Making your laundry routine eco-friendly

As hard it is to admit, laundry day is not everyone’s cup of tea. The amount of work it takes to clean the clothes is just energy draining – both physical and economical. Unfortunately, doing laundry could be costly, primarily if you’re not into eco-friendly routines. Not only you’re inefficient, but you’re also wasting a ton of resources down the drain – leaving a huge carbon footprint on our Mother Earth. Learning the ropes for a more Eco-Friendly laundry day would not be simple, but it should be worth every penny you’ll be spending.

Tips for an Eco-Friendly Laundry

Having a clear mindset about this point is vital – if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, you must dedicate yourself properly. Baby steps will do; small changes can help you achieve bigger goals, so don’t underestimate your minor improvements.

Less is More: Washing your clothes less is more. Don’t get us wrong; if your clothes already stink or have stains, you should wash them. But if you know it’s still relatively clean, refrain from washing them immediately. Not only you’ll be saving detergent and water, but you could also prevent the fabric from being worn out, thus prolonging the clothes’ life.

Detergent Use: Same goes with detergent; less is more. People tend to use more detergent than the amount intended, as good as sounds; it’s not efficient at all. Not only you’re wasting resources, but it could also lessen the life of the fabric as a whole.

Every Drop and Grain Counts: Don’t waste detergent soap and powder. If you have something to use, make sure to finish them up to the single drop or grain. If you’re transferring them to a dedicated jar or bottle, make sure to get everything transferred before throwing them out.

Invest in an Energy-Efficient Washing Machine: You may not notice it, but investing in a much efficient washer would also mean saving tons of resources. For an overview, a highly efficient washer could use half of the water you’ll be using from a standard washing machine – if that’s not cost-effective for you, nothing is. Not only you’ll be saving water, but it’s also efficient in terms of electricity; newer washers tend to be energy-saving, meaning they give out almost the same power with a minimum amount of electricity needed.

Use Cold Water: Did you know, at least 90% of the energy usage during laundry comes from the heating of your water? To give you an overview, if every household in the U.S would stop heating their water for laundry, they would literally cut tons and tons of carbon emissions every year! Individually, people can save hundreds of dollars per year just by going cold water during laundry day.

Avoid Hard Chemical Detergents: Typical detergent released to the public tends to contain synthetic chemicals linked to possible health concerns. It can affect both your fabrics and health plus, supporting the production of this type of detergent. It would be best if you will switch to a natural kind of detergent. Plant-based detergents are already being marketed to the public, so it’s worth checking out.

Use the Sun: Installing a clothesline in your backyard or any open space is the best way to go. You can utilize the natural energy of the sun to dry your clothes and fabrics. Doing this technique would save you hundreds of dollars per year than using your dryer for your clothes, plus it can help prolong the fabric’s life.

Fabrics Matter: The type of fabrics you also use matters if you want to live a more eco-friendly laundry day. If you tend to use a nylon or acrylic type of fabric, it could wash away plastic pieces during the laundry process. Unfortunately, once it builds up, it becomes a massive problem for the majority. As small as it may look, a small amount of people knows this; that’s why a buildup of microplastic is nowhere near impossible.

Small Change for Bigger Change

Every small step from a large group can make up for a much more significant change, so don’t ever underestimate yourself starting an eco-friendly laundry life. There are still many things you can do to make an impact on the environment, but doing one step at a time is enough; if you think you’re ready for more, the internet welcomes you with open arms.