Ways to Save the Environment When Doing Laundry

As a person living in 2021, have you ever thought of saving the environment even for just a little bit? Because it seems that the climate is getting worse faster than it is predicted. So as people living on this planet, at the minimum, we are obligated to save the earth for the next generation, and we can start by doing even the smallest of things like doing laundry.

The invention of the washing machine obviously makes doing laundry a lot easier, but do you know where your wastewater goes? Do you know what is inside your detergent? Do you also know what is in the stain remover you are using? If you don’t, then this is the article for you! This article is not here to stop you from using your detergents and stain removers, but it is here for some safer alternatives for you and the environment. Here are some ways to save the environment when doing laundry:

Conserving Water

If you are washing at least every three days, you can change it to washing every week or a week and a half. Reusing clothes is also one way to conserve water. It doesn’t hurt to wear clothes again as long as it is clean or does not smell. We should conserve water by saving as it is very important nowadays because we don’t know when there will be a water shortage.

Another way of conserving water is investing in a front loading machine, and it is an efficient washing machine that can save up to 7000 gallons a year! Over time, you should check for loose tubes and leaks. Address immediately if there are any leaks or loose tubes.

Use Cold Water and Do Quick Cycles

Even though hot water kills germs and bacteria, cold water is known to cut your loads' energy in half. Just pre-soak the dirty laundry in cold water for an hour and add some baking soda to loosen dirt.

Avoid Harmful Chemicals

Laundry detergents and stain removers contain chemicals or synthetic chemicals linked to health problems and environmental problems. These laundry detergents can be harmful to the environment due to detergents containing synthetic polymers. In fact, plastic compounds that are used are water-soluble in water but poorly degrade that plants cannot filter them, which lead to irrigation systems and inevitably the sea.

Stain removers also contain solvents that are harmful to the environment. Fortunately, we have eco-friendly alternatives for both laundry detergents and stain removers. You can look for plant-based detergents, phosphate-free detergents, or biodegradable ones. There are also some natural stain removers you can use lemon or lime juice, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, salt, or cornstarch.

Use Dryer Balls

Dryer balls are known to absorb moisture which can help in cutting drying time. They also reduce static so that you won’t need dryer sheets.

Use Dryer Efficiently

If you really want to use your dryer, you can increase its efficiency and reduce the drying time by cleaning the lint filter regularly, which will help you save your energy and time.

Build and Use a Clothesline

You can build yourself a clothesline in your backyard, in your balcony, or anywhere to hang your clothes in. This, in turn, can save energy from using the dryer. Using a clothesline reduces your home’s carbon footprint, so not using the dryer is not just saving the environment. It also saves you from excess electrical and water bills.

Choose Natural Clothing Fibers

When we wash clothes containing polyester fleece, acrylic, and nylon, thousands of microscopic pieces of plastic are washed away. And these pieces of plastic are washed away towards the sea, endangering marine life. Research has shown that marine life ingests these microscopic plastics into their tissues, thus making these animals unhealthy and, by extension due to consumption, dangerous to us. That’s why we should opt for wool, organic cotton, bamboo, or other natural fibers for clothes.

Going to the Laundromat

If you want to lessen energy and water consumption in your house, you can head to the laundromat (if you have the means) and ask the cleaners to use green detergents. Fortunately, there are eco-friendly laundromats present now, which you can go to first.

Wash Clothes by Hand

A simple method used ever since the beginning of washing clothes. Although it is time-consuming, just wash your clothes during shower time, and you save water, money, and energy from using the washing machine or laundry pickup and delivery. It also gets you a small exercise while washing clothes.

Stop using the Iron

Using the iron is a very tedious chore. It also consumes energy and ruins clothes the longer you use them. The good thing is you can stop using the iron while still having neat-looking clothes. You can simply hang the clothes immediately after washing, or you can fold them after drying and put them beneath your clothes in the clothes cabinet, which will help press them.

Dose Correctly

If you are keen on using detergent and stain removers, you can lessen its impact on the environment by using the correct dosage as instructed. This way, you can wash your clothes with minimal effect on the environment.

These ways to save the environment may be a long shot, but significant events start with little things. That’s why starting small with perseverance can lead to big things. Doing these things to save our world, though small, can impact the environment we live in positively if done correctly.

Washing clothes may be a small chore for anyone. Still, if you think it through, the wastewater, the usage of synthetic chemicals, microplastics, energy consumption, saving water are at the core of problems we are facing in the world today.

That’s why going green is the way to go. One step at a time, we can make a healthier environment that leads to a healthier life for a better future for our kids and grandkids. Let’s Go, Green! Au Naturale!