry detergent on the market right now, that it can be incredibly difficult to decide which one is right for you. Luckily, at Laundryheap, we have devised this comprehensive guide to help you make the right choice for you.
Powder detergent
Liquid detergent
Detergent pods
DIY detergent
Powder detergent
Powder detergent has been around since the 1930’s, but, recently, has seen a decline in sales. That does not mean, however, that there aren’t an abundance of positives for using powder detergent over any other method.
How cost effective is it?
Out of all of the laundry detergent products available to buy, powder detergent is the cheapest per laundry load. This is because there is not as much chemistry involved in building it compared to other detergents, making it cheaper to manufacture and sell. If you are an individual who likes to buy laundry detergent in bulk, powder is your best option because it doesn’t lose it’s cleaning power over time, and is often available in larger packs compared to other detergents.
What temperature does it work at?
Powder detergent will work in cold temperatures, but works best in hot water. If you are using powder detergent in cold water, you may notice a residue left on your clothing due to the powder not being completely broken down.
How good is it at removing stains?
Powder laundry detergent is made with linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, which is particularly harsh on stains. This makes it perfect for removing tough outdoor stains, such as mud and grass. You can also use powder detergent to pre-treat stains, however, it does make the process more timely because you have to create a paste by mixing the detergent with water.
What are the downfalls of using powder detergent?
The biggest downfall with powder detergent is its packaging. Powder detergent often comes in big cardboard boxes, which is great for the environment, but incredibly heavy to lift. Asides from this, powder detergent can also leave a sticky residue in the draw of your washing machine which, if not regularly cleaned, can cause problems with your machines performance.
Liquid detergent
Liquid detergent is easy to use, comes in a wide variety of fragrances, and has been the most popular form of laundry detergent since it was first introduced in the 1950’s.
How cost effective is it?
Compared to powder detergent, liquid detergent is slightly more costly, however, is cheaper than using pods. One of the major disadvantages of using liquid laundry detergent, is how easy it is to overpour and use more detergent than necessary. Liquid detergent is not easily found in bulk, so overpouring can be very costly.
What temperature does it work at?
One of the biggest advantages of using liquid detergent is that it can be effectively used at all temperatures. The liquid form of the detergent makes it easy to dissolve in all water temperatures, including cold washes which are more environmentally friendly than their hot wash alternatives.
How good is it at removing stains?
Liquid detergents are particularly effective at removing oil based stains. The detergent will penetrate the fibres of your clothing and loosen the oil, making it easier to lift the stain. To pre-treat a stain using liquid laundry detergent, pour a small amount over your stain and leave it to soak for up to 5 minutes.
What are the downfalls of using liquid detergent?
The biggest downfall for using liquid laundry detergent it is it’s environmental impact. Liquid laundry detergent is packaged in plastic bottles, which often end-up in landfills and are not biodegradable. You can limit the impact of your plastic laundry detergent bottles by re-using or recycling them.
Detergent pods are the most recent development in laundry detergent. Their ease of use have made them increasingly popular since they first hit the shelves in 2012.
How cost effective is it?
Per laundry load, detergent pods are the most expensive option for laundry detergent. Positively, each pod contains a pre-measured dose of detergent, which eliminates any potential for over dosing, and guarantees the same results on every wash. That being said, for slightly larger, or heavily stained, loads more than one pod will have to be used. Alternatively, there are no smaller pod options for smaller loads of laundry. This makes these pods less cost effective than their other detergent counterparts.
What temperature does it work at?
Laundry pods work by dissolving the plastic the detergent is wrapped in and releasing the detergent over your clothing. These pods work in both cold and warm water, with some pods being specifically designed to dissolve in cold water.
How good is it at removing stains?
As previously mentioned, laundry pods contain pre-measured doses of detergent- this is both a positive and a negative. On the positive side, you are guaranteed to get the same, clean, outcome after every use. On the other hand, if your clothing is heavily stained, you will have to use more than one pod. Another downside to using pods is that you can not use them to pre-treat stains as the detergent is concealed in a layer of dissolvable plastic.
What are the downfalls of using detergent pods?
Other than the negatives already discussed, one of the biggest downfalls to using detergent pods is their ability to be mistaken for sweets by children. It is vital to always keep your detergent pods out of reach from children to avoid them attempting to consume them. Other than this, the packaging laundry pods are contained in is seldom recyclable, making these pods not very environmentally friendly.
DIY detergent
There are several benefits to making your own laundry detergent. You have complete control over what you put inside your detergent, meaning you can limit the harmful toxins that can cause skin irritation. Limiting these toxins is also better for the environment, as is the lack of packaging that making your own detergent causes.
