| Eco-Laundry at Home | Natural Green Spring Cleaning |
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Eco-laundry at home: A few tips that clean green and save energy and dollars
Laundry—the necessary, dreaded, evil chore. If you can’t avoid doing your own, why not at least make the activity eco-friendly. Below are practical tips for greening your laundry day.
1. Turn your dial to a cold water setting for most loads. With most loads of laundry you really do not need hot water to get a good cleaning. Ninety-percent of the energy used by your machine goes into heating the water it uses. High temperature settings gobble up your electricity, not to mention, the green in your wallet.
2. If you are in the market to replace your old, non-energy efficient washer, consider a front-load model. Front-loading models uses a third less water, heat energy, and detergent than standard top-loading designs.
Be sure your new machine is certified by the EPA's Energy Star program. This guarantees high energy efficiency, and General Electric (GE) estimates that the average family will save enough on energy costs with a front-load, Energy Star certified washer to pay for the appliance in about 10 – 12 years.
3. Use an earth friendly laundry detergent. Several stores in the Hampton Roads area now carry inexpensive, safer for you and the planet laundry detergents. Plus, a cool little trick to try…since most of the earthy friendly brands are scent free, you can add 2 -3 drops, per gallon, of your favorite essential oil for a nice pick-me-up scent!
Amelia Baker, owner of Green Alternatives in Norfolk, highly recommends Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder. It packs all the cleaning power you’ll need from a detergent! A 3 lbs. bag of Charlie’s can do up to 80 full wash loads, and you’ll need only 1 TABLESPOON per large load - That's all!
Feeling ambitious? You can also make your own detergent. Here is a very simple recipe to try:
Easy-To-Make Liquid Detergent
1 quart water (boiling)
2 cups bar soap (grated and use an earth friendly one)
2 cups borax (can find this in most supermarkets in the laundry section)
2 cups washing soda (can find this in most supermarkets in the laundry section)
2 gallons of water
Pail or container with lid that can hold 3 gallons of liquid
First step - Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water. Bring the water to a simmer and continue stirring until soap is melted.
Second step - Pour the soap water into a large clean pail and add the borax and washing soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
Third step - Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
Finally, cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. You can also add, once it is cool, 5 - 7 drops of your favorite essential oil per gallon. Stir the soap each time you use it, or it will gel.
4. Now that the spring temperatures are starting to bloom, take advantage--air dry your clothes on an outside laundry line. Ah!, nothing smells fresher than clean laundry dried by Mother Nature, and best of all, no electricity required! Enjoy!
Below is a list of a few stores in our area that carry earth friendly laundry detergents and/or the ingredients you will need to make your own.
Green Alternatives
801 Boush Street, Suite C
Norfolk, VA 23510
757.622.1444
The Heritage Store
314 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
757.428.0500
Organic Food Depot
1912 Granby St.
Norfolk, VA 23517-2329
757.623.8999
Plus locations in Virginia Beach and Portsmouth!
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Tips for all natural green spring cleaning
Transitioning to green cleaning can be as easy as opening your kitchen pantry. Baking soda, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil are just some of the ingredients that can be used to safely and effectively clean your entire home.
Check out these easy-to-make all natural home cleaners from Martha Stewart:
Natural all-purpose scrub
Pour ½ cup of baking soda into a bowl and mix with liquid soap to create a creamy paste. Cut a lemon in half, and spread the paste on the flat side of the half lemon. When you scrub with the lemon, it acts as a sponge and leaves its natural scent. After scrubbing, wipe away any residue with a damp rag or sponge. The paste will stay moist for a few hours. To save leftover scrub, add a few drops of vegetable glycerin (a thick, clear syrup derived from plant oils) and seal in a glass jar.
Window cleaner
Mix ½ teaspoon Castile soap or plant-based liquid soap and 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake. Spray onto windows and wipe clean with newspaper or a 100% cotton cloth. This soap solution helps remove any streak-causing wax left on the window from commercial cleaners used in the past. You can eliminate soap from the recipe after a few washings. Safety note: Always be careful to label containers of homemade cleaners intended for storage, and keep them well out of the reach of children.
Mold
You can clean almost anything with vinegar — use it straight for tough jobs, or dilute with water. Be careful to rinse thoroughly, since vinegar can corrode fixtures and etch glaze on tiles. Tea tree oil, a natural fungicide and antiseptic, will also work against mold — mix 2 teaspoons with 2 cups water. To whiten stained tiles or grout, use ½ cup hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1 cup water. To use any of these solutions, simply apply to a surface, let it dry, and wipe with a damp cloth.
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Forget mothballs: Use fresh scents for winter clothes storage
If you haven't noticed, spring is upon us, and it is time to store the winter clothes and break out the shorts! It is also time to say goodbye to the traditional mothballs and hello to a fresher storage idea.
Moths, of course, do not like the smell of mothballs and neither do humans. If you have ever stored your clothing in mothballs, you probably know how potent their scent is and how hard it is to remove the smell.
Mothballs are not only unkind to your senses, but also contain pesticides, typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene as reported by the EPA. A much safer route to go when storing your clothing is to use cedar, cloves, rosemary, and other natural remedies. You can also store your vulnerable fabrics in cedar closets or chests.
For a cheap and space-saving option, use cedar shavings or blocks. Moths are also repelled by a number of herbs, including cloves, fresh rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves. Place the scented material in cheesecloth bags and stick in pockets or dangle from hangers. These options smell a lot better than those mothballs!
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A healthier way to clean your dry clean only garments
You can save money and cut back on the use of energy and harsh chemicals by steam cleaning your clothes. A number of leading home appliance brands are carrying these modern contraptions that make it easier on you, your wallet and the environment.
As with all types of cleaning, the process of dry cleaning does cause wear and tear on your fabrics and does not necessarily extend the life of your clothing.
As reported by The Daily Green, if you go to a traditional neighborhood dry cleaner, they will likely use PERC (perchloroethylene), a volatile organic compound that can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea and irritation. It has been linked to groundwater contamination and cancer at high doses. Some cleaners use a less-toxic hydrocarbon called DF-2000, but the EPA lists that as a neurotoxin and skin and eye irritant. A better option is a carbon dioxide-based “green cleaner.”
LG’s steam wash and dry system uses less water than even a front-loading laundry machine. These types of cleaners are great for pressing slacks and other items you want looking their best.
Save the dry cleaning expense and the trip to the cleaners while helping mother earth with a modern in-home steam washing machine.
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