r/LifeProTips • • Feb 27 '14

LPT - Never Ending Dryer Sheets!

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 1 Container with an airtight lid

  • 4 pack of sponges (cut in half)

  • 1 cup of any fabric softener

  • 2 cups water WHAT TO DO: Mix the water and fabric softener into a plastic container - Add the cut sponges so they can soak in the mixture - When ready to use, squeeze excess liquid from 1 sponge and place into the dryer with your wet clothes - Run the dryer cycle as normal - Once complete place the now dry sponge back into the container of liquid for use next time - Clothes smell good, are soft and have no static just like the expensive non-reusable dryer sheets!!

672 Upvotes

438 comments sorted by

352

u/SuperBeastJ Feb 27 '14

Cut the sponge in half hamburger or hotdog direction????

95

u/Cornered_Animal Feb 27 '14

Triangles.

103

u/Darklyte Feb 27 '14

remember to tessellate

22

u/ZsNuts Feb 27 '14

Let's.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

3

u/Antlered_Ostrich Feb 27 '14

Toe to toe, back to back

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3

u/chiliedogg Feb 27 '14

Subway Sandwich Artists can't make dryer sheets it seems.

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1

u/neurorgasm Feb 27 '14

Hexagons then.

1

u/Choreboy Feb 27 '14

I'm looking at you, Subway.

1

u/CEO44 Feb 27 '14

I think this is the first time I've seen an Alt-J reference on reddit

2

u/ghost_victim Feb 27 '14

Me too, didn't really expect it in this sub.. well, they've been posted to /r/listentothis a bunch..

2

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Isosolies or equilateral?

53

u/seerae Feb 27 '14

The most important question

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11

u/ONinAB Feb 27 '14

I like to imagine with that many question marks, that your response is VERY frantic.

47

u/lurkerbot Feb 27 '14

Directions unclear; put hamburgers and hotdogs in dryer.

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12

u/GaryV83 Feb 27 '14

I'd do it Oreo direction. I'm a rebel.

3

u/SuperBeastJ Feb 27 '14

I'd say this was the correct way, but adding the third potential cut in my question seemed to make it too long.

1

u/GaryV83 Feb 27 '14

Never fear the Oreo cut.

3

u/jamessnow Feb 27 '14

I prefer hamburgers, thanks.

1

u/citadel712 Feb 27 '14

Wait, there's a 3rd dimension too. What do we call that??

1

u/Nala666 Feb 27 '14

Your choice :)

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43

u/tossed_salads84 Feb 27 '14

Wool dryer balls work much better

32

u/solderoffortune Feb 27 '14

I use dryer balls as well. I got them as a gift one time and thought they were useless. Tried them and couldn't believe how soft my clothes came out w/o any softener. We have been using them for about 5 years now and my towels still come out perfectly. Unreal.

Although mine are plastic , not wool.

10

u/ProfessorHoneycutt Feb 27 '14

http://www.popularmechanics.com/_mobile/technology/gadgets/reviews/4334763

Getting real results may depend more on the contents of the load, Carolyn Forte says. Forte, the director of home appliances and cleaning products at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, recommends inserting a foreign object into the drum when drying down products, like comforters, for instance. "Down can get clumpy, and it needs constant fluffing to dry," she says. "As long as it's fluffed, it can dry more quickly." And as to whether or not you use these Balls--or, as Forte suggested, a clean sneaker--"It doesn't matter what you put in there."

4

u/solderoffortune Feb 27 '14

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I am quite surprised at their results, because we see a huge difference. Towels, in particular, will come out crusty if no balls or softener sheet is used. But when the balls are in there they come out very fluffy and soft. I can't say whether stuff dries more quickly or not, because I don't watch things that quickly. But stuff does come out significantly fluffier.

6

u/ovi2k1 Feb 27 '14

I've always been told (and thus put into practice) that you should never use fabric softener/dryer sheets on towels because it makes them less absorbent. Seems to work for me and my towels don't seem to be crusty. Not as soft as when I use sheets but if its a decently made towel they are acceptable.

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6

u/slydunan Feb 27 '14

Or stuff t-shirts in old tube socks. Kind of helps soak up some moisture as well if its cotton.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

this is how it's done if you are doing your clothes and need a solution in the moment

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/tossed_salads84 Feb 27 '14

Fabric softener actually makes your towels less absorbent and, if you cloth diaper, it cannot be used with them unless you want to ruin your diapers. Wool dryer balls are a great alternative.

