Spring is in full swing, really by this point it’s practically summer, and the temperatures are finally get HOT. It’s finally that time of year when we can open the windows and air everything out after all the gunky cold weather. This changing of seasons for the better always inspires me to improve things around my home and clean things up in my living space too so I’m starting a little series of posts on spring cleaning (or just cleaning since it will officially be summer in a few weeks. Yay!) to highlight all my favorite cleaning products and ways to clean things up.
You might wonder why it would be important to consider green options for cleaning products. It’s because conventional cleaning products are often made with chemicals (some 17,000 of them are used, only 30% of which have been tested for safety) that are intended to get that ultimate clean, remove that last speck of dirt or wipe away that stain. They might do the job but can be toxic to your system and the environment. The problem to you individually is that you end up breathing in residuals from sprays, absorb substances into your skin while using or even irritate the skin while using or wearing textiles that carry residual elements from the products. The environment also suffers (which in turn, circles back to affect us) by contaminating water as we wash substances down the drain or polluting the air through use of products with VOC’s, not to mention the impact that producing these products causes in the first place.
I’ve found that when trying to clean up my lifestyle that switching out cleaning products was an easy place to start since it didn’t affect me on a personal/emotional level (ie: it’s harder to find a new face wash if you’re worried about it breaking you out – not the case with a floor cleaner. No self-esteem issues to worry about there!). Also, green cleaning products often work just as well if not better than their conventional counterparts so it’s not as stressful or as taxing on the bank account to find one that actually performs.
To kick off the series I’ve decided to highlight laundry products because, well, it’s something that’s reoccurring and done often so I figured it would be most useful. Plus it was just laundry weekend here so it’s on my mind! Read on for my favorite ways to make your laundry routine cleaner.
Rebel Green Laundry Detergent
This laundry detergent is plant-based, biodegradable, scented with essential oils and is certified organic (meaning that the ingredients were grown on certified-organic farms without synthetic fertilizers or genetic engineering). This is also free from harsh chemicals, VOC’s, chlorine, ammonia or other petrochemicals, phosphates, phthalates, parabens and dyes. Chemicals like chlorine have been shown to increase your risk of developing allergies and asthma and dyes and fragrances have been shown to increase skin irritation and allergic reactions. Plant-based detergents are safer the environment too as they are biodegradable and made using sustainable manufacturing processes. Another plus to this company is that they donate a portion of all sales to organizations like Water.org, Feeding America, The Paradigm Project and the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences that help deliver clean water, clean food and clean air to people all over the world.
Using it: I really like this detergent and think the cleaning power is pretty great. It’s a concentrated formula so you don’t need much, the jug lasts for approximately 64 loads. It’s only lightly scented, not overwhelming at all. Their website says “kissed with scent” and I think that’s a pretty good description. It’s a low sudsing formula so no need to worry that it doesn’t suds when added to water. That’s actually better because it means they didn’t add any thickeners or other unnecessary chemicals like sulfates (a known irritant) to get that lather.
Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap
This is a jack-of-all-trades cleaning product if there ever was one. It can be used for SO many things including in your laundry. I actually use it for a lot of things but since this is the laundry post I’m just talking about that use today. This soap is very concentrated so you only need a little bit for it to be effective. It’s biodegradable, made with organic and certified fair trade ingredients and is scented with pure essential oils. There are no synthetic preservatives, dyes or foaming agents. It’s packaged in a 100% post consumer recycled bottle and the company is working their way to becoming zero waste in their manufacturing. Plus, the company has a great mission regarding responsibility and reminds customers of that directly on their iconic packaging.
Using it: I often add a little splash (along with detergent) to a load of laundry that seems extra dirty or smelly. It not only adds a hint of scent (lavender in this case) but it also helps boost fabric to get just that little bit cleaner. If you have anything that’s musty it helps reduce that too.
Rebel Green Delicates Wash – Pink Lilac
Like the regular laundry detergent, this one is plant-based, biodegradable, scented with essential oils and is certified organic. It’s formulated for gently washing delicate garments like undergarments or fragile textiles. It smells like fresh blooming lilacs and I just love lilacs!
Using it: I use this to wash my bras and it gets them super clean. As a side note: after washing I hang dry them to keep them in their best shape and to minimize electricity use.
Rebel Green Fabulous Fabric Softener – Peppermint & Lemon
I actually don’t often use fabric softeners as I’ve never really thought they were that neceassary (I just use vinegar if something needs to be softend-see below), but I thought I’d include this product in case you’re someone that loves your fabric softeners. This one is as safe and effective formula containing food-grade ingredients and is scented with essential oils. I love the scent and
Using it: This can’t be added directly to the washing bin so find the specific area in your washer that is for fabric softeners and add the product. Only a small capful is needed for a medium load.
