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Doing the laundry should be all about getting squeaky clean. So why are some conventional products all washed up? Our tips for kinder, gentler laundry are as gentle on your delicates as they are on the planet, while still getting the job done right.
Tips for cleaner, greener laundry
1. Wash it out. Eco-friendly detergents are gentler on the world outside, kinder to tender skin, and can help extend the life of your clothes. Look for products that are all natural, readily biodegradable, and free of phosphates, which can cause algal blooms that can effectively choke aquatic ecosystems. Choosing concentrated and powdered detergents-which pack more punch per volume-helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting and packaging goods.
2. Don't reach for bleach. Whiter whites are dreamy, but the chlorine in conventional bleach products is a harmful respiratory irritant. Non-chlorine bleaches, often called "oxygen bleaches," from brands such as Seventh Generation, Ecover, and Biokleen are readily available and really do work. Or, take a DIY approach: You can add half a cup borax to the wash load, or use lemons and boiling water. We've got the recipes that tell you how.3. Get in line. A typical clothes dryer costs about 80 bucks a year to run, and racks up hundreds of pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions. Line drying, on the other hand, costs nothing to either you or the planet. Plus, air-dried clothes never suffer from static cling. Worried that your towels and tees will end up wrinkled and stiff? Learn how to avoid the "sandpaper effect" in our recent post, Unstiffen Your Line Dried Laundry. Tip: Washing in cold water will also save energy and money and get your clothes just as clean.
4. Use common scents. Dryer sheets can contain chemicals that are suspected carcinogens, but it's easy to reduce your exposure to these toxins and still get fresh-smelling laundry. Simply opt for homemade sachets that can be tossed in with the wash or placed on a closet shelf. Our recent post on how to make an organic lavender sachet and use essential oils to freshen up your laundry shows you how. Adding half a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycles also does the trick. Sara Snow shows you how in the clip below.
5. Ditch your dry cleaner. Here's an inconvenient truth: Most dry-cleaners rely on perchloroethylene, or "perc" for short, which has been linked to cancer, reduced fertility, and various other diseases. The good news: Even if the label on your fave sweater blares "dry clean only," gentle hand-washing is actually OK for most garments, even delicates such as wool, cashmere, and silk. Some eco-friendly dry cleaners now use silicone solvent-based or liquid CO2 cleaning methods, which are healthier alternatives. Earth911.org can help you determine if there's on in your -hood. Get more clean laundry tips from Sara Snow below.
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