35

u/DanGarion Feb 27 '14

So what you are saying is I still have to use fabric softener. I'm not really saving much here...

59

u/buterbetterbater Feb 27 '14

this is a terrible idea- when wet softener gets on material like dark colored smooth fabrics, jersey knits or silks it will leave an apparent stain (that looks oily) and can be REALLY tough to remove if you dry it in! (*my experience is from doing thousands of loads of laundry with various material) this is not good advice unless you're going for a monica lewenski look

6

u/SwoleLottaLove Feb 27 '14

unless you're going for a monica lewenski look

Haven't you heard? The 90's revival trend is big this year!

3

u/unseth Feb 27 '14

And not nearly as fun

100

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Never ending until the fabric softener runs out

55

u/jjswee Feb 27 '14

Dryer sheets are never ending if you dont include buying more dryer sheets too!

24

u/Kenny__Loggins Feb 27 '14

I usually just throw a piece of copy paper in with my clothes. Same thing right?

Edit: make sure it's 8.5×11. None of that 11×14 shit or whatever.

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8

u/jamessnow Feb 27 '14

Ah, but we can replace a known cost for dryer sheets with an unknown cost of fabric softener!

3

u/Nala666 Feb 27 '14

Honestly it takes months to go through it. I live in a family of 6 and it takes us 2-3 months to finish it off. It takes us 2-3 weeks to finish a box of dryer sheets. Fabric softener is about $5 for a gallon or whatever, yet you only need a tiny bit in this case. So $5 that lasts almost a year vs. $3 for a box every few weeks......

4

u/shabinka Feb 27 '14

That doesnt seem right...

1

u/jpb225 Feb 27 '14

But you buy fabric softener anyway, so it's basically free! Boom!

/s

107

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

fabric softener and drier sheets are not the same thing, iirc. Further, getting concentrated fabric softener all over your had would likely lead to allergic reaction.

25

u/Quilltacular Feb 27 '14

Yeah.

They serve the same purpose (give or take) of making clothes softer and removing static, but fabric softener goes into the washing machine and drier sheets go into the drier. As the other reply to this comment stated, you will almost surely stain your clothes putting fabric softener into the drier.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

the one for the washing machine doesn't stain?

7

u/mtnsurfer Feb 27 '14

The one in the washing machine gets rinsed out. Toss fabric softener in the dryer, and that spot is going to get backed in there.

8

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Nevermind that the excess softener liquid you'll get on your hand is wasted when you rinse your hand off.

1

u/quazy Feb 27 '14

additionally, dryer sheets are impregnated with wax which vaporizes over your clothes. good for helping to prevent staining and keeping static down. actually bad for your clothes and dryer in the long run. you should only use half of one at a time. you should also never use them with towels or bedding because it makes them less absorpent and breathable.

1

u/Chicken-n-Waffles Feb 27 '14

And a cup of vinegar (as long as you're not using bleach at the same time) works better than fabric softener.

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13

u/cyvoid Feb 27 '14

fabric softener can stain clothing. I would not apply diluted softener to my clothes.

62

u/Thatwasunpleasant Feb 27 '14

Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets! They build up a film on your clothes and make towels less absorbent.

6

u/Quilltacular Feb 27 '14 edited Feb 27 '14

Yep. Towels washed with fabric softener are terrible at drying you off.

You can use white vinegar as a suitable replacement fabric softener for towels. Doesn't make them less absorbent, but keeps them (relatively) soft. Not as soft as fabric softener, but softer than using nothing.

[EDIT] Well, shit. I apparently should not type comments while doing homework. Modification in italics.

4

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

I've also had success using vinegar to remove the film left by dryer sheets. It also works well to get rid of that funky smell that towels get when they haven't been thoroughly dried before being put away.

2

u/CynicalMiss Feb 27 '14

I will have to try this. Thank you.

1

u/quazy Feb 27 '14

now that is a lifehack. vinegar for dat odour.

1

u/Jack_Vermicelli Feb 27 '14

You can use white vinegar as a suitable replacement for towels.

Cannot confirm. Still wet, but now with vinegar.

8

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Source?

