13 clever hacks that make doing laundry less of a chore, from $8

This No. 1 bestselling duo will spare you from having to deal with the ironing board. Just give your clothes a spritz and a light tug, hang 'em up and those wrinkles should smooth out in mere moments. Stash a bottle in your suitcase the next time you go on a trip — it's like having an iron on the go. 

"This spray works well," wrote a reviewer. "Kept my linen clothes looking sharp in the summer visiting Europe when I was too lazy or time-crunched to iron. There is a mild fragrance but not too much — and [it] wears off after it dries. This is a must-have if you want to limit ironing at your destination. It’s not going to be perfect, but your clothes will look good enough."

This highly rated kit zaps up excess lint that merely wiping out the trap leaves behind. In turn, this helps your dryer run better while minimizing the risk of house fires. Just attach it to your vacuum — you'll be stunned (and maybe a little grossed out) by how much it sucks up.

"I didn't realize how much lint was in my dryer, and I clean the lint trap after every load," said a relieved user. "Still, I was amazed at how much lint got past it. The drying time for each load has been cut down by 10 to 15 minutes; all the lint must have been affecting the efficiency of my dryer. The dryer cleaning kit will pay for itself with savings on electric bills."

I started using these tablets to clean my washing machine, and let me tell you — it's so much more pleasant to throw a load in when you're not greeted by icky odors. They're really easy to use: Just place a tablet into your empty washer, run it on "clean washer" (or a regular cycle if that's not an option) and wipe away any residue once it's done its deep-cleaning. I pop one in once a month. 

Using one of these gizmos to fold results in more compact piles of clothes that'll fit into your drawers really nicely without you having to cram them in. Just lay your shirt flat over top, then flip the panels for a pro-looking fold. 

"I always folded my shirts retail style, but it wouldn’t come out perfectly every time when I did it by hand," shared a buyer. "Using this has helped it come out perfect every time! It has holes to kind of line up the collar and sleeves in the middle so every fold is symmetrical. It's quick and simple! Also folds up for storage without taking up any space!"

Not only are dryer sheets costly and not-so-eco-friendly, they can also leave a film inside your appliance. This residue makes the lint trap's job more difficult, meaning you'll have a harder time cleaning it out and might start to notice your clothes coming out a little dusty. Swap 'em for these No. 1 bestselling fabric-softening balls, which can be reused for over a thousand laundry loads. They're made entirely of wool, and they'll not only make your washables plush but shorten their drying time in the process. What's more, they'll save you tons of money on dryer sheets that just end up in the trash.

"These dryer balls are perfection," said a shopper. "They work wonders to end static in the dryer. They save us money, as they also help our clothing dry faster. As a family of four, we do lots of laundry, and these last longer than other brands, holding up to major use with clothing, blankets and towels."

There's nothing like sleeping on freshly laundered linens, but making your bed can be less than dreamy when you're dealing with a fitted sheet that won't stay put. That's why these little suspender-like accessories are so handy. Each band has two clamps, and all you do is attach one clamp to each side of the corners of your fitted sheet. Then, just place the corners under your mattress like you normally would, and you can adjust the tightness of the bands if need be. Not only do these clips keep your sheets from popping off, they'll also help smooth the sheets so you're not sleeping in a rumpled mess.

"We have tried virtually everything in our home, as the joke is that I do aerobics in my sleep and have since infancy," explained a shopper. "If you are an active sleeper that is tired of your sheets popping off, these are for you. They also work well on windy days for flyaway tablecloths!"

Always have to run the dryer a second time because your sheets swallowed up everything else and left your clothes still sopping wet? No more! These ingenious Shark Tank inventions clip onto the corners of your bedding to keep them closed so that nothing can get caught inside. Use them on blankets, tablecloths and more — they can go in both the washer and dryer. 

"These do what they say they should!" raved a reviewer. "Keeps from getting the 'sheet burrito' in the washer and dryer so now I don't have to constantly stop the dryer to unroll and restart ... Sheets are dried on the first cycle!"

To make your bed look like it's straight out of a five-star hotel, use this unassuming tool the next time you're putting the sheets on. Invented by a couple in their 80s and 90s to take pressure off their backs, this gizmo is thin enough to slide your bedding right under your mattress, into your bed frame — wherever you need it to go — within seconds. It's made of a durable material that won't easily break, and hotel chains from Loews, Hyatt and Marriott to the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons have incorporated it into their room cleaning regimens.

"This is a lifesaver," gushed a user. "Those of advanced age, or perhaps with a bad back, will more than appreciate this handy aid in making beds less of a chore. For me, at 75 years young, making my full-sized bed was a breeze ... no bruise spots on my hands/arms, no straining to get the last side done and no aching back. I love this gadget and I definitely recommend it to anyone."

Once your clothes are ready, emptying out the dryer can be done in a single scooping motion, thanks to this fun find. Just place Donatello (or whatever you'd like to name your shelled friend) into the dryer, rotate the drum and all of the contents will land inside so you don't have to go hunting for every last sock. 

"This made laundry days so much easier!" gushed a fan. "No more running back and forth from the dryer to the sofa (where I fold) for 2-3 trips on one load. It also helps me to transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer in one fell swoop!"

So, it's folding time, and the tops of your washer and dryer provide the perfect flat surface — except for one problem. Small items like socks can easily fall behind, so rather than moving your heavy appliances forward to retrieve them (or just letting them die a dusty death), place these smart guards on top to act as a protective barrier. (Note: They only work on front-loading appliances.)

"It was so easy to assemble, I think I almost tried to make it complicated," joked a fan. "Just snaps in place. Helps prevent clothes from falling behind the laundry machines, even when we've left big piles. It's really helped us not have to use a broom [or] hanger to fish or dig out items anymore. We like that it can be a barrier for one or two side by side. I was worried that it being plastic, it would break, but this is sturdy and the magnets are strong."

Short on floor space? This easy-to-install clothesline can hold up to 40 pounds! It expands out to nearly 14 feet and can be used indoors or outside. Once you're done, it retracts in a snap and takes up hardly any real estate.

"Exactly what I needed for my small apartment bathroom," wrote a buyer. "Now I have a place to hang hand-washed items to drip dry over the tub. I can set the length of the line so items can hang lower or higher for larger items. Easy enough to install."

This attractive dual-sided number allows you to separate lights from darks from the get-go so you're not scrambling right before you start your laundry. Each side has a removable bag so you can bring just the clothes you're cleaning over to your machine, plus, it has a lid to keep your dirty garments (and any associated odors) hidden. 

"I like to have separate loads, and it makes my life so much easier that I can put [clothes] in the hamper right away based on the load and not have to do the extra step of separating it later," shared a shopper. "I also love [having] the removable bags instead of carrying a whole basket, since my laundry is all the way downstairs."

Tired of your shower curtain rod moonlighting as a drying rack? This nifty contraption can take its place, with its 33 hanging rods and 27 clips for holding socks, undergarments and the like. You can adjust the height to help keep longer garments from touching the floor, and when it's not in use, it folds up to nearly flat for easy storage. 

"I love how I can fold it up and put it away without it just being in the way of everything," wrote a shopper. "It's so big that I can put so many items on it to dry, which is very handy when you have small children because of the constant laundry."