1. Soften sheets with vinegar.

Run a cycle with your bed sheets and a half-cup of distilled white vinegar to give them a quick boost of softness and brightness, and to remove lingering odors.

2. Throw your detergent cap in with the laundry to wash it.

You know those messy drips and sticky spots that decorate the lid of your laundry detergent bottle before too long? Don’t waste time wiping them away. Just toss the detergent lid right into the wash with your clothes (avoid delicates) to get it clean. Just make sure you remove it before it enters the heat of the dryer.

3. Keep chalk in the kitchen to treat grease stains.

Grease stains be gone! Because chalk is ultra-absorbent, you can rub a bit on any oily kitchen stains as they happen, to absorb grease and hold you over until you can throw the garment in the wash.

4. Dry clothes fast with a clean towel in the dryer.

You can speed up the machine-dry process by adding a clean, dry towel to the mix. Toss it into the dryer with your wet clothes to dry everything faster.

5. Fake-iron your clothes with ice cubes.

If you have a dryer in your apartment, you can quickly “iron” your clothes with an ice cube. Just toss the wrinkled clothes in the dryer with an ice cube or two, on the warmest possible setting, and let the ice cube create steam in the dryer to leave your clothes looking smooth.

6. Lift sticky stains with ice cubes.

If you notice a stubborn, sticky mess on your clothes (like gum!) try this: Leave some ice cubes on top of the mess for a few minutes, then easily peel the gunk away once it feels like it’s hardened.

7. Keep socks paired in a mesh laundry bag.

Those mesh bags meant for delicates? They’re also great at keeping small items from getting lost to… wherever it is all those odd socks go. Get a big one (like one from this set), hang it near your hamper, and toss pairs of socks in there as you take them off. When it’s laundry day, zip it up and throw the whole bag in the wash.

8. Trade your dryer sheets for dryer balls.

ICYMI, dryer sheets are not that great. Instead, opt for a set of wool dryer balls. They’ll keep air moving, smoothing out wrinkles and speeding up your drying time. And if you like to scent your laundry, you can drip a few drops of essential oils onto your dryer balls every 10 or so loads.

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If the scorched fabric is made from natural fibers like cotton, linen, ramie, rayon, or wool, you may be able to save it. (Scorched wool must be handled a bit differently because it’s a protein fiber.) Cleaning scorched clothing and carpets made from manmade fibers can be tricky. However, even if the burn is successfully removed, remember that the fabric will be weakened permanently in the affected area and will wear out more quickly than the rest of the garment.

Clear-Cut Storage

Detergent, starch, and stain remover containers are frequently large and take up a lot of space in the laundry room. Replace clear glass canisters or beverage dispensers for a more streamlined solution that also increases function and style. After you’ve filled them with the necessities, consider adding chalkboard labels to keep everything even more organized.

Easy Ironing

Ironing boards can take up a lot of space in a laundry room. Instead of folding versions, make a tabletop version. Remove any hardware from a spare piece of plywood or a particleboard shelf, staple an old towel to the back, and then wrap a piece of fabric around the concoction. When not in use, keep it on the counter for a splash of pattern, or store it in a spare closet or corner.

Dry-Erase DIY

Transform your dryer into a memo board with dry-erase markers. This laundry room hack is an easy way to record important notes on how to wash, what to dry, and which items need to be restocked. For a custom typographic touch, consider adding stickers or card-stock cutouts to the lid.

Pocket Protector

Many parents are aware that there can be a swarm of clothes-ruining fiends hiding in their children’s pants pockets. Using a scrap piece of wood, a few clothespins, and a jar, make a clever catchall for rescued pens, spare change, and other random items. To ensure a stain-free spin cycle, hang bills or receipts from the pins and drop any extras into the container.

Hanger Hangout

Hangers are a must-have, but without a specified place to live, they can become a laundry room’s biggest annoyance. Mount a wall rail, towel holder, or spare curtain rod underneath your cabinets or in a small stretch of wall to corral unruly hangers. As a bonus, this convenient spot can also serve as a space-saving drying rack.