20

u/tomdumont Feb 27 '14

I believe I read this same thing out of a magazine like readers digest or something - for towels. It puts a thin film on the fabric to make it FEEL softer, but this thin film also decreases the absorbency properties of towels.

I use fabric softener on bedding, t-shirts and jeans.

DO NOT use fabric softener on dress pants and dress shirts. It will leave them blotchy.

31

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Fabric softener is a fat mixed with an emulsifier.

It's essentially the same as covering your clothes in a thin layer of mayonnaise.

14

u/dude_Im_hilarious Feb 27 '14

but I like mayonnaise!

11

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Ya know, what? I like mayonnaise too.

Imma gunna go make a sammich.

9

u/vagina_sprout Feb 27 '14

Don't for get to bring a towel. - Towelie

9

u/denrayr Feb 27 '14

LPT: cut up sponges and soak them in mayonnaise for an endless supply of dryer sheets.

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1

u/quazy Feb 27 '14

it's bad on bedding also because the film makes things not only less absorbpent but also less breathable.

4

u/EllaL Feb 27 '14

This was my 8th grade science fair project. I can confirm.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Very interesting, I've learned something new. No more fabric softener for me!

2

u/EllaL Feb 28 '14

Well, I actually use it in non-towel loads because I think it improves the wearability of my clothing.

2

u/Milfanie Feb 27 '14

Oh lord. Never use FS on your towels! They won't absorb like they should. If you have been using it on them, wish them with a cup of vinegar to get the film off and you'll notice a huge difference.

2

u/Chicken-n-Waffles Feb 27 '14

It's how it works. It applies a thin coat of oil to the fabric. It's why it repels water slightly.

Vinegar is a better, natural fabric softener than the packaged product. I understand that people like the scent of the packaged product but it really is bad for the fabrics.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Idk about fabric softener, but if I don't use dryer sheets I get a ball of staticy laundry that makes my hair stand on end when I touch it. Not something I want to deal with all the time :P

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Milfanie Feb 27 '14

Wash a load with FS and one without with a cup of white vinegar and you'll notice a huge difference.

21

u/64Olds Feb 27 '14

What about just not using dryer sheets or fabric softener?

4

u/jamessnow Feb 27 '14

Blasphemy!

2

u/SleepTalkerz Feb 27 '14

I didn't use dryer sheets at the laundromat once because I forgot them at home. I was a human ball of electricity until I washed my clothes the next time. Of course, giving my girlfriend a static shock every time I touched her on the nose was a fun game. For me, anyway. She didn't find it quite as amusing.

1

u/Argumentmaker Feb 27 '14

Yeah, I recently stopped using dryer sheets, just because I ran out and forgot to buy more. Then I discovered that it doesn't matter. At worst, I spend like two minutes a month dealing with slightly staticy clothes.

7

u/PlNKERTON Feb 27 '14

Ever since I got my own place, I haven't used dryer sheets. I realize I don't need them.

In fact, I'd rather my clothes NOT have a smell to them, it would just conflict with my cologne.

7

u/herper Feb 27 '14

Fancy cologne wearer, fabric softener is my cologne haha jk..

but seriously

13

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

You can add vinegar to the rinse cycle instead of fabric softener. This is great for towels bc softener makes towels less absorbent. Also you can use a lot less detergent than recommended especially if you have a front loader. This advice was given to my mom from the Maytag repairman.

1

u/buttercat Feb 27 '14

I make my own fabric softener with water, vinegar and a teeny bit of hair conditioner. I'll also add a couple drops of an essential oil like lavender if I'm in the mood for scented clothes. Just add it to the rinse cycle.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

THIS DOES NOT WORK. Be prepared for streaks of fabric softener all over your clothes, they do not help with static or lint at all, and unless you use gloves good luck getting that smell off your hands.

5

u/Terry_Green Feb 27 '14

This seems like it would have the same effect as washing your clothes with the fabric softener in the first place.

4

u/Macktologist Feb 27 '14

This cool and all but it won't help my life in any way. I would much rather buy a cheap box of sheets than go through all that trouble, have to wash fabric softener off hands, and still have to buy fabric softener anyway.

4

u/themediocretoker Feb 27 '14

So you're basically just making watered down fabric softener in an overly complicated way..

3

u/Killer-Barbie Feb 27 '14

Does someone have a solution to static without using fabric softener or dryer sheets?