How cost effective is it?
Making your own laundry detergent is the most cost effective laundry detergent option. When making your own detergent you have complete control over what ingredients you include, meaning you can make it as cheap as possible. Adding to this, you can make your DIY detergent in batches must larger than you can buy detergent in.
What temperature does it work at?
DIY detergents work the same as powder detergent. They will work in any temperature water, however, if used in cold water it may leave a residue on your clothing.
How good is it at removing stains?
You can use your DIY detergent to both wash and pre-treat stains. If you are using it to pre-treat stains, you must make it into a paste using water. This is more time consuming than using liquid laundry detergent, however, will end with the same result.
What are the downfalls of using DIY detergent?
DIY detergent comes with many environmental and cost benefits. That being said, you need to take the time to make your detergent, which will take longer than buying it from a shop. As well as this, it’s important that you also take care to adequately store your detergent so it is out of reach from children, and add labels with all the ingredients that you have used. This will help avoid any issues should there be skin irritation. To make your own laundry detergent follow this recipe.
If you are still having trouble deciding which laundry detergent is best for you, let Laundryheap deal with your dirty washing. To book your Laundryheap order, simply head to the Laundryheap website, or download the free Laundryheap app.
If you are travelling around Southeast Asia for an extended period of time, you will need to do laundry. Here are some top tips on how to do so.
Pack smartly
Travel with mini laundry detergents
Don’t forget a laundry bag
Never use hotels
Bring a makeshift clothesline
Dry your clothes inside
Carry plenty of coins
Plan your laundry time
The bag method
Laundryheap
Pack smartly
The most important thing to remember is to pack light and pack materials that are easy to wash. There are several ways to do laundry in Southeast Asia, from using a launderettes to washing your clothes in the sink, regardless of the method you decide to use you don’t want to spend an extended period of time, or money, doing it. In addition, it’s best to pack clothes that are durable and easy to wash, such as cotton.
There are several launderettes across Southeast Asia that you can use. To make your laundry experience quick and easy, travel with mini laundry detergents. They are pre-measured for one or two washes, and will prevent you from having to carry, or buy, a full-sized detergent that you will not use.
Don’t forget a laundry bag
Laundry bags are handy to take wherever you travel to. As soon as an item of your clothing is dirty, simply put it in your laundry bag so that you can differentiate between your clean and dirty clothes. As soon as your laundry bag is full, or you are running low on clean clothes, you can decide how best to clean them. In addition, if your clothing is still wet or damp, but you need to pack them away, putting your clothes in your laundry bag will prevent the smell of damp clothing spreading to your other packed belongings.
Never use hotels
If you are staying in a hotel whilst travelling around Southeast Asia there will more than likely be a laundry service provided. Do not use it. Hotel laundry services will usually charge per item of clothing that needs to be laundered rather than by weight. This can result in an extortionate laundry bill by the time you have washed all of your clothes. It may be convenient to use the hotels services, but, if you are looking to save some money, its best to look around for local launderettes or alternative ways to wash your clothes.
Unless you know that there are tumble dryers available where you are planning to wash your clothes, it’s always best to pack a makeshift clothes line. Your clothesline can be something as simple as some strong rope, as long as you have something that you can hang your clothes on to dry. Some laundrettes will have clothes lines available for you to use, however, this is not a guarantee so it’s always better to bring your own.
Dry your clothes inside
Southeast Asia is known for its warm and sunny climate, however, it is also extremely humid. If you are planning on hanging your clothes out to dry, it’s best to do so indoors rather than outside. The humidity from the air will slow down the drying process, making it more time efficient to simply hang your clothing in your hostel/hotel room.
Carry plenty of coins
There is no shortage of coin-operated laundrettes in Southeast Asia, but you have to make sure that you have the coins to use them. There is nothing worse than turning up to a laundrettes, filling a machine with your washing, only to find out that you don’t have enough coins to operate the machine. To save yourself the hassle, make sure that you have plenty of coins with you to get your washing done.
Plan your laundry time
If you are going to do laundry whilst in Southeast Asia it’s best to plan your time effectively. There are a lot of things you need to consider, such as drying times, pick-up times, and when laundrettes are opened. Plan your method of laundry prior to going on your travels and it will help you manage your laundry time much more efficiently.
The bag method
This is a slightly unusual method for doing laundry, but is a handy alternative if you do not have access to a laundrette.
For the bag method you will need a vinyl bag, water, and laundry detergent.
