Low Waste Laundry
*Disclaimer: I was provided with free products from Botanical Trading Co and Handmade by Madi M in exchange for their mention in this blog post. However, all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own honest reviews without any influence from these companies and/or their affiliates in any way.
We’re wrapping up #plasticfreeJuly, but I want to give you tips you can use year-round.
Making low waste laundry swaps was one of the latest I did because I just couldn’t find accessible, affordable options. Thankfully, many more options have come on the market lately so I no longer have to compromise with buying the most jumbo plastic jug of unscented laundry detergent available.🙃
Let’s start with the washing process of laundry.
Before finding an accessible, eco laundry soap, I was already making other low waste changes such as:
🧺 Only washing when items are actually dirty or smelly. Remember, clothing sheds fibres in the wash, & any synthetic fibres will contribute to microplastics in our waterways. Less washing also means less water & electricity use, and helps clothes last longer as machine washing & drying damages the fibres over time.
🧺 Washing in cold water (saves energy & 💰 on your electricity bill)
🧺 Selecting whichever eco settings are available on my machine. Mine is “energy efficient” & senses the load size to use less water, but I make sure I select the options with less soak/rinse cycles and wash most clothing on Delicate to avoid unnecessary friction on delicate fibres.
🧺 Making full loads as much as possible so that I’m not constantly using my machine. This once again saves water & energy, plus I want my machine to last as long as possible.
*(AD - gifted) Finally, I was able to find a low waste powder laundry soap by Botanical Trading Co that only contains 3 vegan ingredients, is made in Canada, comes in recyclable/reusable packaging, dissolves in cold water, & is formulated for sensitive skin like mine. The entire package lasts up to 68 loads & can be purchased directly here. I’m so glad that it does not unnecessarily come with a scoop in every package, so I use one I had kept four years ago from a protein powder jar, but you can use any measuring spoon or scoop you have! Yay for reusing & upcycling. :)
Now I know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t your grandma’s powdered Tide. It’s fully fragrance free and has an actual lid, so you don’t need to worry about getting powder all over the floor or furry friends getting into it.
If you’re hesitant to use powder because you’ve been using liquid or pods for so long (remember that pods contain plastics!), the only thing you need to keep in mind is that powders are sensitive to moisture. I found out the hard way my first load, when I dumped the soap over a wet rag in the washing machine & then proceeded to clean more areas of my house for a couple hours before starting the load… As you can imagine, when my load was complete I wound up with a white soap crystal at the bottom of my washing machine (see the photo below😅). Whoops! But fear not, it can be dissolve in hot water & reused. It’s normal for energy efficient machines to add less water to the drum, so if you want it well dissolved here are my tips & tricks:
Add it to your washing machine right before starting the load
Try to place the powder near the bottom of the load so it’ll be in the water
If you do end up with a crystallized chunk of soap or are worried you will, you can dilute it in a cup of hot water before dumping it into the load (in other words, don’t waste it!)
Botanical Trading Co also make a solid stain remover that can be used by wetting the stained area and rubbing the stick onto the stain until suds appear. Then throw the garment into the wash as usual, and tada! No need to rewash stained items over & over, use harsh stinky chemical sprays that impact our health, or any plastic! The stain remover can be purchased directly here & only costs $6!
Other sustainable options for laundry washing:
Make your own laundry soap from bulk ingredients
Refill existing containers with laundry soap at local refilleries
Handwash delicates to keep them lasting longer
Alright, now let’s get into the nitty gritty & laundry drying.
How can drying your clothes really be eco-friendly?
Air drying is of course the most sustainable option, but it requires space & not everyone has the privilege of having in-home washer & dryer access, let alone a laundry room or private space to hang their clothing. While I try to air dry most items (I use all the space I need including door knobs & hooks, hangers off of shelves, counters, etc), I do make about one dryer load per week for bulky items like sheets & towels, and will also throw in socks.
The environmental issue with using a dryer goes beyond its energy use, though. Its main impact actual comes from the use of conventional dryer sheets.
⚠️ Conventional dryer sheets contain harsh chemicals like fragrances & volatile organic compounds.
⚠️ These coat your laundry & can irritate your skin & lungs.
⚠️ The residue they leave on your laundry can make towels & other moisture-wicking items less absorbent.
⚠️ Chemicals also get released into nature via your dryer vent.
⚠️ Plus they are single use & made of polyester (plastic) that does not decompose in landfill.
Sounds like an unnecessary purchase if you ask me😬
So how can you reduce static & wrinkles in the dryer?
*(AD - gifted) Personally, I just began using reusable cotton dryer sheets by Handmade by Madi M!
These locally-made reusable sheets are 100% cotton (one side is cotton, the other is cotton terry towel), & are unscented, so they don’t contain the heavy chemicals conventional dryer sheets contain. You can buy them directly here.
Here’s how they work:
🧺 Soak the cloths in a 3:1 water to vinegar solution in any up cycle container (I use an old pickle jar which is the perfect size for 3 cups water 1 cup vinegar).
🧺 When ready to start the dryer, simply wrong out a cloth & toss it straight into the dryer with your laundry.
🧺 Both the terry cloth & vinegar help absorb & reduce static!
🧺 After your load is done, place it back into your solution for using next time.
🧺 When the solution in my jar gets too low, I dump it in my washing machine with laundry & it helps wash since vinegar is naturally anti-bacterial. Then I refill my jar with the 3:1 water to vinegar ratio.
Other ways to reduce the impact of drying your clothes:
🌱 Use low or no heat
🌱 Use an eco setting if available on your machine (some will sense how damp the laundry is)
🌱 Don’t over dry your clothes as the dryer can damage the fibres in your clothes over time, plus it wastes energy
I’m curious how many of you use dryer sheets? Would you make the switch to an eco alternative? Comment below what your thoughts are on low waste laundry! :)
Remember that reducing our environmental impact goes beyond the month if July and also includes making changes at the political and corporate levels such as sending letters to local political representatives and companies about why it’s so imperative for the climate crisis to be addressed NOW.
Enjoy your Summer, eco loves!
-Chanelle oxo