Day 93 – Say NO to Bleach

Nature Bright

 

…say HELLO to Nature Bright! 

Okay, so some people like the smell of bleach, but isn’t it like liking the smell of gasoline or rubber cement or other equally terrible things to breathe?  To me, a clean house smells like…well…nothing!  I suffer from allergies, and indoor pollutants like chemicals and perfumes make me feel worse.  Maybe you like the smell of it, but are your children suffering…or your pets? 

I use Nature Bright for my laundry and stain removal.  It is an “effective alternative to chlorine bleach. [and is] Color safe and can be used with any washable fabric.”  It is of course bleach-free, but is also natural, biodegradable, and contains no phosphates.  Plus, it is 60% more effective than the leading brand on grass stains! 

Don’t suffer anymore.  Support your children with allergies and asthma by eliminating harsh cleaners from your house.  Choose alternatives like this that are safe and effective.

Day 17 – Laundry

Shirts Eventually Become "Laundry"

Whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you, we all have laundry.  So, how can you make this experience more green?  Here are some tips:

1.  Change your detergent.  Not all detergents are created equally and not all water goes into a sewer for purification.  Make sure that you’re using a biodegradable detergent that’s safe for the environment.  I personally use Shaklee’s Get Clean, one of Oprah’s Favorite Things, which you can order online here (regular or fragrance-free, and if you get the liquid don’t forget to order your reusable pump). 
2.  Wash cooler.  Using a lower temperature to wash your clothes reduces the energy needed to heat your water.
3.  Don’t use bleach!  Bleach is toxic for you, for the environment, and for the workers who make it.  Instead, use an oxygen-powered whitener like Shaklee’s Nature Bright.
4.  Air dry.  Save energy by air drying your clothes on a clothesline outside or by hanging your clothes in an open area indoors.
5.  Wash only full loads.  Do you really need that last towel washed, or can you wait for the next laundry day?  Think about it.
6.  Diminish your dependence on dry cleaning.  I incorporate clothing care requirements into my clothes shopping experiences.  If I can buy a machine-washable version, I’ll take a pass on the dry cleaning.
7.  Hang it up!  If you dry your clothes in a machine, hang up shirts and other items that might need ironing immediately after removing them from the dryer.  I do this even when the shirts are a little bit damp but still very warm.  Most of the time, this eliminates the need for ironing.  If your closet is so full that your clothes are getting crushed, it’s time to weed out old clothes in order to reduce the pressure on your hanging clothes and thus reduce the need for ironing later.
8.  Go HE.  If you’re in the market for a new washer and dryer, choose a high-efficiency (HE) version.
9.  Launder during off hours.  Even well-vented dryers and washing machines bring heat and humidity into your house.  Do your laundry at times when it won’t be a strain on your cooling system.
10.  Clean your machines.  Take the lint out of your lint trap in the dryer and out of the lint trap in your washer after every load.  When drying items that generate a lot of lint, I check the dryer half way through the drying time and empty the lint trap then, too.  Have a service professional come to your home and give your machines a tune-up now and then.  This will make your machines more efficient.

Please share with me any other green laundry tips that you have.