Hand washing delicates with a gentle DIY linen wash. Photo copyright Karen Peltier
Mounds of clothing is what I often see when I crack my laundry room door open. Sometimes I pretend it’s not there, close the door, and move on with other things. You see, I’m not always in the mood to face all that laundry for I feel like I’m going into battle — the battle of fighting stains, smells, and dirt, that is.
When I am ready, I “fight” whole-heartedly and find it’s much easier to get things accomplished if I follow some easy, eco-friendly laundry tips that not only save my family money, but really do get my clothes clean and help reduce my family’s carbon footprint on the planet.
For example, simply switching my wash and rinse water to cold can help save 1/3 of my home’s hot water that I normally would use for washing. Plus, we could prevent a whopping 30 million tons of carbon dioxide from dumping into our planet’s delicate eco-system if we all used cold water when doing laundry in the U.S. according to an article by the Natural Resources Defense Council. So, save the hot water for long luxurious soaks in the tub and don’t forget your aromatherapeutic bath oils!
This tip I especially love – wash full loads. It reduces water consumption, saves energy, and of course, saves money, too. What? You have to put off doing laundry until you have a full load. Too hard, huh? I guess you’ll have to spend that time catching up on some reading, going to a yoga class, or just plain sitting down and enjoying some well-deserved “me” time.
I also like the idea of using a do-it-yourself, aromatic linen wash to hand wash my delicates if I only have a few pieces to do like undergarments, bathing suits, etc. I save time from having to wait for the washer to run through a full cycle for a few pieces, not to mention energy and money. Also, hand washing is great to use for things that you may normally dry clean, such as silk blouses. That way you avoid toxic chemicals like perchloroethylene (PERC), which may cause cancer and birth defects. PERC remains on your clothes and pollutes the air inside your home, meaning you’re breathing in harmful chemicals!
Get the idea? It’s easy being “green.” For more ways to save money and be earth-friendly, check out my article, “Green Your Laundry with These Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips.”
© Karen Peltier and Well Gal, 2012
Photo © Karen Peltier