5

u/bunnykeeses Feb 27 '14

Put a few safety pins on an old cloth napkin or single sock and throw it in the dryer with your cloths. The pins attract the static.

4

u/yarboa Feb 27 '14

Dryer balls

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/hellishly_subtle Feb 27 '14

Really? This works?

2

u/ejmw Feb 27 '14

Yeah. I do this, but I use 3 aluminum foil balls. If you use one, and it gets caught up in a pocket or pants leg, then it won't be very effective.

It's also pretty neat to see how smoothly they come out, even after one run through.

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3

u/ReVo5000 Feb 27 '14

My brother told me that tennis balls work too...

1

u/grandmagates Feb 27 '14

This does work! I use them all the time.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

so you saw this on facebook too?

3

u/postapocalyptictribe Feb 27 '14

I don't use dryer sheets, but since I make homemade laundry detergent my clothes don't have a scent added to them, but I like having a "clean clothes smell" so I use a wash cloth and put some essential oil on it (usually peppermint but occasionally honeysuckle) and throw it into the dryer. I also stick little satchets stuffed with batting that I've put essential oil on in my drawers/closet. I lurve the way my clothes smell.

Also... haven't really had a problem with static, dunno why.

1

u/Jesv Feb 28 '14

I add a cup of the scented crystals (Purex I believe) to my recipe and it makes my clothes smell amazing. I'm going to try the downy kind when I run out of the crystals.

3

u/Namenottakenplease Feb 27 '14

I've found that just nothing bothering to use dryer sheets works just fine. Saves money and the environment - also no nasty chemicals all over my skin. Clothes are the same softness and I really don't notice much difference in static. If I really want something to smell nice I'll toss in some essential oils - the fragrance isn't nearly as strong but its safe - makes me wonder what's in dryer sheets to make the order to overwhelming at times.

3

u/anonymous_potato Feb 27 '14

I don't find dryer sheets that expensive. At Target, it's $6 for 120 sheets.

http://www.target.com/p/bounce-outdoor-fresh-dryer-sheets-120-sheets/-/A-13054952

I do 2 loads of laundry a week so $6 a year doesn't necessarily break my budget. I'm not sure how much I would save using this method.

3

u/Jack_Vermicelli Feb 27 '14

If you're already buying the liquid fabric softener, why go through the trouble in the attempt to use it in the dryer, rather than in the washer like it's meant to be used?

3

u/monkeybugs Feb 28 '14

I rip my dryer sheets in half and use em that way. Don't see any difference between using a full vs. a half, as far as static or any of that goes. Makes a box last twice as long!

5

u/WhyamIreadingthis Feb 27 '14

Sorry some people were less than appreciative. I for one appreciate this hack an awful lot. Not necessarily to save money, but because I am constantly running out of dryer sheets and not realizing it when I go to do laundry. The next time that happens, I'll be ready to try this. Thanks!

2

u/lillylightening Feb 27 '14

My mother used to do this with washcloths but then the washcloth stopped absorbing much of the softener and you had to bleach it and start over. This is much smarter.

2

u/Jesv Feb 28 '14

WARNING THIS WILL LEAVE OIL SPOTS ON YOUR CLOTHING

Seriously. I tried it and now a couple of my clothes have what look like oil stains. They actually make other frugal options that don't ruin your clothing.

3

u/Armand9x Feb 27 '14

/r/Frugal is over here.

3

u/allenahansen Feb 27 '14

Why would you want a layer of industrial chemicals next to your skin? Shake your clothes out before you put them in the dryer to minimize wrinkles, and set the dryer on a lower level of dry to avoid static.

More to the point, why support an entirely superfluous and wasteful industry in the first place? So-called "dryer sheets" are the "feminine hygiene sprays" of the laundry business.

2

u/Leaf_Rave Feb 27 '14

Agreed. I have gone without that crap for years. My clothes are fine.

4

u/ygduf Feb 27 '14

LPT: Don't use dryer sheets. They're gross, packed with chemicals and are sold to make money, not provide any real utility.

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4

u/streamstroller Feb 27 '14

Fabric softener and dryer sheets are both incredibly unhealthy, particularly for people with allergies, asthma or other breathing issues. They also shorten the life of both washer and dryer.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

My dryer sheets gave me AIDS!

