Posted by Fiona Saiter on Jul.11, 2009

ⓒ iStockPhoto - sokolovsky

By following a few simple steps with your washing, drying and the laundry detergent you choose you can save money and feel great about the impact you’re having on the environment for future generations.

If you need a new washer or dryer, consider buying an Energy Star washer. They use 50% less energy than standard machines. Buying a front loader, rather than a top loader will cost more initially but will save you money over the life of the machine. Energy Star estimates that you will save $550 in the life of the machine. Most Energy Star machines use about 15 gallons of water per load, compared to 32.5 gallons of water to wash a full load in a standard machine.

Energy Star doesn’t rate dryers because they all use about the same energy, but you can buy one with a moisture sensor option. The moisture sensor will turn off the dryer when the clothes are dry.

Washing Clothes

Energy Star states that 90% of the cost for washing clothes in a regular top loading washer is from heating the water, so turning your washer from hot to cold will save money and help the planet. If you are concerned about clothes not getting clean enough in cold water, changing the setting from hot to warm will cut your energy costs in half. Using the spin cycle in your washer will help get out any excess moisture, so clothes will dry faster. If you wash only full loads and use a cold water detergent you will also save money. Wearing clothes more than once when they are still clean will save you too.

Drying Clothes

Cleaning the lint trap after every load will help save energy and money. Also, use the moisture sensor on your machine if you have one which to automatically stops the drying process when the load is dry. You might want to check with your utility company because often you will get better rates when you use your appliances in off hours like the evening.

Even better than drying clothes in your dryer, use a clothes line in your yard or hang clothes to dry on a drying rack. Most clothes will dry overnight on the rack and can be softened for a short while in the dryer if necessary, using the “no heat, tumble” program.

Check out A Beginner’s Guide to Line Drying Clothes for more on using clotheslines

Detergents and other Products

Conventional detergents contain ingredients like phosphates, alkylphenol ethoxylates (or surfactants) that get into ground water and hurt the environment, according to Treehugger.com. Surfactants are used to make the clothes more susceptible to accepting detergents. TreeHugger says they can also damage the immune system and can mimic hormones in the body. The Food and Drug Administration has stated APEs may have a carcinogen that penetrates the skin. Instead choose an environmental friendly detergent made from plant or animal ingredients, and are phosphate-free. TreeHugger.com suggests some eco-friendly products: Soap Nuts and Cot n Wash.

Soap Nuts are grown in India and Nepal. They are a fruit that contains 1-3 seeds. Four to five shells are placed in a cloth bag and then into the laundry. According to Wikipedia, Soap Nuts contain saponins in their outer shells, which is a natural surfactant. For thousands of years, the Native Americans have been using the nuts for washing. They are used for laundry detergent, cleanser, shampoo and more. They are used in Ayurvedic medicine and have been also used to treat fine lines, eczema, psoriasis, and lice.

Cot n Wash Dropps is phosphate-free, not tested on animals, biodegradable, concentrated to not waste water, and can clean in all temperatures, according to Cot N Wash website.

You could also choose detergents in the laundry aisle formulated for sensitive skin or for infants. They are gentle and phosphate-free.

Another option in environmental friendly detergent is to make your own. You can add one cup plain white vinegar to your rinse cycle for a fabric softener. For a nice smell you can also add a few drops of essential oils on a rag and place in the drying cycle. Some recipes from Readers Digest Homemade book are below:

DIY Laundry Detergent

Note: Top loading machines use high efficiency, low sudsing detergents. Check carefully whether these would accept the home made detergents or if you need to add less soap flakes.

½ Cup Soap Flakes (Ivory or any pure bar soap, shaved into flakes)
½ cup baking soda
¼ cup borax
¼ cup washing soda (can be found in the detergent aisle near the borax)
Plastic container that holds 16 ounces

Grate the soap and then mix all the ingredients and place in your plastic tub for storage. You would use ½ cup of the homemade laundry detergent in each load. You can also search online for different recipes. You can save money and have more control over what you’re using to wash the clothes that your family wears everyday and what goes into our environment by making it yourself, saving money at the same time.

Want to get your whites really white? You can simply lay them out in the sun and leave them. Sunshine is the cheapest and most effective bleach ever. The cleaning works even better when you lay the clothes out on the grass.

Share

Posted under Green Cleaning, Home Environment.