As we step into the new year, many might have made new resolutions for this upcoming year. From waking up early, to being more productive, as we move into this new year, it’s important that we make resolutions to adopt cleaner and sustainable sources that would save the environment. Saving the environment is not an option anymore, never was but it can be the wise choice we make today to save our beautiful tomorrow!

One of the ways you can save the environment is by changing the way you do your laundry. Laundry isn’t just a chore- it can be a grind for the planet too. Considering that the average household in North America washes around 300 loads every year, consuming energy, flushing chemicals and microplastics into water bodies, and devouring as many as 6000 gallons of water every year in North America alone.

The routine tasks come with consequences we normally don’t think about but this doesn’t have to be the same way anymore. The good news is greenifying your laundry can be done more easily than you can assume, saving you money on the electricity and wear and tear of your wardrobe in the process. To protect both your clothes and the environment you can follow some simple tips on how to wash more sustainably. In this blog, you can find out ways to do your laundry in an eco-friendly way.

Wash clothes less

Washing some items of clothes less frequently aids in the conservation of energy and water resources. For example, washing jeans every five wears rather than every two saves up to 80% on energy use and the effects of climate change and water consumption.
Even washing towels and coats after a few wears is also a good way to save on the electricity bill as well as the washing supplies. Clothes worn in winter don’t get unclean very easily since there is much less sweat and dirt and hence clothes in winter can be washed after a few wears.

Eco-Friendly Laundry Supplies

Many common chemical detergents include harmful components that, if not disposed of appropriately, can have major health and environmental effects. These pollutants can build up in our drinking water and soil, potentially contaminating our food supply. When doing laundry, it’s crucial to be conscious, choosing eco-friendly detergents over conventional ones and utilizing efficient washing machines that use less hot water, lowering energy consumption.

Say No to Plastic Containers

The magnitude of the plastic laundry jug (detergent jugs) waste problem is mind-boggling. In North America alone, about one billion plastic washing jugs are thrown each year. Only 30% of them are recycled, with the remaining 70% ending up cluttering oceans and streams or building up in landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to decompose. 

If we want to ameliorate the effects of the environmental catastrophe and prevent future generations from inheriting a dirty world, we must all take action. The most straightforward approach is to purchase a single plastic jug and reuse it by refilling it with detergent from zero-waste businesses or refill stations.

Unfortunately, many individuals still need to be educated about their consumption habits, particularly regarding single-use plastics. These single-use plastics have the potential to harm our world in the long run. 

Cold Water while Washing

According to recent Harvard University research, washing clothing in cold water is just as effective as washing them in hot water. Cold water not only has environmental benefits, but it also reduces the amount of energy consumed in the washing machine, because 90% of the energy is utilized to heat the water. Cold washing eliminates one of the most serious laundry risks: shrinking garments! Some textiles are more prone to shrinking when exposed to high temperatures, thus those who have delicate materials should always use the cold cycle. Also, hot water may lose the colors of some of the fabrics but you don’t have to worry about that when washing clothes with cold water.

Choose Air-drying

Dryers are the most energy-intensive appliances, consuming up to 6,000 watts of electricity when running. While air drying is always the most favored and energy-efficient method of drying garments, other solutions may exist. Even if you can’t hang your clothes outside to dry, hanging them inside to dry is always preferable to running your dryer. However, if using a dryer is the quickest and most effective way to dry your clothes, use it wisely and avoid single-use dryer sheets. 

Wash Heavy Load

When doing your laundry, make sure that your washing machine has a significant amount of clothes. With this, you can ensure a cut in your electricity bill as well as saving a lot on washing supplies. Avoid washing a few clothes per cycle instead, fill the washing machine to the optimum capacity that your clothes will be washed thoroughly.

Hand Washing

When there is a need to wash small quantities of clothes both in size and quantity, prefer to wash them by hand. When you do so, you can wash the delicates gently with cold water and rub softly on your hands and save so much more laundry detergent along with a substantial decrease in your electricity bill. This not only helps you financially but also reduces the wear and tear of delicate clothes.

If this sounds like too much work, then we might just have something for you. If you are someone who doesn’t enjoy doing laundry and also cares about the environment, then your solution is right at your fingertips. All you have to do is go to Lndry, sign up, and choose the time and place where you want your dirty laundry to be collected and where you want it to get delivered. 

And we save the environment too! How do you ask?

Lndry is committed to providing solutions that are eco-friendly and reusable. We use a unique method that utilizes sand instead of hard chemicals to dry-clean your clothes. This helps minimize cross-contamination and aging of clothes.

Our goal is to save water by optimizing the cleaning process and minimizing plastic waste by providing reusable bags free of cost and recycling our plastic used in-house.