Laundry tips to make clothes last, and wallet green

Doing laundry is definitely not fun, and the wear and tear that the machines put on your clothes can also tear a hole right through your budget. Luckily, AOL contributor Bekka Prewitt has a few easy tips and tricks that can help make your clothes and linens last.

Tip #1 – Tennis balls in the load

There's no secret that tumble-drying can damage your garments over time. So, the less time your clothes spend twirling around in the dryer, the better. Adding a few tennis balls in your load can cut your drying time almost in half. Thus elongating the life span of your precious garments.

Simply wrap each ball in a sock to prevent any lint from escaping before you throw them in. As the dryer spins, the balls help separate the clothes which in turn allow more warm air to circulate into the center of the load. The more balls you add, the faster the drying time. And best of all, they can be used over and over again.

Tip #2 -- Vitalize old towels with ingredients found in your kitchen

Do you have old towels that always seem to smell and don't absorb as well as they use to? -This stinky phenomenon is likely caused by fabric softener and detergent buildup, which accumulates in the fiber over time. But don't panic, with a little baking soda and vinegar, you can get them fresh and fluffy again.

Simply place those stinky towels into the washer, and add one cup of vinegar. Then, start the cycle on the warmest washing cycle possible. Once you're done, run the cycle again, except this time add ½ cup of baking soda instead. When that's through, just pop them in the dryer and you're done. This trick also works great on brightening and revitalizing dingy white sheets.

So remember, you can keep you're laundry clean without deteriorating it in the process. With a little know how, your budget and your laundry can last a lot longer than you think.

Tell us how you get your garments to last for less in the comments below.

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