How to do Laundry the Green Way

Doing laundry may be a chore, but fresh laundry is one of life’s little pleasures, especially if done the green way. Taking time to learn how to do laundry with homemade, eco-friendly products is a great investment for you and your family. Not only is it simple and affordable, but it’s also a healthful way to clean your clothes.

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Do I Have To Wash By Hand?

You should do whatever makes the most economic sense for you. If you don’t have time, energy, or patience to hand wash your clothing, then invest in a washing machine or head to the laundromat. Drying your clothes the natural way is energy efficient and also saves you money. Machine washing your clothes with natural ingredients and naturally drying them is still quite eco-friendly, even if you’re not willing or able to hand wash.

What You Need

• Castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap is a popular brand), shaved

• Washing soda

• Borax

• White vinegar

• Clothes drying rack or clothesline

What To Do

To make laundry detergent, mix one bar of shaved soap with one cup of washing soda and one cup of baking soda. Stir until you get a crumbly laundry detergent consistency. Store in an airtight container.

1. To Remove stains: If the stain is still fresh, rinse with cold water immediately. If the stain is set, then spray it with vinegar water, and let the piece of clothing sit in the sun for an hour or so. You can also soak the stain in 3% hydrogen peroxide before washing. Hydrogen peroxide will also brighten clothes when you add one cup of it to your laundry.

2. Washing clothes: Separate clothes out and wash them like you normally would, adding one to three tablespoons of detergent per load.

3. Softening clothes: Add ¼ to ½ cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

4. Drying clothes: Choose the clothes drying solution that is right for you. If you don’t have much laundry, a simple clothes drying rack is sufficient, whether indoors or outdoors. While clothing dries best outdoors and on a sunny day, you can also use the heat of your home. A retractable clothesline is portable and can also be used either indoors or outdoors. An umbrella clothesline is another space-efficient way to dry clothing if you want to do so outdoors.

That’s all there is to it! Not only is doing your laundry naturally a healthful decision, but it also saves you money. With that in mind, you just might start to enjoy doing laundry after all.