Begin by filling your vinyl bag until it is half filled and put your clothes in it. Next, add in your detergent and let your clothes soak for a few minutes. After a few minute, use a plunging motion to rotate your clothing. Once you are satisfied with the cleanliness of your clothing, take each item out and rinse off the detergent with water.
Laundryheap
If you don’t want to take care of your clothing yourself whilst travelling in Southeast Asia, use Laundryheap. We will pick up, dry clean, and re-deliver your laundry to you, completely contactless, and on you schedule.
To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
It’s easy to accidentally drip toothpaste onto your new suit or comfiest PJ’s. This is how you get that pesky stain out.
White toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste
Gel toothpaste
White toothpaste
White toothpaste contains titanium dioxide, which is the chemical that makes it look white. If you use white toothpaste, water will not be enough to lift the stain it leaves behind.
What you’ll need
A blunt object, such as a spoon
A clean cloth
Liquid laundry detergent
Begin by using your blunt object to remove excess toothpaste from your clothing. Try and use an upwards motion when doing this to avoid spreading the loose particles to other parts of your clothing.
Once you have sufficiently removed the top layer of the stain, slightly dampen a clean cloth and blot the area. This will help loosen the stain and aid in it being lifted from your clothing.
Next, work a small amount of liquid laundry detergent onto your toothpaste stain. Make sure that the detergent is spread over the entirety of the stain so that the whole area can be lifted.
After you have adequately rubbed in your detergent, wash your stained item of clothing in your washing machine as usual.
If your toothpaste stain has not been completely removed after washing, repeat the full process again.
Whitening toothpaste usually contains a mild bleaching agent that works to whiten your teeth. This bleaching agent can cause discoloration on coloured and dark clothing if it is left for an extended period of time. To remove a whitening toothpaste stain you need to follow the exact process of removing a white toothpaste stain, however, you need to act as soon as you notice the stain to avoid excessive discolouration to your clothing.
Gel toothpaste contains dye to make it a blue/green colour. This dye can discolour your white clothing if left for too long. As soon as you notice a gel toothpaste stain you need to follow the same procedure as removing a regular toothpaste stain. Once you have washed your stained item of clothing, dry your garment in direct sunlight. Sunlight has natural bleaching qualities and can help even out any discolouration.
If you have a toothpaste stain, or any stain, that you can not get rid of, let us help you. If you tell us what items of clothing are stained we will take extra precautions to help lift the stain and deliver your clothes back to you stain-free. To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
Once you’re finished with your detergent bottle there is so much more that you can do other than recycle it. Here are just some ideas.
Bird feeder
Kettle bells
Watering can
Homemade detergent
Piggy bank
Bird feeder
During the autumn and winter months birds find it harder to forage for food. Help feed the birds, and save the environment, by making your very own laundry detergent bottle bird feeder.
Make sure that your detergent bottle is completely empty and give it a through rinse before beginning to form your bird feeder.
Once you’ve cleaned out your bottle, cut a bird-sized hole into the front of it. This will be how the bird accesses the food, so make sure that it is big enough for a standard sized bird to fit through. Underneath your hole, create a small perch for birds to rest on by pushing a wooden pencil or dowel through the bottle.
After you’ve constructed your bird feeder, decorate it in any way you see fit. Use paints, streamers, glitter, whatever you have laying around to make your bird feeder as attractive to the birds as possible.
Leave your bird feeder to completely dry before placing any bird food inside it. Once it is dried and filled with food, place it outside and in plain sight for the birds so that they can begin feasting.
There’s no need to pay for a gym membership when you can make your very own weights at home.
Once you’ve used all of your laundry detergent, give the bottle a thorough clean. Next, fill the empty bottle with water or sand, creating weights. Depending on how heavy you want your weights to be depends on how much water/sand you add to the bottle. If you want to change the weight for your at-home workout, simply add or take away the amount of water/sand inside the bottle.
This is an easy, cost effective, and safe way to stay fit and healthy, especially during COVID19.
Keep your plants alive and well with this easy laundry detergent bottle watering can.
Simply give your bottle a thorough wash to remove any soapy residue and poke watering holes in the lid of the bottle. To make your homemade watering can more appealing, decorate it however you see fit. Paint it a bright vibrant colour, and add some designs. People will never know it was originally a laundry detergent bottle.
Begin by thoroughly washing out your empty detergent bottle to get rid of any soapy residue. Once you have done that, drill four small holes on the long flat side of your bottle. These will be the holes that you attach your pigs legs to.
