Doing the Laundry
I found this part of my home to be the easiest to change. Below I describe ways in which you can help conserve energy and water and greener products you can make or buy to clean.
Energy Efficient Washer and Dryer
When shopping for a new washer and dryer, you want to make sure you pick Energy Star appliances. These can help save you money by conserving energy and they can also lower your carbon footprint.
Conserve, Conserve, Conserve
Here are a few ways you can help conserve water and energy:
- Only wash full loads, and do laundry as seldom as possible. I used to do 3-4 loads of laundry each week, and now I do 4-5 loads of laundry each month. How do I get around it? I wear my shirts and pants more than once before tossing them into the hamper and I have stocked up on undergarments so that I have enough to last a month.
- If you can, always wash your clothes in cold water. It takes more energy to heat the water when using a hot water cycle than it does to run the washing machine for the duration of that cycle (Snow).
- I personally have chosen to skip ironing because I think it takes too much time, but I’ve realized while writing this that it also saves energy.
- Hang dry whatever you can. If you have a yard, you can let the sun dry your clothes. If you are like me and you don’t have a yard, hang your clothes around your bedroom or living room. You can hang them on doors, doorknobs, sturdy light fixtures, even window treatments.
Greener Laundry Products
Most detergents are loaded with harmful chemicals (to both humans and the environment). The base ingredient in a detergent is a surfactant – choose a product that uses a vegetable based surfactant and not a synthetic (petroleum based) one. These products are better for the health of the earth. Most markets carry these products, but as always, read the ingredient label before purchasing. These greener alternatives will state that they are a better choice based on the ingredients they don’t contain, and the best ones are ones that are 100% biodegradable. You’ll want to make the same choice for softeners. I use a liquid detergent from Earth Friendly Products that has a soy softener built into it.
To help boost whitening when washing whites, you can add a cup of vinegar to the rise cycle.
Cleaning The Rest of Your Pad
What you clean your home with doesn’t have to be harmful. Despite what most manufacturers want you to believe, you don’t need harsh chemicals to get the job done. Here’s a few tips on what to use and where to use it:
Sponges/Rags
I prefer to use sponges over rags for cleaning, but I’ll begin with rags. A green way to avoid paper towels is to buy a set of rags which you can use over and over again to clean. They don’t have to be labeled as biodegradable, but organic cotton would be prefered, because once the rag is tossed (after many years of use) it will break down naturally in a landfill, and if it’s made from organic cotton, it won’t leave any synthetic chemicals behind.
There are biodegradable sponges that you can purchase to use. These work great and last a very long time. I buy mine from my local Fresh and Easy Market. They are made from recycled paper, and the scouring side is made from an agave plant. I use these sponges everywhere, and have bought extra for my room mates to use. Most natural markets will carry these, and you can also find them online.
All Purpose Cleaner
In the “Bathroom” section I talked about using an all purpose cleaner made of equal parts water and vinegar to disinfect your bathroom. You can use the same cleaner to clean other surfaces throughout your home. This cleaner can also be used to clean windows. It’s cheap and versatile, but if you don’t want to take the time to make this cleaner there are green alternatives that you can purchase, and most markets carry these. Be sure to read the ingredient label!
