Homekeeping
The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free
Doing the Laundry
As a mom of four born in a year (including triplets) who were once all in diapers at the same time, I've learned so much about managing a busy family household. Topping the list, as every parent knows, is keeping up with non-stop laundry because our little ones can and do get dirty 365 days a year, not just when they get covered with chocolate cake on their birthdays.
To help you deal with what seems like a never ending laundry pile, later on in this post I'm sharing my top secrets for removing some of the worst kid-caused stains. But first, let me tell you about how ENERGY STAR® washers and dryers at Best Buy can help you get all that laundry done more efficiently without breaking the bank.
Why ENERGY STAR?
Home appliances large and small in a variety of product categories -- from major kitchen appliances to TVs to washers and dryers -- which are certified as ENERGY STAR, are more eco-friendly and energy-efficient. Depending on the product that means big savings for your family's monthly water, electric and/or gas utility bills.
By seeking out and buying appliances like ENERGY STAR washers and dryers, you are saving money and saving energy, becoming a partner in making the world a better place. For example, ENERGY STAR certified clothes and dryers are 25% and 20% more efficient, respectively than standard appliance models. What's more is you can save money over the lifetime of any ENERGY STAR certified washer and even more with a similarly-certified washer/dryer pair.
ENERGY STAR Washers
- Washers certified ENERGY STAR incorporate the features today's consumer want: front load and top load options, sophisticated water systems, no central agitator, high spin speeds, and a range of special settings to protect even delicate laundry items
- Clothes washers with this designation use 25% less energy and about 45% less water than standard models
- A new ENERGY STAR washer will save you about $45 per year on utility bills and these savings can actually enable the washer to pay for itself in full or in part over time
- Over the product's lifetime, an ENERGY STAR certified clothes washer saves 1,100 kWh and more than 2.5 million BTUs of natural gas; 33,000 gallons of water; and $490 over the product's lifetime
Just think: If all clothes washers sold in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR-certified, we'd collectively save more than $4 billion each year and prevent more than 19 billion pounds of carbon pollution each year. That's equal to the emissions from 1.7 million vehicles!
ENERGY STAR Dryers
- ENERGY STAR dryers offer longer drying cycles that use less energy thanks to low heat settings
- Additionally, many ENERGY STAR-certified dryers offer added convenience with a steam cycle that releases wrinkles, saving you time (and energy) ironing clothes
- Dryers for clothes distinguished with qualifying as ENERGY STAR use about 20% less energy than standard dryer models
- It's mind boggling, but just imagine if all clothes U.S. sold dryers were ENERGY STAR certified, energy cost saving would exceed $1.5 billion annually and an estimated 22 billion pounds of annual carbon pollution would be eliminated, equal to that of 2 million vehicles' emissions
4 Common Kids Stains - How to Remove Them
Every mom or dad knows that the likelihood of having a young son or daughter who is clean 100% of the time is about the same as seeing a unicorn. That's why I'm glad to share something truly useful with you to quickly and easily get out some of the most common kid, tween and teen stains to give you more time to spend quality time with your family.
Chocolate
This is a favorite treat for kids, but not so favorite for the designated laundry person. Avoid rubbing the stain in further. Instead, immediately remove as much chocolate as possible from the cloth surface by gently scraping off. Then, apply either your choice of stain remover or laundry soap, foam up with a little water and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Lastly, launder as usual carefully following the garment's care instructions, add a bit more cleaning product to the stain and color-safe bleach.
Sweat
This can be one of the nastiest looking (and smelling) stains for those of you with tweens and teens prone to sweating, especially under the arms. The solution is surprisingly simple. Start by soaking the garment for 20-30 minutes in enough liquid to cover with one part vinegar to two parts water. Next, grab some baking powder and some salt from the kitchen and combine it with just enough hydrogen peroxide from the medicine cabinet to turn this DIY stain remover into a paste and apply to the garment for 20 minutes. Wash as usual.
Grass Stains
Another hazard of having little kids and older kids in sports is getting rid of all those grass stains. As soon as you can, use an old toothbrush along with one part vinegar and two parts water to scrub the affected area. Let the garment rest for 15 minutes, then apply some laundry soap directly to the stain and wash as you normally would, following the care label on the item.
Dirt & Mud
This type of stain is so common, you will definitely have to deal with it often, likely before your child has even learned to walk. The trick is to let the mud dry on the garment first, instead of rubbing the pigment from the dirty mud into the fabric. When the mud is completely dry, much of it will crumble, you can gently brush off the rest of residue (if it's still stuck, try using a dull table knife to scrape off). Then, spot stain with a small amount of laundry detergent and wash according to the care label.
Sustainability at Best Buy
Best Buy is committed to sustainability and works tirelessly to positively impact the environment and communities it serves. Toward that goal, they carry an extensive selection of ENERGY STAR washers and dryers in a wide range of the most popular brands as well as other energy-efficient electronics and appliance products. In addition to superior efficiency, many of these laundry appliances are also equipped with advanced features that make stain removal, cleaning and drying easier and more convenient for your busy family.
Laundry Made Better
Kids are going to get dirty no matter how hard moms and dads try to keep them clean, right? So it's good to know a few tricks to get the most common stains out as well as to know ENERGY STAR washers and dryers are better for your clothes, better for the kids and better for the environment, too.
About ENERGY STAR at Best Buy
To learn more visit Best Buy and check out this You're a Laundry Star When You Buy ENERGY STAR video on the Best Buy blog.
FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert was compensated for this post. However, opinions here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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