Have an Eco-Friendly Laundry Room

Laundry is an unavoidable fact of life. We have cloths, towels and sheets that must be washed. However, in todays modern society the laundering of clothes has become a large environmental burden. If you want to decrease the impact your laundry room has on the environment there are many simple changes you can make to achieve that goal. From the soap you use to the machine you choose, there different choices you can make in your everyday life that can really make a difference.

Soap, Suds and Bubbles
The laundry detergent you choose is very important, because certain chemicals used in laundry detergent create a large environmental burden. Changing your choice of laundry detergent is probably the easiest place to start when converting your laundry room and making it more eco-friendly. The general rule of thumb when selecting an earth friendly laundry detergent is to go basic. The less ingredients the laundry detergent has listed, chances are the better it will be for the environment. You may need to try a few different brands of laundry detergent out to find what works best for you, but it is well worth it in the long run. When looking at labels don’t get drawn into the hype of product statements, there are no regulations on personal care products. So ignore statements like non-toxic, organic or biodegradable. Instead, look for statements telling you what they have excluded from their formula. Two ingredients to always avoid would be Chlorine and NPE chemicals. So if the detergent is free of either of those things it is are a safe bet. Additionally, some brands you may want to try would include Seventh Generation, ECover and Bi-O-Kleen. All these brand are environmentally friendly and are great for individuals with sensitive skin.

Water World
Although there is about three hundred twenty six million trillion gallons of water on the planet earth, believe it or not we still have little water to spare. Water is in constant cycle and is in desperate need of conservation. With the ever increasing size of the standard home washing machine, the average home laundry room is a large source of water waste. Knowing if your appliances are energy star rated is important. Older non-rated washing machines use an average of forty gallons of water per load. Energy star washing machines use around twenty gallons of water per load, making them considerably more efficient. If you have an older washer, when it breaks or when it becomes financially feasible replacing it with a energy star washing machine has many benefits. Energy star appliances use less electricity and water thus reducing your operating expenses overall. Another small change you can make in your laundry room is to switch from liquid detergent to powder. At any given time there are several billion gallons of water sitting in products on store shelves. Liquid detergent is about 80 percent water, so switching to powder detergent is definitely more environmentally friendly.

Good Day Sunshine
One of the biggest environmental burdens in your laundry room is your clothes dryer. Clothes dryers emit carbon dioxide and waste electricity. Drying clothes on a clothes line can help reduce the burden caused clothes dryer. Sunlight is an excellent resource to utilize in your laundering. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant and it is also an excellent bleaching agent. On a beautiful spring day drying your sheets outside will yield crisp and fresh linens you will love using. Unfortunately, due to allergies, residential location and many other factors line drying isn’t an option for everyone. If you must use a clothes dryer there are a few simple steps you can take to be more environmentally friendly. Obviously as with your clothes washer, selecting a clothes dryer that is energy star is optimal. Using the moisture setting on your dryer will save you from running your dryer unnecessary long. Also, using the air dry setting will dry your clothes using cold air, thus reducing energy used and wrinkles. Additionally, you should not use dryer sheets or fabric softeners. They contain harmful chemicals and dryer sheets do not biodegrade in landfills. For softer clothes you can add a half cup of white vinegar to each wash load during the rinse cycle. Vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener, it is safe for people with sensitive skin and best of all it is natural.

Making one change at a time will move you in the direction of a more eco-friendly home. Having an eco-friendly home will not only help save the planet, but it has other benefits as well. Being eco-friendly will save you money over time and your family will be happier and healthier.