Organization Station

With this dresser DIY, you can turn your disorganized clothes piles into efficient, organized stacks. To house basic baskets, simply add shelves or sliding hardware to an old dresser or bookcase. Consider labeling a basket for each family member so that you (or they!) can easily transport laundry to and from their respective spaces, or designate hampers for whites, colors, and delicates. The possibilities for personalization are endless!

Out-of-the-Way Ironing Board

This wall-mount solution keeps your ironing board out of the way but still accessible. Frame an old scrap piece of wood and paint it a complementary color to your laundry room scheme. Attach spare hooks to the front, and then use brackets to secure the project to the wall. Hang your board on the hooks for a finished, storage-savvy look.

Clever Clothesline

A clothesline is the perfect, portable way to hang-dry your items, whether you want a more environmentally friendly home or simply want to avoid the basic drying rack. Twist two pieces of rope together and tuck your shirts, scarves, and other extras through the twists to create a no-clothespins-required line.

Knit Hats

Though knit hats get soiled and stinky from sitting on sweaty heads all day, their delicate fabric and shape just cannot withstand a spin cycle. When it does come time to wash your hat, doing so by hand with a mild detergent will ensure that it maintains its structure and softness.

Memory Foam Pillows

Unless otherwise stated on the label, memory foam pillows are not machine washable. When these pillows go through the wash, they turn into soggy messes with no evident structure—and some don’t even make it out of the spin cycle alive.

Coins

Most people wouldn’t put loose change in the wash on purpose, but even doing so by accident can cause some seriously expensive damage should they break the machine. Before you put your jeans and pants through a wash cycle, check the pockets for any coins that might’ve slipped through the cracks.

Anything Embellished

Embellished items don’t belong in the washing machine, seeing as anything with sewn- or glued-on details is far too delicate to make it through a wash cycle unscathed. To keep these articles of clothing intact, either hand-wash them or take them to the dry cleaner for a professional touch.

Flammable Stains

Yes, the washing machine’s entire purpose is to get rid of stains, but there are some that just aren’t compatible with the appliance. Things like gasoline, cooking oil, and alcohol are all highly flammable, and putting clothes covered in them in the washing machine can start a house fire. If you do accidentally soil your garments with something flammable, simply spot-treat the stain with a solvent-based stain remover—like Seventh Generation Natural Stain Remover Spray ($4)—and then hand-wash the item.

Running Sneakers

Throwing regular sneakers in the washing machine is totally fine—in fact, it’s a good trick for keeping white shoes in pristine condition—but running shoes are a different story. Most athletic sneakers that go through a spin cycle come out smaller than before, so be careful to only wash your sneakers if they’re approved for the appliance.

Purses

Some amateur fashion bloggers might recommend throwing a dirty leather or suede purse in the laundry, but these expensive items should never, ever set foot in the machine. Not only will the washer severely harm the bag’s shape and material, but it will also mess up the zipper and any embellishments on the exterior.

Raincoats

Think about this for a second: If your raincoat is waterproof, then how is it going to soak up the water of the washing machine for a deep cleanse? Exactly. Instead, every time a raincoat gets washed, it traps the water like a balloon until it eventually explodes (and makes a huge mess).

Unzipped Zippers

Things with zippers can certainly go in the wash, so long as they are closed. Open zippers swirling around in the washing machine, however, can get caught on other items, potentially causing disastrous damage to precious articles of clothing.

Lace Items

As is the case for embellished garbs, anything made of lace is far too fine to be thrown into the washing machine. If you need to wash your lace, laundry care company The Laundress recommends hand-washing the item in cold water and then laying it in its natural shape to air dry.

Ties

Ties tend to be made with fine fabrics like silk and wool, and so throwing them in the washing machine will lead to shrinkage, damage, and/or color loss. Your best course of action when it comes to tidying up your ties is to just take them to a dry cleaner, where they can be properly handled by a professional.

