Laundry is expensive in the city.  In my building it’s $1.35 to wash, and the same to dry.  Many laundromats charge $1.50, $1.75, or even $2.00. 

Here are some tips I learned from a couple of Chicago wardrobe supervisors.  These folks keep the same clothes looking and smelling great 8 shows a week.  They know how to stretch a dollar and make fabric last.

1)     Over time, your clothing’s armpits will smell.  Washing will not take it out.  Dry cleaning will set it in.  You have to take preventative measures.  Buy a jug of cut-rate vodka, and put half-vodka / half-water in a spray bottle.  Spray the armpits of your clothes as you’re sorting your loads, and it will kill the smelly bacteria.  Personally, I use Lysol aerosol fabric spray, just because I worry what people will think if they see me buying a big plastic jug of vodka.

2)     Don’t dry-clean.  Almost anything can be washed in cold water with Woolite.  You might have to iron it later though, or dry it flat.

3)     No machine-dry for clothes!  It’s bad for your clothes and your wallet.  Heat and agitation take a toll on fabric.  Put your clothes on a drying rack or on a hanger over the shower rod.  They’ll be dry in 24 hours, less on a warm day, and will last forever. 

4)     If you dry a load at a laundromat by buying a number of minutes per quarter, reach your hand in between coins, and pull out the dry-ish items.  The small and thin stuff will be the first to get dry, and the rest will dry faster, meaning cheaper.

5)     Wash whites separately or they’ll look drab in short order.  Even in cold water, a white shirt stands no chance against dark blue jeans or a green sweater.  Wait until you’ve worn most of your white clothing, and then wash them with your very light items. 

6)     There’s really no need for fabric softener or dryer sheets.  You live in a big city, but you want to absorb MORE chemicals?  Please, save your money.