Going Green: Laundry Edition

5 ways to make your laundry more eco-friendly

1. Wash with cold water
Cold is gold. Using cold water is better for the planet (and your wallet). ~90% of the energy used to wash your clothes goes to heating water!

2. Use an eco-friendly detergent
Conventional detergents may contain ingredients that aren't good for you, your clothes, or aquatic ecosystems where the dirty water we wash down the drain ends up. Phosphates in conventional laundry soaps can cause algal blooms that negatively effect ecosystems and marine life.

3. Hand wash your clothes
We know, we know—hand washing clothes is tiring and takes time. But give it a try! You'll use less water and less detergent as a result. Which means less chemicals released into the environment.

4. Hang clothes to dry
Air dry your clothes whenever possible. It extends their life, reduces energy use, and cuts costs. When hung immediately after washing, water & gravity will work to pull most wrinkles out. Yay to less ironing!

5. Skip the bleach
Not only is it bad for our skin and lungs, they're even worse for our waterways. Once introduced into the environment it can take years for them to break down into less damaging forms.


How do you make your laundry routine more eco-friendly? Let us know in the comments!