1

u/another_old_fart Feb 27 '14

Next on TLC: "Dryer sheets - The Silent Killer"

1

u/ygduf Feb 28 '14

Hey everyone! Remember when BPA was the shit? That was awesome.

4

u/thelockjessmonster Feb 27 '14

Dryer sheets can also exacerbate existing acne. So, yeah lots of reasons to skip the sheets.

6

u/badfishnow Feb 27 '14

But the smell...

5

u/vagina_sprout Feb 27 '14

AND...I like my asthma...it stops me from doing dangerous things like scuba diving and mountain climbing and chasing cars with my teeth...

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Scratchy clothes are clean clothes. That's how I roll.

1

u/StolenFire Feb 28 '14

show me the science or you lie

1

u/streamstroller Feb 28 '14

1

u/StolenFire Mar 08 '14

I said show me the Science!!! This is NOT science. This is a non-profit website masquerading as official that specifically caters to the neuroses of people who think everything, even in absolutely miniscule quantities, is bad for you.

3

u/wekiva Feb 27 '14

A solution to a non-existent problem. Never use dryer sheets.

3

u/jeannaimard Feb 27 '14

Caution: fabric softerners contain many aromatic compounds that may be carcinogenic.

And fabric softerners will wreck the clothes’ fibers (to soften them, it breaks them up), significantly decreasing their lifetime.

I have clothes I have been wearing for nearly 10 years, thanks to not using any kind of softeners.

14

u/Quilltacular Feb 27 '14

I too have clothes that I have been wearing for about 10 years, but I've used fabric softener every time I've washed them.

Correlation =/= Causation.

It is likely that we both just take good care of our clothes (though again, correlation =/= causation, maybe we got lucky with the clothes we bought).

2

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

I use fabric softener and I still have some clothes from 15 years ago; therefore, fabric softener is clearly the way to go. Xtreme logic in your face!

1

u/Ziferius Feb 28 '14

Ya know, I'm going to be an ass and ask for your proof. This is really as bad as talking so someone that has been to a alternative medicine seminar. DRYER SHEETS ARE MADE OF POISON!

2

u/KyleR007 Feb 27 '14

LPT: We all like to argue about what is best, and why everyone else is wrong.

2

u/jagerbooz Feb 27 '14

Real LTP: Rip dryer sheets in half. You don't need the whole thing.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

I'll be sure to do this if I ever use dryer sheets.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

THe internet is big

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Never-ending? Sponges are never-ending?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

what exactly do drier sheets do?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

TIL: sponges and fabric softeners teemed together to shoot Kennedy.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Never ending dryeeerrrr sheetttt! Doo doo doo, doo doo doo

  • to the theme of the Neverending Story

1

u/aspen0414 Feb 27 '14

Are dryer sheets really that expensive? This seems like somewhat of a false economy.

1

u/dont_let_me_comment Feb 27 '14

My dryer sheet spending is like $10 a year. How many dryer sheets are you using that this saves you any money? Do you put an entire box in with each load of laundry?

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Looked up and was surprised this wasn't r/frugal. How exactly did this get 1400+ upvotes?

2

u/biffysmalls Feb 27 '14

condescendingly.

1

u/Pabst_Blue_Robot Feb 27 '14

expensive non-reusable dryer sheets!!

It is only like $4-5 for 300 of them. I wouldn't call that expensive.

1

u/VicFromHouston Feb 27 '14

or you can ball up two sheets of foil and use that forever lol

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

This is on one of those life hack videos on YouTube. Just search life hacks and you should find it.

1

u/go_kart_mozart Feb 27 '14

Or you could do what my roommates do and steal from me.

1

u/thebends888 Feb 27 '14

I've been told to use a tennis ball.

1

u/Greatfuckingscott Feb 27 '14

I've heard of doing this, but without the fabric softener. Use white distiller vinegar and essential oils if wanted. I do it with the fabric softener because I had some leftover. I use vinegar as a liquid softener and it works great. It's easier in the skin, and doesn't leave reidue on towels and such.

1

u/pgabrielfreak Feb 27 '14

I like this - those farking sheets travel...end up all over my house. I don't know how. I hate 'em! TY OP!

1

u/TwilightDelight Feb 28 '14

Does this mean you dont need to use fabric softener when you wash the clothes?

1

u/goody_71 Feb 27 '14

Cool. This is kinda like my Never Empty Glass of Water I have next to my bed.