King-Size Comforters

A king-size comforter is simply too big for a typical washing machine, and trying to wash one will both break the machine and leave the comforter just as dirty as it was before. However, most most laundromats and dry cleaners house industrial-sized machines large enough to wash almost anything. Head to one to both clean your comforter and keep your machine intact.

Pet Hair

Sure, a piece of clothing covered in pet hair might come out of the wash clean, but all that fur is going to linger in your machine until it either leaves via other articles of clothing or clogs the drain—and neither option is fun to deal with. Instead, lint roll your pet-hair-coated clothing before tossing it in the wash.

Pens

Always check your coat’s pockets before putting them in the hamper. Should a pen accidentally sneak into a load of laundry, it could explode in the wash and get ink stains on everything in the machine, putting you back at square one.

Anything with Rubber

When something partially made of rubber ends up in the wash, the heat from the machine destroys the adhesive holding it together, causing the rubber to either come apart or straight-up melt. And while some rubber-backed items—like bath mats and rugs—can withstand a delicate wash cycle, under no circumstances should any ever go in the dryer.

Car Keys

Nobody purposefully washes their car keys, but all too often they end up in a load of laundry anyway, resulting in some serious scratches to the washing machine’s interior. Also, these days, most car keys are electric, and washing them in water can render them unusable.

Bras

Not only can the washing machine destroy a bra’s underwire, but the undergarment’s clasps can also get stuck to other pieces of laundry and cause serious tears.

Excess Detergent

Douse your laundry with too much detergent and your clothes will come out of the washing machine with residue all over them, requiring yet another rinse cycle. What’s more, overdoing it on the soap can cause a build-up of mold in your machine, meaning that both your washer and your clothes will require additional cleaning.

Use a Citrus Soak

Instead of sending your white laundry into the washer to get clean, whiten your yellowed items with a citrus soak. Martha Stewart recommends boiling your whites with lemons or lemon juice, turning up the heat until the water bubbles and then letting them soak for about an hour. You can also add lemon juice to your regular wash cycle and achieve similar results.

Brighten with the Power of the Sun

Once your whites are freshly washed and wet, skip the dryer cycle. Instead of making them suffer through a super high heat, lay them out in the sun to naturally whiten them. According to Keeper of the Home, the sun will bleach your clothing without the smell and danger of bleach. If you’ve ever left something out in the sun for a long period of time, you know just how whitening its rays can be.

Add White Vinegar

Get your whites white once again by adding a dose of white vinegar during the wash cycle. White vinegar even softens fabric, bringing brightness and comfort back to your clothes.

Create a Baking Soda Soak

With a homemade mixture of water and baking soda, you can whiten your whites without any additives in your washing machine. Combine four liters of water with one cup of baking soda, and drop in your white laundry. Let it soak, and your clothes will be fresh and clean once finished.

Try Dishwasher Soap

A secret whitening tool is hiding in your kitchen: dishwasher soap. According to Apartment Therapy, eco-friendly dishwasher detergent works to whiten whites as well as other DIY methods. Simply blend a bit in with your regular laundry detergent, and run your whites through their regular wash cycle.

Break Out the Aspirin

Aspirin, a great aid for headaches and all other aches, breaks down the gunk that’s yellowed your whites. Dissolve five white aspirin pills in water, and add your clothes to the mix. Let them soak a while, and then toss them into your washer. Be sure to stay away from the colored varieties of aspirin, though, or your whites could come out with a colorful tinge.

Add in a Bit of Blue

Though it might sound counterintuitive, Grandparents.com suggests that adding blue coloring to your white laundry can counteract the yellow stains that this color tends to attract. Look for a bluing agent at your local grocery store (or on Amazon), and carefully follow the directions on the bottle. The original source warns that it’s a bad idea to directly pour the agent on your clothes or add it to your detergent because you might end up with dyed blue clothing.

Try Whitening with Borax

A little bit of borax can work to increase the effectiveness of your usual laundry detergent, making it more effective at restoring cleanliness and color. It’s also an addition that removes residue from stains and also softens the water.

