miércoles, 6 de mayo de 2015

Washing clothes...


Now that I live in Germany and we have four seasons I understand better why you should take better care of your clothes and shoes. Here you have specialized pullovers, jackets and shoes for rain, wind and snow that aren't cheap -you don't want to buy new anyway ; ) - and that you want to have ready to wear when it is time again.

Some of the tips to better take care of your clothes:

I wash my clothes only if necessary
I study the stain and smell factor. I sometimes remove a stain with a humid towel and I can wear a pullover again. I wear my jeans the whole week without problem. You can always hang your clothes to air and get read of smells... We all have our limits but make sure you are doing an effort not to throw all your clothes immediately in the washing machine.
I wash them cold or 30° Celsius. In Costa Rica we wash all clothes with cold water and the clothes come out clean. It took time to my husband (he is german) to understand that you don't need hot water to wash clothes.

I do hand wash. Yes, it is not so funny but there are very delicate clothes that wont last 6 months if I throw them in the washing machine. I soak them in little soap, I make sure the stains are removed and ready. I do several pieces in one bucket... starting with the less dirty and light util the dark and dirty.

I don't use a dryer. We decided not to buy one because of saving space, and energy and Using these machines may cause clothes to shrink or become less soft (due to loss of short soft fibers/lint). (2)
But if you want to buy one there are solar ones ad some are more effective the others. (More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clothes_dryer

I use an environmental friendly detergent. Please try. It is important to protect the water. Skip artificial fragrances, which can be among the most toxic components of any home or personal care product. Surfactants like nonylphenol ethoxylate are known to be hormone disrupters (1), and can end up in our waterways. Brands like Seventh Generation, Ecover, Method, Planet and Biokleen offer eco-friendly laundry detergents that eliminate polluting ingredients and are often biodegradable.1

I skip the fabric softener. It is all but good for the environment, it contains a lot of chemicals that are hormonal disrupters, it could cause asthma and, and, and... Here a complete article about it: http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/11/dont-get-slimed-skip-fabric-softener  

Thanks to Paula I found out that vinegar does the work of a softener: Vinegar is cheap and nontoxic, effective and antimicrobial. It naturally softens and as a bonus, it helps to remove soap residue. Finally, vinegar aids in static reduction during drying. Just add it to the rinse cycle and you’re good to go. Homemade fabric softener doesn’t get much easier than that!
Source: http://www.m.com/your-home/at-home/stories/3-easy-homemade-fabric-softeer-recipes#sixzz3ZST4Ifsf

I don't use bleach, chlorine. I never use bleach. The sun is better bleaching and you can use also baking soda. My mum uses it and it works very well.

Just remember: the less you wash your clothes the longer they will last.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_disruptor
2. http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/eco-friendly-laundry-tips


3 comentarios:

  1. I didn't know the softener was so bad for the environment! I will keep it on mind or find a substitute if I need it. Thanks!!

    ResponderBorrar
  2. Baking soda instead of bleach? Wow, I didnt know!!! I love trying new things!

    ResponderBorrar
  3. Paula, I found out that simple Vinegar does work like softener:
    "Vinegar is cheap and nontoxic, effective and antimicrobial. It naturally softens and as a bonus, it helps to remove soap residue. Finally, vinegar aids in static reduction during drying. Just add it to the rinse cycle and you’re good to go".
    I haven't try it but I trust vinegar!

    Source: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/3-easy-homemade-fabric-softener-recipes#ixzz3ZST4Ifsf

    ResponderBorrar