CasaSugar

So Fresh, So Clean: How to Make DIY Detergent

Emily Co — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:15:26 PDT

We love all things budget and eco-friendly, so it's only natural that making our own detergent is on the top of our must-do list. It's much cheaper to make your own, and it'll cost up to 80 percent less than a store-bought detergent. Read on to see how it's done.

10 Tips For Creating an Efficient Laundry Room

Julia Millay Walsh — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 03:05:00 PDT

Although I know a few people who love it, doing laundry is a dreaded task for many. Half the battle, I think, is creating an efficient space for stain-busting, washing, drying, ironing, and folding. With all the tools and supplies organized and stored in the right place, you can streamline your process and make your laundry duties much more enjoyable and less time-consuming! Here are 10 tips for creating an efficient laundry room.

5 Pretty Ways to Air Your Dirty Laundry

Mandy Harris — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:15:00 PDT

Try as I might, I cannot get the laundry situation under control in my home! I feel like I do load after load every weekend but am still left with an overflowing hamper by the middle of the week. I've decided to get on top of things once and for all, but in order to do that, I need a more efficient - and stylish! - way to store and sort my launderables. Read on for five pretty ways to keep your dirty clothes under wraps.

Where Do You Do Your Laundry?

Julia Millay Walsh — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 05:00:11 PST

The laundry room in the Elle Decor showhouse, designed by Regina Callan, is larger than my bedroom - honestly. It's also complete with a fancy Bosch washer and dryer and is equipped with more cabinets than I have in my own kitchen. So returning to my quaint two-bedroom San Francisco apartment after touring the sprawling, stately, five-bedroom manse gave me a reality check. I don't even have a washer/dryer in my apartment. My idea of fancy when it comes to washing dirty clothes is lugging 27 lbs. of apparel to the dry cleaner two blocks away for wash and fold; that's a luxury. But we all lead different lives, don't we?

Where do you do your laundry? Do you have a tricked out, dedicated laundry room like this one?

Do You Hang Your Laundry?

Elka Karl — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 07:00:00 PST

While the idea of hanging my laundry reminds me a lot of dorm room living, the pretty hanging laundry bags from India Rose are making me reconsider this notion. Besides, hanging laundry bags from a closet hook or from the back of the door means that you've freed up valuable floor space. A win-win, in my opinion.

Casa Quickie: Hot and Then Cold

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 07:00:09 PDT

If you own a top-loading washer, or live in a building that has older machines, you may be using soap flakes or powdered detergent instead of liquid laundry detergent. However, if you want to wash your clothes in a more energy-saving manner by keeping the water temperature on cold, you'll benefit from trying these tips with your non-liquid detergent.

First, try adding the powder to the bottom of the washing machine and letting a little water run before you add any clothes. This will help to ensure that the detergent will dissolve and not get stuck in folds of your clothes, which can damage the garment and guarantee another round of washing.

If this doesn't do the trick, try dissolving the powdered detergent in a pitcher of hot water before adding it to the machine. Problem solved!

Does Your Bathroom Double as a Laundry Room?

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:00:08 PDT

In my house, our washer and dryer are tucked under a counter at the far end of the kitchen. I wish it were in another, more convenient space, such as the bathroom. While spaces that have to do double duty often struggle for a consistent design vision, this bathroom, featured in stylist Lotta Agaton's portfolio, certainly doesn't have that problem. I'd love to separate my whites and darks in a space this pretty, wouldn't you?

How to Be a Better Laundress

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:00:00 PDT

Tired of pulling laundry out of the dryer and seeing that it's frayed or faded? Have you dyed your honey's tighty whities an embarrassing shade of pink? Don't worry, there's hope for you yet! You can still be an absolutely fabulous home laundress, when you use these tips.

Button-up pants and shirts, close zippers, and turn garments inside out to reduce wear from laundering.
Check for stains after washing and before drying, because drying sets the stains.
Don't use hot water unless you're washing items you believe must be absolutely clean and disinfected. Hot water wears down fibers.

For the rest of the tips,

Don't bleach wool, silk, or garments with more than 5 percent spandex.
White sheets made of cotton not treated for wrinkles look best longest.
Inspect and pretreat stains and soils with liquid detergent. Use a bleach pen for pretreating stained white areas of garments with stripes or patterns.
Always wash garments with like colors to avoid those pink-stained whites! However, if you're washing in cold water, your clothes' colors are much less likely to run.
If you have a lot of loads, sort items into further subcategories, such as into heavy and light clothing.
Avoid fabric softener, since it leaves a coating on clothes. Use dryer sheets instead. Or, for the lightest impact on your clothing, avoid the dryer altogether and hang your clothes.

Domestic Mom Goddess: Laundry

LilSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:00:44 PDT

The wash never ends! It doesn't matter if you have a new baby or a brood of boys, once you enter motherhood you'll be laundering load after load of dirty clothes and folding and hanging mountains of apparel. Aside from getting your hubby and kids to lend their hands, try transforming the tedious chore into one slightly more enjoyable with these fun and fabulous items!

Casa Verde: Leave Laundry in the Cold

CasaSugar — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Most of us are accustomed to using hot water to really get our clothes clean, but the hotter the wash, the higher your energy bill. In fact, 90 percent of the energy used for washing clothes comes from heating the water, and switching over to cold (or even warm) water when washing everyday loads can slash your energy usage in half! Old habits die hard, as do nasty stains, so try to use the hot setting on your machine only when your threads are really in need of a deep clean. When using the cold cycle, skip the powder detergent, as it won't dissolve as quickly - opt for a liquid version or one that is made specifically for chilly washes. Still worried the low temps won't freshen up your washables? Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant and is great for cleaning without heat or chemicals - try adding about half a teaspoon to loads filled with towels and other fabric prone to getting musty.