6 Laundry Room Items to Throw Away Now for a Fresh Start

Don't let these items clutter up your space

Of all the rooms in our homes, laundry rooms are one of the most notorious for clutter. Whether your surfaces are covered with to-be-washed laundry or your cabinets are filled with unnecessary products, it can be overwhelming to keep this space clean and clear of excess.

It really doesn’t have to be this way. We turned to a few experts to find out their top tips for clearing out the stuff that’s cluttering up your laundry room. Here’s what they assure us we can definitely toss.

Anything Broken or Expired

This one might sound obvious, but be honest: when was the last time you checked the expiration date of your laundry detergent? Did you even know it has an expiration date? According to Marcela Valladolid, cleaning ambassador at Ensueño Laundry and Pinalen, it’s worth taking a look. Expired detergent and stain removers only become less effective with time, and can definitely be tossed.

Along with expired products, Valladolid says you can also go ahead and toss those broken hangers and socks without a partner, too.

Your Iron and Ironing Board

Samantha Lund of Simply Sam pointed out this shocker—you can probably ditch the iron if it hasn't been used in years.

“It totally depends on the family, but we see fewer and fewer clients who iron regularly,” she says. “Steamer mode on new dryers is great, and an actual stand-up steamer is a lot easier and more functional.”

If you can’t bear to part with your iron or ironing board, no judgment, but Lund does point out that 1) you only need one iron, and 2) if your ironing board is broken and wonky, replace it. You’re probably not going to fix the old one and it's simply taking up space.

Tennis Balls

Yes, you read that right: tennis balls. If you haven’t heard of this hack, we’ll save you the time. According to Danielle Dorn, creative director at mDesign, it’s a commonly suggested alternative to using dryer sheets or fabric softeners.

“I have seen this suggested to help separate clothes and reduce static, but wool dryer balls work better and are gentler on clothes,” she says.

Air Fresheners

According to Valladolid, air fresheners like scented candles, room sprays, and diffusers can absolutely go.

“Your scented laundry products, like fabric softener and scent-boosting beads, have the added benefit of not only making your clothes smell great but your entire laundry room, too,” Valladolid says. But if you find that your laundry room isn’t smelling fresh, don’t just cover up the scent. Instead, Valladolid says it’s time to look for the source and find a solution.

“Keep an eye out for any wet spots near the washing machine, and, if you do find pesky mold or mildew, be sure to disinfect it thoroughly with bleach,” she says.

Product Decanters

We’ll admit it—decanted laundry products can look really pretty. But Valladolid says this is one laundry room hack she just can’t get behind. Instead, she says to ditch those decanters and keep the original packaging.

“It’s unnecessary, and could create problems down the line,” Valladolid says, who also notes that without the packaging, you lose a whole host of key information—including usage guidance for different fabrics and expiration dates.

Lund agrees though she says there’s one exception. “We do like to take dryer sheets out of the box and put them into a small plastic bin, but besides that, decanting chemicals doesn’t seem to work and just creates more mess.”

Drying Racks

We all have those pieces of clothing that can’t go in the dryer, but Lund says that a classic standing drying rack isn’t the solution. They’re unwieldy, annoying, and rarely very sturdy.

“Try a hanging bar, clothing rack, or wall-mounted dryer rack for more ease,” she says.

Dorn agrees, noting that using other products as drying racks isn’t a great idea, either. “While creating additional storage and hanging space to dry clothes is always a great idea, using a tension rod isn’t effective,” she says. “Wall-mounted hooks can hold more weight and have a minimal risk of falling down.”

How to Maintain a Tidy Laundry Room

Valladolid suggests doing a regular scan for things that don’t actually need to be in your laundry room right now and re-home them. Often, that just means putting things away.

“Clothes should make their way straight from the hamper to the washer and back to your closet,” she says. “Don’t leave clothes that you’re still figuring out how to clean, or socks without a partner, for example, lying around the laundry room.”

Dorn agrees, noting you should regularly assess whether or not it’s time to ditch, repair, or re-home old, torn, or mismatched towels, rags, and linens. If you’re not using them, let them go.

Similarly, toss out any products you just don’t use anymore, and donate anything that’s remained unopened for too long. 

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