Next cut a rectangle slit in the handle of your detergent bottle. This will be where you deposit your money, so make sure that your slit is large enough to deposit all sizes of coins.
Next, decorate your piggy bank with whatever you can find in your house. Give it a thorough coat of paint to cover the base of the laundry detergent bottle before adding eyes, ears, and decorating the bottle cap as the pigs snout.
Insert 4 screws into the drilled holes at the bottom of your detergent bottle, these will be what your piggy bank stands on. Once your screws are screwed in make sure that your piggy bank can stand up and is stable. You may need to tighten and adjust your screws to allow your piggy bank to comfortably stand.
Once you are satisfied with your piggy bank, it’s time to start saving. To access your piggy bank money, simply unscrew your pigs nose (the bottle cap) and empty it out. Happy saving.
Whilst you are busy up-cycling laundry detergent bottles, let us take care of your laundry. We launder all of our clothing with the environment in mind, which is why we do not use harsh chemicals on your clothing, and we offer low emission delivery slots.
To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app.
When it comes to doing laundry, one of the biggest questions is: should I use powder or liquid detergent? The answer is, there are pros to using both. Read through some of the pros, and decide which is best for you.
Pros for powder laundry detergent
Cost-effective
Recyclable
Works well on outdoor stains
Cost-effective
Powder detergent is more cost-effective than liquid detergent. To begin with, it costs less to manufacture because it takes less chemistry to build the product. This has resulted in packs of powder detergent often containing more detergent than its liquid counterpart. Additionally, powder detergent has a more stable cleaning agent than liquid detergent, meaning that it doesn’t lose its cleaning power over time. If you prefer to buy your detergent in bulk, powder is the way forward
Recyclable
If you’re looking to make your laundry more Eco-friendly than powder detergent is your best option. More often than not, you will find powder detergent in cardboard packaging. This is a lot easier to recycle as it is bio-degradable, therefore making it the environmentally friendly laundry detergent option.
For those tough outdoor stains, such as mud and grass, a powder laundry detergent will work much better than its liquid alternative. The main surfactant in powder detergent is linear alkylbenzene sulfonate, which is much harsher on stains, and therefore better at ridding your clothing of deep-set outdoor stains.
Pro’s for liquid detergent
No bleach
Safe for appliances
Easy for stain pre-treatment
No bleach
Bleach is very effective at keeping your whites white, however it can be very damaging on your coloured clothing. Bleach is not found in liquid laundry detergents but can be found in some powder detergents. If you want to prevent your colours from fading, it’s best to wash them inside out and use a liquid detergent.
Safe for appliances
One of the benefits of using a liquid detergent is that it easily dissolves with the water in your washing machine. When using powder detergent, you may find chunks of undissolved, sludgy residue in your washer or your machines draw. This residue can lead to pipes being blocked and a broken washing machine. If you want to take extra precuations, without having to constantly clean your washing machine, liquid detergent is the safest option.
Easy for stain pre-treatment
Both powder and liquid detergent can be used to pre-treat a stain, but liquid detergent is a lot easier to use. If you want to use a powder detergent to pre-treat a stain, you can add water to create a paste to rub over your stain. If you are using liquid laundry detergent, you simply have to pour a small amount of detergent over the stain and leave it for up to 5 minutes.
Whether you prefer to use powder or laundry detergent both are effective at cleaning your clothes. If you still can’t decide which to use, why not just book your dry cleaning slot at the Laundryheap website or by downloading our free app. We are operational across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and USA.
The cost of laundry can really add up. Clothing, underwear, bed linen, towels, the list of things you need to wash is endless. Unfortunately, the laundry detergent you use is not. Constantly having to stock up on detergent is not cost effective, which is why you should save yourself the money and make your own DIY detergent.
The benefits of DIY detergent
What you’ll need
The recipe
Top tips
How Laundryheap can help
The benefits of DIY detergent
Aside from being cost effective, there are a lot of benefits of DIY detergents. Firstly, you have complete control over the ingredients that you want to include. This means, there are no harmful chemicals or added toxins that could cause skin irritation. Not to mention, the lack of harmful chemicals and toxins is much better for the environment. Additionally, through making your own detergent you are not buying unnecessary packaging and are, therefore, decreasing the use of single-use plastic.
What you’ll need
To make your DIY detergent you need three simple ingredients:
Borax
Washing Soda
A bar of natural soap
The recipe
You can make your DIY detergent in three easy steps:
Grate your bar of soap- using a food processor will make this step a lot easier, but a hand-held greater will work just fine.