Skip the Detergent

With each load of laundry and each trip through the wash, your whites become laden with detergent and residue from dryer sheets—and these additions to your once-bright clothes can create that yellow tint. Good Housekeeping suggests sending your whites through a simple, detergent-free cycle with a small amount of ammonia to eliminate all accumulated residue.

Brighten with Hydrogen Peroxide

A common item in medicine cabinets, hydrogen peroxide can breathe new life into your dulled whites. According to PopSugar, it’s an oxidizer that dissolves residue and brightens whites in a manner similar to common store-bought whitening agents.

Baking Soda

No time to devote to scrubbing? No problem. Just add 1/2 cup of baking soda in with your detergent, and your clothes will come out cleaner. This works especially well for white clothing that has gotten dingy over time.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

Detergent is the must-have item for clean clothes, but it can also be your must-have item for stain removal. Apply a bit of liquid laundry detergent to your stain, and rub it in with a brush or your fingers. Then, toss the soiled garment into the wash along with the rest of your clothing, and forget about it.

Do you like the convenience of commercial stain remover sprays? Just fill an empty spray bottle with equal parts liquid laundry detergent and water, and you’ll have the perfect replacement.

Dish Soap

For tough food stains, give liquid dish soap a try. Squirt a bit on the spot you wish to treat or soak the entire garment in soapy water for a few hours. Then, rinse out the soap, and wash as usual. This works especially well on stains caused by greasy foods since dish soap is designed to break down oils.

Vinegar

Retrieve that bottle of vinegar from your pantry, and put it to work in your laundry room. When mixed with equal parts water, vinegar is the perfect solution for soaking stained clothing.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Use full-strength hydrogen peroxide to remove blood stains, or mix two parts hydrogen peroxide with one part dish soap to remove grass, wine, chocolate, or armpit stains. Allow the peroxide to sit for a few minutes. Then, dab at the stain with a clean cloth until it is lifted. Repeat the process if necessary. Wash the garment right away.

Toothpaste

Squirt a bit of white toothpaste onto your stain. Add a small amount of water (just as you do when you brush your teeth). Then, work the paste into your stain. Rinse and repeat as needed. This is great for removing tough stains like coffee from clothing since it’s designed to do the same for your teeth.

Rubbing Alcohol

Remove permanent marker stains from clothing with rubbing alcohol. Just saturate the stain with the alcohol. Allow it to soak in; then, rub vigorously until the stain comes out. It turns out permanent marker isn’t so permanent after all.

Shampoo

Relocate those little bottles of hotel shampoo to the laundry room. They’re brilliant for lifting oil and bloodstains. Just apply a squirt to the stain, give it some time to set, and dab at the stain until it vanishes.

Denture Tabs

Drop a couple of denture tabs into a bucket of water to remove stains from white clothing. It’ll blast through coffee, tea, or tomato stains—all the hard stuff.

Water

With all of the cleaning products on the market, it’s easy to overlook the simplest choice: water. Rinse or scrub out a stain with cold water as soon as it happens, and you’re likely to find that’s all the treatment you need.

Lemon Juice

This is probably the easiest and least expensive way to clean stained work shirts. All you need is to mix water and lemon juice in equal parts then rub the solution on the stained area. Adding table salt to the solution makes it even more effective. In fact, less stubborn sweat stains can be removed with the salt solution on its own with no lemon juice would be required.

Salt

Salt is another common kitchen ingredient that many people swear by when it comes to getting rid of underarm stains. To try this trick, dissolve four tablespoons of salt in a quart of hot water. Apply the solution to a sponge and then dab at the stain until it disappears.

Vodka

Having your favorite shirt ruined by underarm stains could be enough to make you need a drink, but that is not why we are suggesting vodka. Believe it or not, combining equal parts vodka and warm water can help you eliminate sweat stains. Mix up the solution in a spray bottle and spray on the stain prior to washing as usual.

Borax

While it isn’t safe for delicate fabrics, Borax is an effective stain remover for sturdier garments like polyester shirts. Combine about a tablespoon of the powder with enough water to create a paste. Rub into the underarm area and let sit for about a half-hour. Scrub the dried paste off and then wash the shirt as usual.