From: "Bette" 

I've gotten so many good ideas from you all, I want to share a 
couple myself.

I use a powdered water softener/prewash. To make sure it dissolves, 
I run 20 seconds' worth of hot water into the washer, then switch to 
cold.

I hang the wash on a clothesline, but I run clothes through the 
dryer for ten minutes before hanging them. It takes out wrinkles, 
and softens towels. I could live with rough towels, but I don't want 
to. And life is too short to spend it standing at an ironing board. 
(Ironing costs money, too.)