by Jennifer Lim

Created on: February 13, 2009   Last Updated: February 16, 2009

Doing your laundry in a greener way not only help save the environment, it will also help you save money.

What is greener laundry?

Doing your laundry the greener way can be measured by the carbon footprint of the product, that is, the distance the product travel to your nearest shop.The electricity consumed when using washing machine, the environmental credential of the detergent and the type of materials used in the container are also vital benchmark for green living.

How can we do to make doing laundry greener?

1. Choose detergent with plant and vegetable based ingredients. Conventional detergent contains ingredients that are petroleum based and phosphates, Phosphate is not good for the environment as it cause algae blooms which is not friendly to the ecosystems and marine life. Plant based detergent is also gentler for the skin.

2. Concentrated detergent reduces packaging hence, more products can be sent out in one shipment hence reducing carbon footprints.

3. Laundry detergent bottle made from polyethylene and polypropylene is 100% recyclable using low energy process.

4. There are alternative to using detergent in our washing machine. Ecoballs is a hypoallergenic, residue free and anti bacterial alternative to conventional detergent. The mineral salts in the Ecoballs produce ionised oxygen that penetrates into the fabric fibres and eliminate dirt and grime. Ecoballs are reusable for up to 1,000 washes. As Ecoballs contain no soap, there is no need for extra rinsing hence saving energy. The lack of detergent is also good for our water and eco systems.

5. Use front loading washing machine bearing the Energy Star logo. Front loading machine uses lesser water than top loading.

6. Wash laundry in cold water. Majority of energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. Nowadays, there are eco friendly detergents that will give your clothes a clean wash in cold water. Wash in cold water means less energy used which also means savings in your electricity bill.

7. Wash clothes only on a full load. Planned your washing so you don't have to wash your clothes everyday and you wouldn't run out of clothes to wear.

8. Dry your clothes naturally instead of electric dryer. If possible, hang clothes in the open, in your garden. Otherwise, dry clothes on a portable liner inside the house. Either dries your clothes in a room where the sun shines through or if your house is heated (in winter), hang your clothes in an area where the warm air circulate.

It is easy to start doing laundry in a greener way. The ethos to a greener lifestyle is reduced, recycle and reuse. By following the above recommendations, not only would you fulfil the green ethos, do your part for the environment, you will reduce your bills and make huge savings.

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