Add the grated soap to 250ml of washing soda and 250ml of Borax
Stir the mix well
Top Tips
Use three level teaspoons per wash and store the rest of your detergent in a lidded container. Don’t forget to label your container so people know what’s inside- for extra safety add a list of ingredients to your label.
If you want to make your DIY detergent last longer, make a bigger batch by doubling the amounts of each ingredient, but using the same ratios.
If you want to save your DIY detergent for clothing only, our Home and Bedding service can be used on the remainder of your washing. We will pick up, launder and deliver your items back to you within 24 hours, at no extra cost. Book your slot on our Laundryheap app.
If you have ever been camping before, then you will be familiar with the feeling of running out of clean clothes after day two. A disastrous situation ordinarily, this can be made even worse if you have children with you. Of course, there is nothing wrong with getting a bit smelly when camping. If, however, the smell has got to a critical level, then this list will help you get your laundry done even in the most rustic of camp spots.
Hand wash your laundry
Clean your dirty clothes in a plastic bag.
Find a bathroom sink.
Make sure you pick your detergent wisely.
Come prepared to dry.
Use your campfire as a washing machine.
Use camping facilities.
Take the easy way out and enjoy your camping time
Hand Wash Your Laundry
Probably the most obvious, yet painful suggestion on this list. A bit of old fashioned elbow grease is all you need to wash your dirty clothes. Instead of always relying on campsite facilities, why not bring the products you need for hand-washing your laundry?
Washing your clothes by hand is one of the simplest, fool-proof ways to ensure your clothes stay clean despite your dirty surroundings. All you need to bring is plastic washing bowls, detergent, and water. The process is as simple as heating some water on the campfire, putting the clothes and detergent into a washing bowl, and then get to scrubbing!
Clean Your Dirty Clothes in a Plastic Bag
Despite this sounding slightly odd at first, but a plastic bag can be a campers best friend when they need to clean their clothes. All you need for this handy laundry hack is a sturdy trash bag, some soap, and water.
Fill the bag with the dirty clothes, then add soap and water, making sure you only fill the bag partially. Your role in all of this is to act as the washing machine, shake and spin the bag around, mimicking a spin cycle. Do this until you tire yourself out and then you know you have done enough. Finally, rinse your clothing of the soap, and hang items to dry. If you take one thing from this list, let it be bringing a clean trash bag with you camping.
Find a Bathroom Sink
This is the most obvious of the suggestions on this list. If you are camping in campsite chances are you have access to a bathroom sink. Once you locate this essential instrument, simply add your clothes and laundry detergent and leave to soak for an hour. Lastly, rinse your clothes and hang to dry.
Make Sure You Pick Your Detergent Wisely
You have to be careful when camping to ensure you are not harming the environment. You don’t want to be the person who destroyed any natural life, so be aware of the ever-growing list of brands that provide Eco-friendly detergents. When purchasing detergents to bring camping, try to look out for signs saying ‘suitable for septic tanks’. Also, try to remember to pour any dirty laundry water away from streams or rivers.
Come Prepared To Dry
Drying your clothes when camping should be easy enough, after all, you are outside. Assuming it hasn’t been raining then all you need to do is bring your own line to string up a washing line for hanging your clothes. Make sure you clean it up once you are done, as someone’s used washing line isn’t something the next group of campers want to greeted with upon arrival.
If you want to go down a slightly more luxurious route, bring some foldable drying racks. If you know you will have some laundry to do at some point on your trip, then these are cheap and convenient tools to have with you.
Use Your Campfire As a Washing Machine
Not many people know that wood ash is actually a natural detergent. Many people wash their dirty pots and pans with fire, and it works just as well with laundry!
This method is quite risky for first-timers, once mastered, it works like a dream. We do advise you use caution when trying this the first few times, and recommend only washing clothes you wouldn’t mind ruining the first few times. To do this, you will need to get small bits of copse ash and mix it with warm water. This will turn the mixture into a grey paste that is not quite soapy. Add a small drop of oil to turn to get that soap-like texture. You will then need to apply the now soapy paste to your dirty clothing and leave for a couple of minutes before rubbing and rinsing. This method is most effective on stains that might be hard to get out if left alone for a few days.
Use Camping Laundry Facilities
This is useful for keeping in mind when looking for campsites to visit. Lots of campsites have washing facilities on-site for you to use. Usually, the campsite will have several different machines to use and detergent ready to buy on site.
Take the Easy Way Out And Enjoy Your Camping Time
If the suggestions on this list seem too complicated, why not just wait till your home and get professionals Laundryheap to help. We can collect your clothes in 30 minutes and have them returned to you within 24 hours.
