Eco-friendly laundry involves reducing water and energy consumption and avoiding the use of detergents containing toxic substances.
What is eco-friendly laundry?
As we've seen, doing laundry has a negative impact on the planet and our health. But you can do your part and avoid contributing to this pollution by choosing sustainable laundry. Basically, it involves reducing water and energy consumption and avoiding the use of detergents containing toxic substances .How to wash clothes in an ecological way
Before explaining the tips and tricks for eco-friendly laundry, it's worth highlighting some preliminary measures you can take. To ensure a complete process, it begins at the moment of purchase. Remember that one of the problems with laundry pollution is microparticle release . To reduce this, always choose sustainable underwear .
Now, let's see what the guidelines are for doing an eco-friendly wash in a washing machine:
- Reduce the frequency of washing. The idea is to wash clothes when they're really dirty, and of course, try to accumulate enough to fill the washing machine.
- Use eco-friendly detergents . Conventional soaps contain chemical compounds that are harmful to the environment and your health, and they even damage your clothes. These days, it's easy to find eco-friendly laundry detergents in any store; just look for the Ecolabel or Ecocert label. A very sustainable option is soap nuts , a fruit from Nepal characterized by its high saponin content and completely biodegradable.
- Avoid using fabric softeners, due to their high polluting effect. Fabric softeners contain cationic surfactants, which, when added to water, increase its pH, promote algae growth, and cause foam to form in rivers.
- Keep the amount of products you add to the wash process to a minimum. That is, use only the strictly necessary amount.
- Pretreat stains . If you use stain removers, use eco-friendly ones. To distinguish them, look for ones that are paraben-free and made with natural products.
- Use short wash cycles and cold water .
- Forget the dryer or limit its use to emergency situations. Sustainable laundry always means air drying.
- If you're thinking about replacing your washing machine, pay attention to the energy rating when purchasing a new one. The most efficient washing machines have an A+++ rating . They're more expensive, but the energy savings can exceed 70%, so you'll quickly recoup your investment.
Why wash clothes in an ecological way?
We are incorporating new behavioral habits that improve our relationship with the planet and, moreover, our own well-being. A philosophy of environmentally friendly living takes different forms. One example is sustainable or slow fashion , based on responsible consumption, environmental awareness, and social commitment. Washing clothes in an eco-friendly way is a key element in this transformation of habits. Adopting these simple measures we've shown you brings significant benefits. It's sure to be an inspiration to remember them:- You contribute to environmental protection in several ways: reducing plastic waste and polluting discharges. It's especially important to reduce the presence of microplastics that often end up in rivers and oceans.
- You reduce the impact of your environmental footprint : less consumption of a scarce resource like water, less energy consumption, and less CO2 entering the atmosphere. But for this reduction to be truly significant, you don't just have to commit to sustainable laundry. It's also essential that you choose to buy sustainable fashion.
- You can extend the life of your clothes because washing clothes in an eco-friendly way is less damaging to the garments, and they last longer and are in better condition.
- Your wallet benefits because you save in several ways: your water bill, your energy bill, and your detergent consumption.
