Tips to make clothes greener

Helen Carefoot

THE WASHINGTON POST - Laundry day isn't exactly fun for most people, but it can be downright uncomfortable on earth.

Washing machines use liters of water and dryers use energy. Laundry detergents and drying wipes can release chemicals into water that require treatment, and washing clothes can release microplastics that are building up in the world's waterways at an alarming rate.

But it's getting easier and easier to clean clothes while they're still green. "You have to wash your clothes, but you can do very well to minimize the impact," said Jonathan Gilligan, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at Vanderbilt University who has studied the effects of individual measures on greenhouse gas emissions. While a consumer's decision to move to a more efficient washing machine alone will not outweigh the cumulative impact of major industries, he said, "It can have an effect. The individual actions are added up.

Here are expert-backed strategies to make your laundry day greener and less messy.

The machines you use have a significant impact on how much energy and water you save - or waste - on the wash day, experts say. Older appliances can have high utility bills, while newer, highly efficient washing machines use less water and energy at lower temperatures and higher spin speeds.

In most cases, front loading washers are more efficient than top loading washers because the position of the drum can make the spin cycle faster. "If the washing machine can drain most of the water out of clothes, the dryer has a lot less work to do," says Jessica Petrino, editor-in-chief of household and appliance store AJ Madison. based in New York.

The laundry should come out of the washing machine damp and not soaked. Front loaders with around 1,200 revolutions per minute (rpm) or higher are considered highly efficient according to Petrino.

Many dryers are now equipped with moisture sensors that help detect water on clothing. Another option are the heat pump dryers popular in Europe; They consume less energy than standard models by circulating the air in the drum, thus saving energy. Petrino said they are not popular in the United States because American devices are generally much larger than European devices, but he predicts that technology will adapt over the next decade.

In many cases it makes more economic and ecological sense to upgrade machines that are more than 10 years old, according to experts. They recommend machines that are certified under the US government's Energy Star program. Energy Star-certified washing machines use about 25% less energy and about 33% less water than standard models, according to the program's website, and Americans could save more than $ 3.3 billion annually, save bills and cut more than 19 billion pounds annually Greenhouse gas emissions if all washing machines purchased in the US were rated.

The Energy Star program maintains an extensive device database with detailed product specifications online (energystar.gov) as well as a tool for finding discounts and applying for tax credits for energy efficient devices.

And remember: a clean machine is an efficient machine. Let white vinegar go through a cleaning cycle to remove product residue and bacteria if it smells bad. (Toronto Clean My Space founder Melissa Maker said do this two to four times a year to be on the safe side.) Clean the dryer duct and dryer drain pump once or twice a year. And empty the dryer lint filter before each load.

Even the most efficient machine still wastes water and electricity if you don't know how to run it properly, Maker said. Automatic cycles can add too much water or heat. Read the instruction manual; Unless something is really dirty, a basic wash cycle with cold or warm water is sufficient for cleaning in combination with a high-performance machine and detergent.

Skipping the dryer entirely is one of the greatest energy saving switches you can make and it can help your clothes last longer. The dryer "adds abrasion and there's no getting around it even if you turn down the heat," said Laundry Love: Finding Joy in a Common Chore writer Patric Richardson. Ideally, air dry with a rack or clothesline on a dry, sunny day; Do not install the rack in an area with excessive dirt, dust, or moisture. If wrinkles are an issue, Richardson recommends drying on a clothesline and then tumbling the clothes for a quick air cycle.

Extend the time between washes by using clothes and reusing towels that are softer on fabrics and can make clothes last longer. Avoid small loads, but do not stack the machine as this can make work difficult. And pay attention to the amount of detergent you use. Excess detergent makes it difficult to rinse out, leaves the clothes crispy and extends the washing and drying times.

Finally, think about your own clothes. Julie Masura, who teaches environmental science at the University of Washington at Tacoma and studies marine microplastics in Puget Sound, suggests using natural materials to prevent microplastics from being carried away by sewage; Loose clothing, frayed cut edges and rolled fabrics are more likely to fall off, he wrote in an email. She uses the Guppyfriend Wash Bag ($ 34.95, guppyfriend.us) to catch the loose fibers.

Co-owner Jean Calleja of Eco Laundry Company, a sustainable laundry and drying service in New York City, said his company offers two options to its customers: Eco's hypoallergenic laundry detergent with built-in fabric softener or signature scented laundry detergent. Both are vegetable.

But not all products are what they claim to be. Look for specific, verifiable claims, not nebulous terms like "natural" or "green". In addition to the Good Housekeeping Green Seal, which assesses the brands' product performance and environmental impact, Carolyn Forte, director of the Housekeeping and Appliances Laboratory at the Good Housekeeping Institute, recommended looking for products bearing the USDA-certified BioBased label, a voluntary labeling program , which is partially made from renewable agricultural products; The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice label highlights ingredients that are considered safer for humans and the environment than conventional chemical ingredients.

Richardson also has a simple solution: don't buy products that have a lot of ingredients that you cannot identify or pronounce. For example, instead of using fabric softeners with irritating fragrances, she suggests adding white vinegar to the fabric softener cap to relax the fibers without a long-lasting film. Wool or plastic dryer balls can be reused in place of dryer sheets to reduce static electricity. Baking soda can help with stains.

And don't forget the packaging. Powdered or solid products are easier to pack and ship than liquids.

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