TIPS FOR A HEALTHY AND ECO-FRIENDLY LAUNDRY

Gone are the days of hand washing and hanging your laundry outside to dry.  While we remember our Grandmothers for this practice and how great the laundry smelled afterwards the fact is that today (at least in advanced societies) convenience once again rules the day.  This post is meant to share tips and tricks along with alternatives for achieving a healthy Laundry routine. 

A lot of energy is used in todays Laundry household.  The average person generates over a ton of dirty clothes every year and until the introduction of easy care materials and automatic washing machines the average housewife would dedicate an entire day each week for doing Laundry.  It was a workout for sure and when you add in ironing it was almost untenable.

Technically an energy-efficient laundry does not waste water; it recycles as much as possible. It has an energy-efficient washing machine, and the dryer is used only as a last resort. In a perfect world the hot water comes from a solar heater, cold water from a rainwater tank, and the gray, or waste, water produced is run into a holding tank that supplies the toilet tanks in the house.

If your journey takes you to achieve the perfect scenario then I encourage you to investigate the above.  If you are like us then here are some general tips regarding your daily Laundry.

Some general best practices

• Water: Using cold-water washing reduces both heating costs and energy consumption.
• Soaking: Presoaking of heavily soiled or stained garments minimizes the need for hot water and harsh chemicals.
• Washing machine: Try for full loads as much as possible and load settings that waste less water and detergent. Fast spin reduces drying time.
• Detergent: Use concentrates as much as possible as they reduce the amount of chemicals released into the environment.  using the correct dosage reduces waste. You can also use Nonbiological powder  if a household member has allergies or sensitive skin.
• Clothesline: Yes we have included this....Clothes are dried on a line outside whenever possible (really you should try it).
• Stain-removal kit: Using a range of stain removers keeps clothes looking good and cuts down on dry-cleaning costs.
• Soap: Hard water is a Laundry's worst enemy. Consider adding a 1/4 cup of washing soda to the wash cycle.  It is ok to add up to 3/4 cup if you have really hard water.

 Detergents

This in our opinion is the number one challenge for todays heathy and eco-friendly Laundry.  there are endless choices and it is easy to get confused on how well they remove stains or how sensitive they are to the skin and of course the impact to the environment.  

The question that needs to be asked and answered is "How Eco-friendly and Healthy is your chosen Laundry detergent?"   In todays world, "Biodegradability" is the phrase that pays.  It refers to the degree to which a substance can be decomposed by the action of bacteria and other living organisms, such as fungi. Chemicals that do not biodegrade quickly can gradually accumulate in the environment and harm living organisms at several levels in the food chain.

FACT:  New born babies can have trace amounts of up to 200 potentially harmful chemicals in their system at birth. 

Our research indicates that one way to do this is by using phosphate free detergents or using only pure soaps when washing clothes. These soaps are free from harsh chemicals and help reduce the amount of water and energy used during the laundering process. Phosphates is not the only cause for concern so we advise that you read the labels and do your own research. Not only this, but they also help keep your clothes looking cleaner and brighter for longer!5f

For your reference; Phosphates—compounds containing phosphorus—are found in detergents, laundry powders, liquids, and shampoos (as well as in fertilizers, animal excrement, urban runoff, and sewage). In detergent products, they are used as “builders” to boost the cleaning power of the surfactant by soening water (they react with ions in hard water that interfere with cleaning), increasing alkalinity, and helping suspend the dirt in water.

Phosphorus is a naturally occurring element found in all living things. In water systems it acts as a nutrient, encouraging the growth of plants. However, too much phosphorus in water systems encourages excessive growth of algae and weeds, robbing less aggressive plant life and animal life of oxygen, resulting, ultimately, in lifeless streams and rivers.

Allergies and laundry

Ingredients in detergents, fabric softeners, and soaps can cause skin irritations and other allergic reactions. Some people are allergic to the solvent 1,1,1-trichloroethane, which is used in stain removers. It has a strong odor and can cause sneezing or a tightening of the chest in people with respiratory allergies.

If you or someone in your household is prone to allergies, take these precautions.

• Consider using a nonbiological detergent.
• Rinse clothes extra carefully, perhaps by using the rinse cycle twice.
• Before wearing new clothes wash them to remove excess factory finishes.
• Wear gloves when hand washing.

As with our Kitchen post we have some suggestions for alternative washing products.  With a few ingredients, you can make a variety of washing products and which have been used traditionally for a long, long, long time.

Basic household soap cleaner

Use this cleaner in the following ways.

Laundry detergent Suitable for machine washing or hand washing, for front loaders and top loaders. Use about two cups per load.

Prewash Soak heavily soiled items in a solution before washing.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 ounces pure soap

½ cup washing soda crystals

½ cup white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons eucalyptus oil or tea-tree oil

Few drops lemon or lavender pure essential oil for fragrance 5 quarts cold water

5 quarts hot water

METHOD

1. Grate the soap into a large saucepan and cover with 4 cups of the cold water. Bring to a boil, add washing soda, and stir until completely
2. Stir in eucalyptus oil, white vinegar, and essential
3. Pour into a bucket, add the hot water, and then stir in the remaining cold
4. When cool, transfer to smaller containers and

All-purpose laundry stain

Remover 1

Use this stain remover for soaking soiled clothing. Alternatively, apply it with a sponge and allow it to dry.

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup borax

• cups cold water

METHOD

Mix the borax and water together.

All-purpose laundry stain

Remover 2

INGREDIENTS

• tablespoons eucalyptus oil 1 cup rubbing alcohol

1 cup boiling water

METHOD

1. Mix the ingredients together in an enamel or stainless steel
2. Stand the bowl in a bigger saucepan of hot water on medium heat, stirring it until it turns
3. Pour into molds such as empty milk or juice
4. When it has set, cut it into bars and leave for four weeks to

Final Tip

There are many other topics that can be covered related to Laundry.  Topics like the role of essential oils in your Laundry routine, fabric care, fabric types and treatment.(all are not cleaned the same) and specific stain removal by fabric and stain type.  We will try to supply more information on these topics in future posts.

Until then, we mentioned earlier about drying your clothes outside.  You should at least consider trying it once.  There is nothing better then that fresh air smell and as you k now clothes dryer consumes energy and costs you money.

If you live in an apartment, you don’t have a clothes dryer, and drying inside is the only option, use only one room if you can and keep a window open for ventilation. Shut the door of the room, sealing it off from the rest of the house. Of course, after several days of wet weather, especially if you live in a cold climate, you’ll have no option but to hang damp clothes up to dry all over your home.

Hanging out

Hanging clothes out to dry in the sun and fresh air is a pretty straightforward task. By following these, your clothes will last longer and ironing will be easier.

• Hang clothes right away. If you leave wet clothes in the laundry basket, you risk color runs and mold.
• Hang drip-dry clothes while they are dripping wet—they are designed to relax their wrinkles while drying.
• Lay knitted items at in the shade.
• Place pleated garments in a stocking before hanging them up to dry. Roll them up if necessary.
• Dry white household linen and white clothing in the sun and colored items and wool out of the sun. The sun’s bleaching effect is welcome on whites, but it can fade coloreds, as well as shrink wool and cause white silk to yellow.
• Use plenty of clothespins to support garments so they are less likely to be pulled out of shape.

We hope you have found this post useful.  If you have other tips please share with us and Happy Wash Day!