Taking care of what you've got is one of the fundamental ways to make things last longer and save money. Nowhere is that more important than in your laundry. Today fellow readers share their best tips for how to remove stains successfully and stretch laundry supplies to cut costs.

GREASE POLICE. Sometimes I find grease stains on my clothing, and I've found that dish soap is the most effective spot remover for greasy or oily stains. Because it is designed to cut the grease on pots and pans and still be gentle on your hands, dish soap makes the perfect product to use on tough oil stains in delicate clothing. — Deb M., Georgia

RINSE RELEASE. I live in an apartment and have a stacked washer and dryer. Because the washer does not have a fabric softener or bleach dispenser, I decided to use my fabric softener ball to dispense vinegar during the rinse cycle. It worked like a charm! Now I never will miss the rinse cycle again. — Joyce, Minnesota

SALT SOLUTION. If you make your own laundry detergent and your whites are getting dingy, it is probably because you have hard water. Salt is the secret to softening your laundry water and brightening those whites. I use the cheapest salt without iodine that I can find. My water is extremely hard, so I use a half-cup of salt per load. I suggest starting with a quarter-cup. If your whites still come out dingy, add more salt next time. — Marsha A., e-mail

ON THE MARK. I was using way too much laundry detergent in every load because I could not see the lines on the inside of the cup that indicate the amount to use. Now I keep a permanent marker near my washer. When I open a new bottle of laundry soap, I immediately mark the lines for small and large loads on the outside of the cap. I save my eyesight and avoid using too much detergent! — Lisa C., Alabama

RUSTBUSTER. My washing machine is an oldy but a goody. The only problem is that sometimes it develops rust spots on the metal washing drum. It was leaving rust spots on my clothing until I figured out a solution. I patch the rust spots with nail polish. I use a color that is similar to the enamel coating on the washing drum so I can spot new rust that is forming and don't confuse it for patched spots. The polish doesn't wear off for a year or two. — Eleanor, Colorado

SOFTENER SAVINGS. I stretch my liquid fabric softener until it screams. I pour about a half-cup of it in a spray bottle. Then I fill the rest of the bottle with water. Squirting the mixture a few times into a dryer full of wet clothes does the job. — Kelly S., Georgia

Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at [email protected], or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Include your first and last name and state. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.