Challenge #3 is going great! I just love the Sun and Earth detergent and it's light citrus fragrance. We have used only this now for a little over a month.
The white vinegar did well for a while but leaving some clothes with a little too much static so for now I am using fabric softener sheets. When the weather will allow me to hang out clothes I will stop using these.
Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laundry. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
2012 Personal Challenge #3 - Green my laundry room
Well I started off the year with making my own laundry detergent and fabric softener sheets only to be disappointed in the detergent and not liking the messy softener.
The detergent worked great on everyday clothing without a lot of dirt but didn't do much for work clothes or my 2 yr old clothes so I have decided to try and find an inexpensive but good natural/green laundry detergent.
In my search I was able to find Sun and Earth laundry detergent at our Giant, regular price $8.99, on sale for $7.99 for 100fl oz and doing 52 loads. I love the light citrus smell and hope that it works well.
As for fabric softener I will be using white vinegar in a downy ball and sprinkling arm and hammer baking soda in the wash. I only use fabric softener in the winter as I hang my clothes to dry during warm weather.
After reviewing a ton of information regarding the use of oxi-clean I have chosen to forgo using this product and instead use Arm and Hammer washing soda which can be found in the laundry section next to the borax.
I already reuse the dryer lint to make homemade fire starters, I only use water when I iron, I use a timed setting on my dryer and I wash clothes in cold water. Not too sure if I can do anything else to make it greener except maybe vent the dryer into the basement during the winter to add some extra heat. Hmmmmmm that's a good idea so I guess I will be researching that also.
Updates for this challenge will posted in the future.
The detergent worked great on everyday clothing without a lot of dirt but didn't do much for work clothes or my 2 yr old clothes so I have decided to try and find an inexpensive but good natural/green laundry detergent.
In my search I was able to find Sun and Earth laundry detergent at our Giant, regular price $8.99, on sale for $7.99 for 100fl oz and doing 52 loads. I love the light citrus smell and hope that it works well.
As for fabric softener I will be using white vinegar in a downy ball and sprinkling arm and hammer baking soda in the wash. I only use fabric softener in the winter as I hang my clothes to dry during warm weather.
After reviewing a ton of information regarding the use of oxi-clean I have chosen to forgo using this product and instead use Arm and Hammer washing soda which can be found in the laundry section next to the borax.
I already reuse the dryer lint to make homemade fire starters, I only use water when I iron, I use a timed setting on my dryer and I wash clothes in cold water. Not too sure if I can do anything else to make it greener except maybe vent the dryer into the basement during the winter to add some extra heat. Hmmmmmm that's a good idea so I guess I will be researching that also.
Updates for this challenge will posted in the future.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Go green drying your clothes
Line dry -- like grandma used to do.
Dry your clothes on a laundry line rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine, costing more than $100 a year to operate, according to Project Laundry List.
Drying your clothes on the line can save you as much as $10 a month, said Brad Stroh, co-founder of Bills.com. Laundry lines vary in cost, from about $5 for a simple rope line to $500 or more for deluxe models.
Dry your clothes on a laundry line rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine, costing more than $100 a year to operate, according to Project Laundry List.
Drying your clothes on the line can save you as much as $10 a month, said Brad Stroh, co-founder of Bills.com. Laundry lines vary in cost, from about $5 for a simple rope line to $500 or more for deluxe models.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Go green with your laundry
"Green" your laundry.
Detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches can be toxic to your family and to the environment. Some surfactants and fragrances in laundry detergents contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can't always be removed by wastewater treatment plants and end up harming local wildlife. Chlorine bleach is not only poisonous for humans, but can create dangerous byproducts, such as dioxin, when flushed down the drain. Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.
The eco-friendlier detergents and bleaches cost no more than standard
products.
Switch to cold water.
Almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Save money and energy. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use
Turning the dial from hot to warm will cut your energy use by 50 percent per load, and save you up to $63 a year, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.
Line dry -- like grandma used to do.
Dry your clothes on a laundry line rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine, costing more than $100 a year to operate, according to Project Laundry List.
Drying your clothes on the line can save you as much as $10 a month, said Brad Stroh, co-founder of Bills.com. Laundry lines vary in cost, from about $5 for a simple rope line to $500 or more for deluxe models.
No hint of lint.
Clean your dryer lint screen with every use and don't overload the dryer.
You'll save up to 5 percent on your electricity bill -- which could mean an energy-equivalent savings of 350 million gallons of gasoline per year if everyone did this. Also, run your dryer during off-peak hours. Check with your utility company to see if they offer discounted rates during off-peak hours and verify when those hours are. Better yet, use a clothesline.
From warm to cold.
Set warm wash and cold rinse cycles and save 90 percent of the energy used when using hot water only. And run your washer during off-peak hours.
Together, all U.S. households could save the energy equivalent of 100 thousand barrels of oil a day by switching from hot-hot to warm-cold cycles. Check with your utility company to see if they offer any discounted rates during off-peak hours.
Detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches can be toxic to your family and to the environment. Some surfactants and fragrances in laundry detergents contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that can't always be removed by wastewater treatment plants and end up harming local wildlife. Chlorine bleach is not only poisonous for humans, but can create dangerous byproducts, such as dioxin, when flushed down the drain. Get your clothes clean without all of the pollution by switching to eco-friendlier cleaners. The companies Ecover, Sun & Earth, Seventh Generation and OxyPrime make less-toxic alternatives to traditional laundry detergents. Try nonchlorine bleach such as OxyBoost or Ecover's hydrogen peroxide-based option.
The eco-friendlier detergents and bleaches cost no more than standard
products.
Switch to cold water.
Almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes is used to heat the water, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Save money and energy. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use
Turning the dial from hot to warm will cut your energy use by 50 percent per load, and save you up to $63 a year, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.