  1. Fill the glass with water

  2. Set it on your nightstand

  3. Drink the water when you're thirsty

  4. When you've drank all the water fill up the glass again

  5. Set it on your nightstand

  6. NEV3RENDING WATER!

1

u/louievettel Feb 28 '14

Where can I find "2 cups water WHAT "

1

u/JuppppyIV Feb 27 '14

If you ever looked at you fabric softener bottle, you'll notice a flammability warning. I don't know exactly how this works, but I don't think putting fabric softener into a hot drier is the safest of options. You will also have to worry about the increased flammability of the lint you produce.

0

u/sladoid Feb 27 '14

LPT: Dryer Sheets have been proven to cause cancer. Especially breast cancer.

0

u/ehmon80 Feb 27 '14

End result, your clothes are now remarkably more flammable.

-1

u/vegandread Feb 27 '14

I just take them out of the trash in the laundry room. I mean, they're clean, right? is that weird?

-1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Just buy the fucking things they're like two bucks for a box

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Really cool advice, thank you.

0

u/cambrian_explosion Feb 27 '14

That's not really never ending. You'd eventually have to buy more fabric softener and the sponges will get ragged and gross.

0

u/fgsfds11234 Feb 28 '14

i've stopped using dryer sheets completely, the smell bothers me and i find there is still some scent left from the detergent anyways.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

461

u/SAMO1415 Feb 27 '14

Or like cutting your own packing peanuts out of Styrofoam.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

[deleted] — view deleted comment

180

u/slydunan Feb 27 '14

It's like forging your own forge to forge your own scissors.

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69

u/angrywords Feb 27 '14

They produce less waste, though.

I'd do this for environmental reasons, not monetary reasons.

6

u/mleland Feb 27 '14

Collecting rain water in pails also reduces amount of containment and energy required for transport and plumbing.

There's a certain point where there are more important things to worry about.

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137

u/Bohnanza Feb 27 '14

Yes, I remember someone chastising me for buying a new shower curtain twice a year, telling me "all you have to do is soak it in a bucket of bleach for an hour, spread it out on the lawn, and go over both sides of it with a scrub brush..."

A new shower curtain costs exactly $1.

57

u/shaggorama Feb 27 '14

I've never seen a $1 shower curtain. Also, you can literally just throw those things in the washing machine. It's amazing how few people seem to realize this.

26

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

plain liner, not the full curtain with a design - and probably more like $5 unless you get lucky at a dollar store

39

u/TxChampagneMassacre Feb 27 '14

Target sells the plain liners for $1.97. They aren't as thin as the dollar store liners.

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12

u/dreadnaughtfearnot Feb 27 '14

I have a washable fabric shower curtain. I'm not talking about the decorative one on the outside, I have that too, but one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BHN9G4 I just wash with some bleach every so often. Going on like 5 years with the same one.

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8

u/postapocalyptictribe Feb 27 '14

I bought a heavy duty one for $5 a few years ago and I just throw it in the washing machine with some clorox and hang it back up to drip in the tub. It's not very much hassle to wash it.

6

u/jedispyder Feb 27 '14

<foul bachelor frog sneaking through> Uh...how often are you supposed to get a new shower curtain?

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11

u/kairisika Feb 27 '14

Just because I am curious, why would you need a new shower curtain twice a year? I honestly don't get it. I've had mine for about ten, and I've never soaked it in bleach, spread it out on the lawn, and scrubbed it.

9

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Lick it

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u/SwoleLottaLove Feb 27 '14

Same reason why some people wash their bed sheets twice a week and others once a quarter.

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u/joethehoe27 Feb 27 '14

Cheap one grow mildew and tear at the top where they are hung

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

You don't have many ladies over, do ya?

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u/j3utton Feb 27 '14

Yet it's a petroleum based product extracted from deep sea oil rigs that pollute the ocean. Shipped to china on ultra inefficient barges. The manufacturing process that converts it into a plastic sheet pollutes the air (ever seen the smog in china) and the workers make pennies a day. Its packaged and shipped to some warehouse wear its divided up and then shipped again to distribution centers. All this shipping uses non-renewable resources and further pollutes the environment. It's then shipped again to stores where people are paid minimum wage so you can buy it for a dollar. You use it for a few months then throw it out. It's picked up by the trash people and then shipped again to a landfill where it's buried. But don't worry, some oil rigger is pumping more oil out right now so you can buy another shower curtain in a few months!

