Are you looking for a simple way to reduce your environmental impact? In today's world, homeowners are increasingly turning towards eco-friendly ways of doing everyday tasks, such as laundry. Eco-friendly laundry detergents have multiple benefits, such as reducing water pollution, conserving energy, and being better for our health than conventional detergents.
By making conscious choices when it comes to washing our clothes, we can all contribute towards a more sustainable future. In this post, we will go over what to look for in eco-friendly detergents and what you can do to make changes in our environment when doing laundry for the better.
What Makes a Laundry Detergent Eco-Friendly?
In order to reduce the environmental impact of washing machines and laundry, it is important to consider both the machine itself and the detergents used. To ensure that your machine doesn't contribute too much to climate issues, look for energy-efficient models with high water efficiency ratings.
For detergents, switch to eco-friendly options, which are usually made from plant-based and biodegradable ingredients. When selecting a washing machine and laundry detergent, it's important to make sure they are as environmentally friendly as possible - not only will this help reduce emissions, but it also helps conserve natural resources.
Here are some things you should consider when purchasing an eco-friendly laundry detergent.
The Ingredients
An important factor to consider when looking for a biodegradable detergent or soap is the label’s chemical ingredients. Many brands use misleading advertising to hide their harmful ingredients that are damaging to the environment and sensitive skin.
The ingredients that should be avoided at all costs include:
- Phosphates
- Chlorine bleach
- Brighteners
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Artificial Fragrances
- 1,4-Dioxane
These chemicals come disguised as ingredients and introduce chemicals into places where they don't belong. The bottom line is that you need to be sure to read labels thoroughly before making a purchase, so you know exactly what is in the product you are buying.
Packaging
When looking for a liquid or powder laundry detergent, it is important to search for options that come in either plastic-free and compostable bottles or fully recyclable packaging. Plastic parts of the packaging should be avoided as they end up in landfills and are not environmentally sustainable.
Therefore, if there’s any indication that parts of the product will end up at the landfill, then it should be avoided altogether. To ensure sustainability and the well-being of our planet, we need to look out for products that have no plastic packaging and are either fully recyclable or compostable.
The Amount Needed
Last but not least, using concentrated or powder laundry detergents is better for reducing the carbon footprint. Using too much detergent doesn't clean clothing ‘more,’ it simply hurts the environment and your clothing.
Using concentrated or pre-measured types of detergents can be beneficial because they require less energy and resources to make than liquid detergents, as well as taking up less space in transit, thereby reducing fuel emissions. Furthermore, since they are denser, one package lasts longer, meaning there's less need for frequent replacements.
Eco-Friendly Laundry Habits
After you take the time to choose the perfect laundry detergent for your family and community, you should next educate yourself on some things that can be done while doing laundry, that will improve the environment little by little.
Below, we will inform you of some things to remember when it comes to your laundry routine.
Use Your Washing Machine Less Frequently
A typical person likely washes four loads of laundry per week, a surprisingly high amount that uses a lot of resources. However, it might only sometimes be necessary. Most clothing can often be worn up to three or four times before washing and is not necessarily unhygienic.
We may have become overly cautious about minor dirt and germs, so it could be worth re-evaluating our laundry habits in order to reduce energy and water usage. Washing clothes less often can make a meaningful positive impact on the environment while also saving money on detergent and other cleaning supplies.
Air Dry Clothing
A dryer is a hugely inefficient way to dry clothes, as it uses large amounts of energy even with the most energy-efficient models. Whenever possible, it's best to hang clothes on warm and windy days and allow them to air dry without using additional drying agents such as fabric softener sheets.
This can be done even in the cold Canadian winter months, although more time may be required for complete drying. On those occasions when time is of the essence, skipping out on dryer sheets can help reduce energy waste from a clothes dryer.
To conserve energy use overall, only utilize a clothes dryer when absolutely necessary and forgo the use of any added fabric softeners or other products that could increase energy consumption.
Use Cool Wash Functions
Most modern washing machines come with a cool wash function that is suitable for cleaning most clothes. The temperature of this cool wash is usually set at around 85 degrees, which is enough to remove dirt and stains from the garments.
Moreover, eco-friendly detergents tend to work better at lower temperatures, reducing laundry routines' environmental impact. Therefore, by opting for a cool wash on their washing machine, people can ensure that their clothes are kept clean while having a smaller carbon footprint.
Why Choose Tru Earth?
The bottom line is that choosing an eco-friendly detergent is a large part of the battle to help our environment. Of course, choosing the proper cycle on your washing machine, and using our given tips to reduce overuse, will be incredibly beneficial.
But, as we have said before, a safe detergent goes a long way. And when it comes to selecting the best one, you should use this article as a guide. If you do so, you will see why choosing products from Tru Earth will be the best option.
Our laundry strips provide a convenient and eco-friendly way of washing your clothes. It is an ultra-concentrated, hypoallergenic detergent that comes in pre-measured strips with no added liquid. The formula targets dirt and stains, keeping them suspended until they are rinsed away. In addition to being easy to use, the ingredients are safe, making these strips paraben-free, phosphate-free, dye-free, and chlorine bleach-free.
Independent laboratory tests have confirmed that it does not contain 1,4-dioxane and is readily biodegradable according to OECD 310D standards. Additionally, dermatologists have certified it as hypoallergenic, which is suitable for vegans since no animal ingredients or animal testing are used in its creation.
By choosing our fragrance-free laundry detergent strips, you are choosing the best solution for you and your family’s clothing and the environment. Join the Tru Earth movement, and live clean, green, and simple.