Line dry -- like grandma used to do.
Dry your clothes on a laundry line rather than throwing them in the dryer. Clothes dyers are the third-largest energy users in the home, behind the refrigerator and washing machine, costing more than $100 a year to operate, according to Project Laundry List.
Drying your clothes on the line can save you as much as $10 a month, said Brad Stroh, co-founder of Bills.com. Laundry lines vary in cost, from about $5 for a simple rope line to $500 or more for deluxe models.
No hint of lint.
Clean your dryer lint screen with every use and don't overload the dryer.
You'll save up to 5 percent on your electricity bill -- which could mean an energy-equivalent savings of 350 million gallons of gasoline per year if everyone did this. Also, run your dryer during off-peak hours. Check with your utility company to see if they offer discounted rates during off-peak hours and verify when those hours are. Better yet, use a clothesline.
From warm to cold.
Set warm wash and cold rinse cycles and save 90 percent of the energy used when using hot water only. And run your washer during off-peak hours.
Together, all U.S. households could save the energy equivalent of 100 thousand barrels of oil a day by switching from hot-hot to warm-cold cycles. Check with your utility company to see if they offer any discounted rates during off-peak hours.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Homemade Fabric Softener
2 Cups White Vinegar
2 Cups Baking Soda
4 Cups Water
Combine slowly and carefully over sink. The baking soda and vinegar will fizz.
Pour into plastic bottle, cover, and shake.
*Hint - Reuse your "Downy" bottle.
Use 1/4 cup in the final rinse or in a "Downy Ball".
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Homemade Laundry Detergent
1 bar soap (grated- I used Fels Naptha)
1/2 cup borax
1/2 cup washing soda
3 gallons total water
use 1/2 cup per full load- 1/4 for small half loads.
grate and melt 1 bar soap into pan filled with 1 gallon water- do not boil. Once dissolved add borax and washing soda-stir to dissolve....add 2 gallons water, pour into containers....can use right away....will "gel" in a few hours. ( I stored mine in the 5 gal bucket and stirred it before each use)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Homemade Mock Oxi-Clean
1 cup powdered cascade
1 cup Clorox II
5 gallons hot water
Soak overnight
You can mix up the recipe and use it all at once or I mix the dry ingreds and keep stored in a cool dry place. Then when I need to soak some items I use 2 scoops (scooper left from old oxi clean) in a kitchen sink full of hot water. I used to do all at once and soak the items in the washer but it is wasteful doing like that if you only have 1-2 items.
1 cup Clorox II
5 gallons hot water
Soak overnight
You can mix up the recipe and use it all at once or I mix the dry ingreds and keep stored in a cool dry place. Then when I need to soak some items I use 2 scoops (scooper left from old oxi clean) in a kitchen sink full of hot water. I used to do all at once and soak the items in the washer but it is wasteful doing like that if you only have 1-2 items.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Ways to save in the laundry room
There are so many ways to save in the laundry room.
Lets start with the washer....wash clothes in cold water and cold rinse, make sure to wash full loads but do not over stuff the washer as the agitation is what helps to clean the clothes, experimenting using less of the recommended amount of detergent seeing how far you can cut back without interfering with the cleanliness of your clothes, research the prices of detergent and determine a set price that you will allow yourself to spend (example: I never pay more than $2.99 for a 32oz bottle of detergent and I use 1/2 of the recommended amount per load unless clothes are extremely dirty), instead of buying laundry detergent you can always make your own (which works great if you don't have hard water like me), don't buy overpriced stain removers (use items you already have around the house..dawn dish liquid (food and grease stains), shampoo (body oils), etc.., if clothes are really dirty use 1/2 amt of detergent and soak for a few hours then add another 1/2 amt of detergent and wash. Add vinegar to the bleach compartment and sprinkle baking soda in the wash to brighten, soften and help with static.
The dryer is easy....Don't use it and unplug it. Air dry clothes on drying racks and/or clothes lines, don't use fabric softener sheets as they are bad for the dryer-if you do use them cut them in half, use the shortest setting possible to allow clothes to dry and to prevent dryer running needlessly, make sure to empty lint trap after each load and wash it thoroughly every so often to prevent build up of fabric softener which can cause a fire.
I am sure there are more and as I think of them I will add to this. If you have any tips you'd like to share we would love to hear them.
Lets start with the washer....wash clothes in cold water and cold rinse, make sure to wash full loads but do not over stuff the washer as the agitation is what helps to clean the clothes, experimenting using less of the recommended amount of detergent seeing how far you can cut back without interfering with the cleanliness of your clothes, research the prices of detergent and determine a set price that you will allow yourself to spend (example: I never pay more than $2.99 for a 32oz bottle of detergent and I use 1/2 of the recommended amount per load unless clothes are extremely dirty), instead of buying laundry detergent you can always make your own (which works great if you don't have hard water like me), don't buy overpriced stain removers (use items you already have around the house..dawn dish liquid (food and grease stains), shampoo (body oils), etc.., if clothes are really dirty use 1/2 amt of detergent and soak for a few hours then add another 1/2 amt of detergent and wash. Add vinegar to the bleach compartment and sprinkle baking soda in the wash to brighten, soften and help with static.
The dryer is easy....Don't use it and unplug it. Air dry clothes on drying racks and/or clothes lines, don't use fabric softener sheets as they are bad for the dryer-if you do use them cut them in half, use the shortest setting possible to allow clothes to dry and to prevent dryer running needlessly, make sure to empty lint trap after each load and wash it thoroughly every so often to prevent build up of fabric softener which can cause a fire.
I am sure there are more and as I think of them I will add to this. If you have any tips you'd like to share we would love to hear them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)