Organic Vinegar
Vinegar is another great multi-tasking laundry tool. It’s great for helping to remove odors, soften, brighten, reduce lint, keep darks dark and more! Apparently it’s good at cleaning because the acetic acid in distilled white vinegar helps dissolve residues on fabrics but is still mild enough not to affect the actual fibers themselves.
Using it: I just add anywhere from a splash up to 2 cups to the load for extra cleaning. I often use this on bath textiles since they can go from soft to scratchy over time. I will also use it before washing dark denim for the first time as it helps retain the dyes and maintains the color longer- soak overnight in a vinegar/water mixture before washing. Also, if you have anything with a mildew smell soak it overnight in vinegar/water mixture and then wash it with some more vinegar to reduce the odor.
Dryer Balls – buy here or here
I don’t use dryer sheets as they leave residues that irritate skin and reduce the life of clothing, not to mention release chemicals through the dryer vent and are wasteful since a sheet is thrown into the trash for each load. Dryer balls are re-useable and last for several years saving the environment and saving you money. They help reduce static on clothing and help reduce drying time. If you think you’ll miss the scent that dryer sheets leave you can add drops of essential oils to the dryer balls to replace it. You can actually make these on your own or buy them pre-made. I’ve done both and I will admit, making them took a bit of time and they shrink over time (or at least mine did as strings started to come unraveled- partly because my dog kept thinking they were toys- oy) so buying was way easier.
Using it: Just toss 3-4 balls in with each dryer load.
Trader Joes Lavender Dryer Bags
These all natural dryer bags are another great alternative to get that scent you might be missing from dryer sheets. Each bag is filled with one simple, natural ingredient- dried lavender flower buds. One bag will last for 5-10 loads of laundry (you just have to watch the status of the bag fibers as once they get weak they could break and spill buds in your dryer). They leave a light, fresh scent on laundry that’s not over-powering. Once used up you can sprinkle on carpet and vacuum to freshen up your floors. Alternatively, you can use as a sachet for your clothing drawers or anywhere else you want to freshen up.
Using it: Just toss in the dryer with each load (and remember it only lasts 5, maybe up to 10 loads). Easy peasy.
Meliora Laundry Stain Removal Soap Stick
This stain stick can replace any other stain removers, it’s that good! It’s made from simple ingredients, it’s literally just vegetable soap with it’s base being coconut oil. Since it’s in bar form, no preservatives are necessary and it will last a really long time. Another reason I especially dig this product is because it’s local, produced here in Chicago!
Using it: This product looks like a bar of soap so to use it you just have to wet the area where the stain is and rub the stain stick over the stain. It lightly sudses which I like because it confirmed I got some product into the stain. The stain even seems to start lifting just from doing that. Then you just wash like normal.
Bags for Washing Bras
So this is really more of a tip, than a way to save the environment, but I think it’s useful so I’m going to share! If you’re like me washing bras is a pain in the A because they always get tangled up and take forever to unknot. Enter the bra bag. Just put a bra in each bag and voila- no tangle issues. I couldn’t find any bags I liked that were specifically for bras so ya know what? I just purchased produce bags from Amazon. They are less expensive and you get more of them in the package. They also let water through easily and the closure bead keeps the drawstring shut tight. That’s an important component because I’ve tried bags before that I just tied shut and they somehow always came undone. I always air dry my bras but these are dryer safe too.
Hang Dry What You Can
Another tip here! Always hang dry what you can. Reducing your use of the dryer helps conserves energy so is better for the environment. Apparently there are over 90 million dryers in the US alone and if families could reduce their use by half a year it would reduce the US’s carbon dioxide output by 3.3%. Of course that’s not necessarily feasible for most families but is an interesting statistic none-the-less. Hang drying also saves you money by saving electricity or gas. According to the U.S. Department of Energy an electric clothes dryer can account for approximately six percent of a household’s annual electricity use – One of the other main reasons I choose to hang dry certain garments is because hang drying is much gentler and helps clothes last longer. Tumble drying can lead to wear and tear of clothing not only from the jostling around, but also the heat. You can see this first-hand when you pull the lint trap out to clean it – that’s your clothing fibers ever so slowly deteriorating. Admittedly, I don’t hang dry everything but I do have several clothes that I never dry because I try to avoid shrinkage. Shrinkage of clothing is actually a way people contribute to waste because once something shrinks it’s likely unwearable and people tend to toss it so if you avoid shrinking in the first place by hang drying you save your favorite shirt from the landfill too. I like the drying rack linked above because it’s collapsible, expandable and has a removable lay-flat drying attachment.
I’m off to switch the laundry loads! Tell me if you have any favorite laundry supplies below.
