Today more than ever, an awareness of being eco-friendly is at its highest. Many people are adjusting their lifestyles and the products they use on a daily basis to try and minimize waste production. One of the biggest consumers in a household that uses a lot of electricity, water, and toxic detergents is your washing and drying machine. For that reason, many people worldwide are doing their best to take their laundry routine to a more green level. And if you’d like to do the same, here are some tips on how to start.
Use Cold Water Whenever Possible
Think about what your default setting is for turning on the washing machine… Most people will choose a hot water cycle, but sometimes it is not necessary. Water heating often accounts for 90 percent of the energy needed to run the cycle, and one of the easiest ways to save up some energy is to opt for a cold water cycle whenever it is possible. You will manage to save a lot of energy, plus your electricity bill will likely be lower.
Choose an Eco-Friendly Detergent
A good detergent is important if we want fresh and clean clothes. However, many commercial products contain harsh chemicals that can cause damage to our environment. When choosing a detergent pay attention if they have dyes, phosphates, chlorine, and enzymes like cellulase, and make sure to avoid them since they are all toxic. Instead, you should look into making your own detergent that is eco-friendly or look for products that don’t contain such harmful chemicals. There is an array of eco-friendly detergents today, even for the littlest members of our families. Products such as baby laundry detergent are perfect for both our environment and our kids, and you can even use such products for your own clothes and minimize your expenses and waste.
Detergent is, however, only the beginning of your eco-friendly transition when it comes to products. Eco-conscious homeowners like to shop Earth Ahead here for some great bathroom additions that reduce waste and help the environment. For instance, you can invest in a shower timer that will help you save up on water and energy, or choose to go for eco-friendly cleaning products that are much safer for our planet and your health. Small changes like these can make a big difference in the long run.
Air Drying
Even if you do your best to minimize the energy used by your washing machine, you still double that energy consumption when using the dryer. However, there are days when you can simply air dry your clothes and save up so much. Hot summer days and even spring are perfect for air drying your clothes and you can even eliminate more bacteria by exposing clothes to the sun. This is a much more sustainable method, leaves your clothes smelling fresh and you can avoid energy consumption by leaving the dryer to chill until winter.
Don’t Wash Your Clothes That Frequently
This doesn’t mean you should never wash your clothes or wear dirty things. Rather, simply don’t do your laundry too often. It goes without saying that undies and socks must be washed after every use, but other pieces really don’t. Jeans, jackets, pullovers and even some shirts don’t have to go to the washing machine as soon as you’ve worn them once. You can easily wear them a couple of times before washing them, so make sure to try that. If you curb your washing urges you will impressively lower your ecological footprint and even save up on energy and detergent expenses.
Never Wash a Half-Load
Sometimes your washing machine is not full. When that happens, it’s best you wait until it’s full until you run the cycle. A full-size washing machine can use up to 20 gallons of water per load, so make sure to have a full load until you waste all that water on just a few pieces of clothes. Of course, there will be cases when you simply have to run a half-load, but generally, avoid doing that. And if it happens that you have to wash one or two items, you can easily do it by hand-washing them and there are a lot of gadgets to help you with that instead of wasting all that water and energy.
Doing laundry is often a tedious process and it can waste a lot of energy and water. Plus, all the detergents can be harmful to the environment. If you are distressed about all that, don’t worry, there are ways to start your eco-friendly laundry routine today. Follow these tips and there is no doubt that you will manage to save energy and water, lower your electricity bills, and even save a bit of our environment.
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