Five Ways to Be Green While Washing the Laundry

Cold Water

• Instead of washing your clothes with hot water, select the cold water setting on your washing machine. According to Energy Star, about 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes occurs when the water is heated. Washing your laundry in cold water saves money on your electric bill and it helps to reduce carbon emissions. Cold water also helps clothes last longer because it does not fade the colors.

Clothes Line

• Dryers use a lot of energy to produce enough heat to dry a load of laundry. While placing your clothes in the dryer may seem convenient, you can save money and help the environment by hanging them on a clothesline. When you dry laundry on a clothesline, you do not have to add dryer sheets or other ingredients to prevent static electricity, which also protects the environment from potentially harmful chemicals.

Full Load

• Fill your washing machine instead of laundering only one or two items at a time. Loading the machine full of clothes allows you to conserve energy. If your washing machine has a quick setting, use it to reduce the rinse and wash times. Avoid cramming too many clothes into the washer, though, because overloading can prevent the water from contacting all the clothing and cleaning it properly.

Baking Soda

• Add baking soda to your load of laundry. Baking soda helps to brighten clothes and it softens the water. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into top-load machines or 1/4 cup into front-loading machines. Baking soda also helps to remove odors. Cut your detergent and bleach in half when you add the baking soda to reduce the amount of chemicals that you are using.

Lemon Juice

• Instead of using bleach to whiten small items such as socks, pillowcases and linens, soak the items in lemon juice. Cut one whole lemon into round slices and place them into a large cooking pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the items that you wish to whiten. Bring the water to a boil and then turn off the heat. Place the white fabric into the pot, soak the items for one hour and then launder according to the care label. Alternatively, add a cup of lemon juice to the washing machine in addition to your regular laundry detergent.