How To Go Green In The Laundry Room
Choosing to go green has several advantages. Those advantages include being better for our planet and better for our pocketbooks. If you choose to go green in the laundry room, you may find that in addition to saving money on the actual cleaning process, you also save money on clothing as many of the green choices will cause your clothing to last longer.
Going green in the laundry actually begins before clothing gets into the hamper. Many clothes can be worn more than one time. This is not to suggest that socks or underwear need to be worn more than once; however, when we spend most of our time in air conditioned comfort, most of our outer clothing can be worn at least a second day. Jeans can easily be worn three days.
Choose a green laundry detergent. Of course you know by now to avoid detergents that are high in phosphates and are plant or vegetable based. These detergents are usually gentler on your skin than petroleum based detergents. Try making your own detergents. You will find recipes that use real soap, washing soda and borax that require only one tablespoon of laundry detergent per load to get you clothing beautifully clean. This saves shipping energy and excess packaging.
Switch from a traditional top loading machine that can use forty gallons or more per load to a horizontal axis machine that uses only eighteen to twenty five gallons. These machines are traditionally front loading machines, but are also available in top loading machines.
Wash in cold water whenever possible. Heating water is uses more energy than any other part of doing the wash. Most families spend over $100 annually to heat water for the wash.
Wash full loads. Your washing machine requires the same amount of energy to wash two handkerchiefs as it does to wash a full load of towels or jeans. Sort loads into like colors and fabrics and run full loads in the wash.
Every cloths dryer in the United States emits over a ton of carbon dioxide in a year. If it is allowed in your neighborhood, line dry your clothing. The clothes will last longer with less wear and tear and line drying is free.
If you do choose to use a dryer, keep the lint trap clean and use the automatic sensor cycle. This cycle senses when clothes are dry and shuts off. This not only saves energy but also saves wear and tear on the dryer and your clothing. If your dryer is taking longer than normal to dry your clothing, check the exhaust duct. Blocked exhaust ducts can double or triple the time to dry your clothes.
Avoid ironing whenever possible. Electrical heating devices in general are inefficient ways to add heat. Irons use a lot of energy that may not be necessary. If you hang clothing to dry immediately after the wash cycle finishes the remaining water will work with gravity to pull the wrinkles out of your clothing. If you are hanging clothes to dry, forget the super fast final spin. They will dry with fewer wrinkles if there is more water in the clothes.
If you're interested in ways to go green recycle as much as you can. Learn new ways to go green in your home. You can go green in your laundry room starting right now. Find out how!
