Washing clothes - My experience!

This week I tried the three suggested things to wash clothes in a environmental friendly way:

1. Find biodegradable detergent
2. Don't use regular fabric softener or find biodegradable alternative
3. Don't use chlorine

Here the results:

1. I went to the supermarket and look for a biodegradable detergent. For my surprise, comparing with the one I was used to buy, the biodegradable one is a local brand and the cost is not as high. I bought it and have already used it with good results.

2. Also, for my surprise, the biodegradable detergent brand also offers a biodegradable fabric softener. The price is great and the bottle contains more product than the regular one. Good choice!!

3. I never use chlorine, so, nothing new to try here.

4. I washed clothes with cold water all the time and I don't have a dryer machine, I was doing something right already!

Now that I tried using biodegradable products, I only have one concern: how do i get refills instead of buying more plastic bottles? I can recycle them, but it would be nice to just get refills and get rid of so much plastic bottles! I will find out if this is an option!

This is all for now!!

P. (San José, Costa Rica)

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