Photo Credit: Flickr/alessandraelle
Depending on how many people you have in your home, and how creeped-out they are to wear clothes more than once between washings, your laundry room can be a revolving door of ‘clothes in’ and ‘clothes out’ of the system. This can be a huge impact on electricity, water and let’s not forget about our precious time! Well, here are some tips to help cut down on your environmental load as you launder each load:
Wash full loads – we have heard this one for years. But it is one that some people still struggle with (namely my teenage son). Either they don’t want one last stitch of dirty laundry to sit around, or they need something specific cleaned right away and there is nothing else to wash it with. Make a good faith effort to wait until you have enough items to run a full load.
Use the water settings if you don’t have a full load – We don’t have to be perfect all the time, so when we find ourselves with a smaller load, there is a solution for that. Use the water settings so that the machine knows not to use as much water as it would for a full load. Just remember to turn the settings back when you do have a full load!
Use less soap – Many newer washing machines are considered high efficiency, which means they use less water, and use it more . . . efficiently. Laundry soap manufacturers have stepped up and started putting high efficiency washer measurements on their product directions. It took me a while to realize that I had a high efficiency washer but when I did, I cut down my laundry soap consumption by more than half. That’s a great way to save money (cause that stuff can get expensive!) Check your owner’s manual to find out if you have a high efficiency washer. Oh, and don’t forget to use eco-friendly soaps that are free of phosphates and other harsh chemicals.
Hang your clothes to dry – People generally only do this in the warmer months, when outdoor clothes lines can come out. But I dry clothes inside year round. For shirts and jackets, hang wet on hangers and then hang them from your shower curtain rod. The great thing about this is when they are dry, they are already ready for hanging in the closet! Just make sure your shower curtain rod is stable enough to handle the weight. For items that don’t hang, I have a collapsible drying rack that I drape things over. I can usually cut my dryer load by at least half, which means I use less electricity. Why only half? Towels, jeans and underwear don’t feel right to me when they are air dried. Those guys go in the dryer.
Skip the fabric softener – okay, stop booing. Many people are very attached to their fabric softener, be it the dryer sheets or the liquid that goes in the wash. I used to use dryer sheets too, so I know it takes a little getting used to. But I haven’t used them for years and I haven’t even noticed. This saves in three ways – I’m not getting exposed to several chemicals which may or may not have negative health effects, I am not spending money on another product which probably saves me about $60 per year, and the earth does not have to provide the materials to create the product or the packaging. So for me, fabric softener is just a waste. But I promise not to judge you if you can’t live without it. But please give it a try before you make up your mind.
Wash your clothes less - Of course, I don’t advocate for wearing things until they can walk on their own, but you can get a few wears out of a pair of jeans before they need a washing. Of course this doesn’t apply to socks and underwear. Wash those all you want!
Don’t forget to unplug your washer when not in use – keeping your washer plugged in at all times not only leaches electricity when it’s not in use, but you are also setting yourself up for a huge repair bill if you have a power surge. If you would like to hear more about this, I direct you to a post from last year where I talk about this very thing happening in my house, Summer Storm Takes Out Washing Machine.
By following some or all of these tips, you can save resources for the environment and yourself. You can also prolong the life of your clothes. Each washing and drying takes its toll on your wearable’s. Cutting down your laundering by half, if you can, will help your clothes last twice as long!
Eco Home Consultations provides green living consultation services in the Seattle area, focusing on practical ways to integrate green living into your household. Learn more at www.ecohomeconsults.com or email questions about this blog or other green living issues to Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.
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