Friday Fix: Laundry Time!

Big changes happen one step at a time. To help you take steps towards a more environmentally enlightened life, every Friday I'll feature a quick fix that helps you upgrade a small aspect of your life. I'm not paid to use any of these products, and yes - I really do use them in my everyday life!

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Today we're talking laundry. The bane of everyone's existence, I know.

There are a surprising number of chemicals involved in getting your laundry done, from synthetic detergents and artificial scents, to long-lasting, fabric-softening carcinogens. All those chemicals are worrying for a couple of reasons. First among them is your own health. Your skin, after all, is an organ, and a highly absorbent one at that. When you coat your clothes with chemicals and wear those next to your skin all day, some amount of those chemicals are being absorbed back into your system. In the U.S., makers of household cleaning products aren't required to disclose all of the ingredients in their products (just the especially toxic ones). Kind of gross to think that in addition to your daily multivitamin, your body is also getting a daily dose of ethanol, alpha-pinene, and God knows what else. And when these products are heated up (as in the case of dryer sheets), some of those chemicals are also vaporized into the air you're breathing, too.

If that's not enough, there's also the downstream impact of laundry products. The synthetic petrochemicals from your laundry detergent drain out of your machine and add hard-to-remove contaminants to the water supply. Dryer sheets, meanwhile, are essentially a chemical-coated polyester (i.e. plastic) sheet that add chemicals to your clothes and won't biodegrade once you throw them away.

Luckily for you, the market is getting wise to the need for less damaging laundry.

Laundry Detergents

There are a bunch of biodegradable laundry soaps available now in easy-access retailers like Target and Costco. I personally like using Seventh Generation, though I've also used Costco's biodegradable detergent in the past. Or you could take a stab at making your own (full disclosure, I've not given this a shot yet.)

• A super interesting side note - borax, an important mineral used in many laundry detergents, was once mined in Death Valley, California. The Harmony Borax Works (1883-1888) became famous for using 20-mule teams to haul wagons of borax through the desert valley (in 100+ degree heat!) to the closest railroad station in Mojave. I've been to Death Valley and seen the remains of the Harmony factory, and all I can tell you is...wow. Those were some tough-as-nails people. Yikes.

Dryer Solutions

When it comes to the dryer, you've got a few different options. Obviously, the best option is to line dry your clothes - easy on the environment, and will help your clothes last longer. Of course, weather doesn't always cooperate and not all of us have the space to line dry a whole load of laundry.

When it comes to using the dryer, you could opt for a more eco-friendly dryer sheet. But my favorite discovery of late has been EcoNuts Wool Dryer Balls.

Essentially, dryer balls are fist-sized balls of wool that gently pummel your laundry while it tumbles, helping to soften clothes, circulate air, and reduce drying time. And because they're reusable, you never have to buy more dryer sheets or throw anything out! I've loved using mine - and if I want to add a gentle scent to my laundry, I just sprinkle the dryer balls with whatever essential oil I have on hand (this week it was lavender).

So there you have it - some easy swaps that will make your laundry experience healthier for you and the planet. Unfortunately, there's no workaround for folding it and putting it away...

Have a great weekend!