Living Magazine Fall 2015 Living Magazine | Page 26
Make Over Your
Laundry Room
Doing laundry may not always be the most exciting way to spend your time, but it is a task
everyone has to face on a weekly or perhaps even daily basis. You can enhance your laundry
routine with the cleansing power of essential oils along with a few handy tips.
1.Delicates, sweaters, and cotton T-shirts should be
turned inside out to prevent pilling. Dark, fadeprone clothes should also be turned inside out as
abrasion from rubbing against other clothes can
cause fibers to fray, making clothes look faded.
2. W
hen drying pillows, add a tennis ball or two to
the dryer to prevent matting.
3. Add ½ cup of white vinegar and 4–6 drops of
Melaleuca essential oil to the wash cycle to
naturally brighten your whites.
4. Install labeled baskets for family members to pick
up their laundry.
5. Utilize the narrow space between the washer and
dryer to store a rolling storage cart or a laundry
sorting bin.
6. P
lace stuffed animals in a laundry bag and wash on
a gentle/delicate cycle. After washing, remove from
the bag and hang dry.
7. B
efore putting socks in the washing machine,
attach pairs together using a lingerie bag, safety
pins, or sock clip. When you fold laundry, place any
unmatchable socks into a “missing sock drawer”
or create a lost sock board.
8. T
hrow a dry towel into your dryer with your wet
laundry to save time and energy.
DIY BLEACH FOR CLEANING
(makes 1 quart)
INGREDIENTS
-2 cups hydrogen peroxide (3 percent solution)
-2 tablespoons lemon juice OR ½ teaspoon citric acid
-2 cups water
-10 drops Lemon essential oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Store in dark or covered bottles, as exposure to light
will weaken the solution. Lasts up to 1 month in a
clear bottle, 2–3 months in a dark bottle.
26 / FALL 2015 LIVING MAGAZINE
DIY FABRIC SOFTENER
INGREDIENTS
-1 64-ounce bag of Epsom salt
-40 drops Lavender essential oil
-30 drops Melaleuca essential oil
-20 drops Lemon essential oil
INSTRUCTIONS
Pour Epsom salt into a large glass or
stainless steel bowl. Add essential oils
and stir well to combine. Store in a glass
jar. Use ½ cup for medium to large loads in
the wash cycle at any temperature and ¼
cup for small loads.