OUR ENVIRONMENT: NATURALLY CLEAN LAUNDRY
By Ingrid Justick
Each of the estimated 35 billion loads of laundry washed annually by American households contributes a large amount of irritants and pollutants to our environment. With a growing selection of eco-and health-friendlyalternatives we can gently and effectively green clean our laundry.
Conventional laundry cleaners: are made of non-renewable resources, petrochemicals, based with a wide range of toxic chemicals, preservatives, fragrances, dyes or bleaching agents. Because of government trade secret laws, manufacturers of cleaners are not required to disclose ingredients on product labels. Green alternative: Eco Friendly vegetable-based-laundrydetergents minimize pollution by using renewable plant resources. They are made of vegetable oils, often from coconut. Look for labels that state the origin of their scents and surfactants. My favorite: Seventh Generation Free and Clear (of perfume and dyes). It contains non-animal enzymes, which lift out any stain and dirt, whitens and softens. Fruit stains are removable by placing garment in boiling water a few minutes.
Chlorine: found in laundry bleach and some detergents, irritates lungs, eyes and mucous membranes and is a big contributor to global warming. Greenalternative: hydrogen peroxide which breaks down into water and oxygen.
Dryer sheets: some of the chemicals that saturate dryer sheets-chloroform, camphor and ethyl acetate-appear on the EPA’s hazardous waste list. And because dryer sheets are used after your clothing is rinsed, the chemicals stay on the fabrics for long periods of time. Green alternatives: use natural softeners containing vegetable-based ingredients and essential oils. I fill the fabric softener container in my washing machine with white vinegar, which softens, whitens, deodorizes, keeps colors bright and keeps my washing machine and connecting hoses free of any soap buildup.
Conventional washing machines can use as much as 40 gallons of water per load, while “Energy Star” rated machines use half of this amount.
Drying your laundry: the most efficient, conservative and free drying is sunlight. Not only is it a natural bleaching agent and disinfectant, but line drying a single load of clothes saves approximately 2.6 KWH of electricity and prevents 3.35 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere.
To fluff towels or remove wrinkles from garments, place them in the dryer for 2 minutes, then hang them on the clothesline. Consumer Reports states that of all dryers gas dryers are less expensive to operate and have a lighter eco impact.
Ironing: consumes up to 1800 watts of energy and if used for 2 hours, emits 4.8 pounds of carbon dioxide. Use cotton ironing board covers because they are not treated with toxic perfluorooctanoic acid, which is used to prevent sticking and stains. It is also used on fabrics that claim to be stain and wrinkle repellant. Manufacturers of PFOA have agreed to eliminate the chemical by 2015.
So please, with your next load of laundry, use a natural vegetable-based
Cleaner and your clothing, sheets and towels will be truly clean and green.