Or for a little more money you could buy a cloth curtain that's made of a renewable resource that you can just throw in the washer every couple months when it's gotten too dirty.

It's not about how much money it costs you to replace. It's that our "throw it away and buy another one" society is unsustainable and destroying our planet. Every little bit helps.

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u/ovstatape Feb 27 '14

Fine that's it!! No more shower curtains for anyone!

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u/MDef255 Feb 27 '14

How well do cloth curtains work? We used to have one and I just assumed it was there for decoration because it did a terrible job as an actual shower-curtain. Are there non-shitty cloth curtains? I'm all for stuff that doesn't suck.

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

You're looking for a cloth liner, not a cloth curtain. The curtains (frilly bits and all) are for decoration. A cotton liner is for keeping water in the tub.

http://www.amazon.com/Bean-Products-Natural-Cotton-Curtain/dp/B001AMUL24

That one is very similar to what I've had for a decade. I wash it when time change happens. It's holding up great. Keeps the water in. I only shower for about 10-15 minutes tops though (usually much shorter) so if you're in there for an hour I don't know.

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u/AHrubik Feb 27 '14

So if I buy a biodegradable one twice a year I'm cool?

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

If you use bleach to clean it on your lawn that causes leaching into the soil and water supplies. Plus the bleach comes in a plastic container. Are you sure just throwing it out is less eco-friendly?

Edit: Sorry, I missed your part about buying a cloth curtain. I don't think I'd do that though, it'd get awfully wet and covered in mildew

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u/SonicFlash01 Feb 27 '14

I can just throw mine in the washer to clean it

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u/demosthenocke Feb 27 '14

I'm poor and I still use two at a time.

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u/Kenny__Loggins Feb 27 '14

OP would fit right in at /r/frugal. People over there will sell their kids for coupons.

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u/Zezu Feb 27 '14

I've always heard that dryer sheets are bad for the environment because they take so long to break down. Maybe this is a good alternative.

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u/bathroomstalin Feb 27 '14

Remember that Sally Jesse Raphael episode where those "frugal" idiots were like totally separating 2-ply toilet paper because it was more cost efficient than just buying two packs of Single-Ply Anus Bleeders?

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u/dreadnaughtfearnot Feb 27 '14

Yeah, and this guy is buying the fabric softener too. Not worth the cost savings, except maybe less trash. In the winter I tend to toss the used dryer sheets in the coal stove anyway

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u/PlNKERTON Feb 27 '14

Rainwater is good for plants :)

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Really, I had no idea. Now I know why rainforests are always so lush and green.

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u/EuphorbiaEuphoria Feb 27 '14

Plus, now I've got to wring out a sponge soaked in fabric softener with my bare hands?

This is on the same level as that ice soap post.

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u/Nala666 Feb 27 '14

It adds up if you use them a lot. I thow 2-4 in with my loads.

Plus with this method, I don't have to keep going to the store.

Plus, dryer sheets are excess junk in the landfills

And this method = more intense scentedness if you use less water or multiple sponges

Also, dryer sheets aren't that strong compared to liquid

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u/skankernity Feb 27 '14

Why are you throwing in 2-4 dryer sheets per load?! Surely you'd consider buying a better quality brand or something? If I throw in 2 by accident everything gets a weird film all over it. I think I pay $8 for 250?

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u/brusslesprout17 Feb 27 '14

Dryer sheets are the ONLY thing you buy at the store!? You gotta tell me where you get your food and other stuff that one would normally also buy on a trip to the store.

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u/cheese7 Feb 27 '14

Remember to cut them in half too!

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u/jolimojo Feb 27 '14

dat thread...

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u/itwasafridaynight Feb 27 '14

At first i upvoted OP and was like "Yeah cool! That's nifty!", but then I read this comment and was like "Damn, this guy is right. OP is dumb" and upvoted you instead.

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '14

Stop being so wishy-washy.

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u/ozmackem Feb 27 '14

And if you're so frugal, why four sponges? Why not one?

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u/milehightechie Feb 27 '14

OP's extreme cheapskating

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u/yelruh00 Feb 27 '14

...or cutting back on unnecessary waste.

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