My Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Laundry Routine

by Amanda | Dec 19, 2020 | Eco-Friendly and Sustainable, Home Life, Natural Cleaning

One of the sustainable practices I have started this year is beginning a less wasteful and less toxic laundry routine. This was one area of our lives where I felt my family and I were being exposed to quite a few toxins in the products we were using. I started to research and look into less toxic alternatives for washing and drying our laundry. Through this process, I have found several ways to not only reduce the toxins my family is exposed to through our previous laundry routine, but have also found ways to reduce our waste, energy used and save us money all at the same time!

Washing

One of the most money-saving and eco-friendly practices we use during our washing process is using cold water. Approximately 75% of the energy required to wash a load of laundry is attributed to heating the water. Using cold water saves money because you do not use as much energy to hear the water and puts less pressure on electricity grids. Hot water also can damage and fade clothing. Using cold water will also help your colors stay brighter for longer and prolong the life of your wardrobe.

Another change we made to our laundry routine was using a less toxic and less wasteful laundry detergent. Instead of using popular (and toxic!) brands like Gain and Tide, I have chosen to switch to using either Tru Earth Landry strips or making my own laundry detergent with Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap.

I like Tru Earth because of their plastic-free mission. The laundry strips I have purchased do a fair job cleaning laundry with no measuring. I chose the unscented option since added fragrance tends to be where you are potentially exposed to unknown toxins. I also like that Tru Earth laundry strips come in minimal and recyclable packaging.

Making Your Own Laundry Detergent

I also like to make my own laundry detergent with Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap. Castile soap is a concentrated multi-purpose cleaner that is available in a bar or a liquid. This extremely effective cleaner was originally named after the olive-oil based soaps from its renowned namesake Castile, Spain. This vegetable-based oil cleaner is completely natural and free of animal fats and synthetic ingredients. I prefer the liquid form, but you can purchase the bar soap for cheaper and convert it to liquid form, although the consistency differs from traditional liquid castile soap. I have tried several different brands of liquid castile soap, but Dr. Bronner’s is my favorite.

Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile soap is made from all-natural and biodegradable ingredients with only organic coconut, hemp, jojoba, palm, and olive oils. It is certified fair-trade and non-GMO with zero foaming agents. AND Dr. Bronner’s bottles are made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. One of my favorite things about Dr. Bronner’s is that it is scented with essential oils instead of toxic artificial fragrances as well, coming in a wide variety of scents. Swapping castile soap for traditional laundry detergent has been amazing!

To make my own laundry detergent, I purchased a large one-gallon glass drink dispensing container on Amazon and added 1 cup of Dr. Bronner’s lavender liquid castile soap then filled the rest with water. Sometimes in the spring or summer, I add lemon and orange essential oils to this detergent mixture to give my laundry a fresh citrusy scent.

Dr. Bronner’s label advertises 18 uses, but there are so many more than that! I have been able to replace more than 10 toxic personal care, hygiene and cleaning products in my home with liquid castile soap! I no longer buy laundry soap, dish soap or hand soap, shaving cream, bath oils, glass cleaner, face wash, degreaser, toilet cleaner, floor cleaner, and multi-purpose cleaners. This magical cleaner is fairly concentrated so dilution is required, but a little goes a very long way, saving me money as well.

Sustainable Swap of the Year! Read my guest blog post on Exploratree for more on castile soap and get other homemade cleaning recipes.

Natural Fabric Softeners

Fabric softeners are another way that toxins can sneak into your laundry. SO many fabric softeners contain added artificial fragrances. This wide array of chemicals oftentimes are not required to be listed on the label if considered a “trade secret”, but can cause hormonal issues, allergies, and even infertility! Using an all-natural fabric softener like white vinegar, baking soda, or Epsom salts will reduce your and your family’s toxin exposure and are a more sustainable option for your laundry.

If using white vinegar as a fabric softener, be sure to add to the rinse cycle instead of the wash cycle. Vinegar is acidic and can neutralize base soap, rendering it useless. If using baking soda or Epsom salts, add 1/4 c to your wash load to give your laundry added softness.

Here’s a quick Tik Tok I made about my sustainable laundry routine.

Are you on Tik Tok?

Follow me at Amanda @ Donna Naturale for more tips and tricks!

Natural Laundry Detergent Boosters

Using a laundry detergent booster is not necessary to get your laundry clean, but for extra dirty loads of baby, teen boy, or workout clothing I like to use a laundry booster. My favorite natural laundry booster is borax. 20 Mule Team borax is another natural cleaning staple in my home because I can use it for so many things, one of those being for laundry. Other natural laundry detergent boosters include peroxide, lemon juice, and white vinegar. If using a laundry detergent booster, add this to the bleach compartment in your washing machine.

Check out my NO-TOX Laundry Favs Idea List on Amazon

Drying

For drying laundry sustainably, my preference will always be hanging on the clothesline. Nothing beats the smell of sheets and towels fresh off of the line! But I don’t always like this option for cold Indiana winters so sometimes I use a folding drying rack indoors or my traditional clothes dryer.

When I use my dryer, I try to use a low to medium heat setting for greater energy efficiency. I also like to use my 100% organic wool Friendsheep dryer balls in place of dryer softener sheets. Wool dryer balls are a wonderfully sustainable and non-toxic option for drying clothing because they are chemical-free, plastic-free, and cruelty-free. Friendsheep organic dryer balls are also compostable and biodegradable. The benefits don’t stop there…these amazing (and reusable) little dryer balls also help eliminate static and wrinkles and reduce drying times 25-40%, saving you even more energy and money. I like to add a few drops of essential oils to my dryer balls to give my laundry a sweet smell. Some of my favorite Simply Earth pure essential oils for laundry are: clean linen scent (for towels and bedsheets), citrus scents like lemon or orange (in spring and summer), and cinnamon (in fall and winter).

With nine kids, laundry is a major chore at our house so when we chose to start choosing more sustainable and less toxic products, laundry detergent was at the top of the list! I hope you have enjoyed reading the ways I have been able to modify my laundry routine to make it more energy-efficient, more eco-friendly, less wasteful, and less toxic, all while saving money too!

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Natural Cleaners: Borax

by Amanda | Apr 10, 2020 | Eco-Friendly and Sustainable, Health and Wellness, Home Life, Natural Cleaning

Although it may not feel like it, spring is here! I have been using some of my extra time during this quarantine to do some spring cleaning, cleaning out drawers and closets, and paring down, donating things we don’t need or use.

I always love the smell after spring cleaning…the windows are open and I can smell the sweet scent of the hyacinths in the air blowing through and the fresh, clean smell of the lemon and orange oils from my homemade cleaners. I prefer to use chemical-free cleaners in our home and so I make my own. One of the most important staples I keep around for making homemade cleaners is 20 Mule Team Borax.

What is Heck is Borax?

Borax, also known as sodium tetraborate, is a white, powdery mineral mined from dried up lakes. Because it is a completely natural mineral, it is no more toxic than baking soda when used properly.

I first came across this magic mineral when I had my first child. My son had been put on soy formula and the stains were terrible to get out! I was talking about this with my grandmother one day while visiting her with the baby. She suggested pre-soaking in borax and water solution before washing. I asked her, “What the heck is borax?” My grandmother goes to the laundry room and comes back with a box of 20 Mule Team Borax. She was a cleaning lady for many years and also made her own natural cleaners.

I picked some up later that day. It was kind of hard to find in the laundry aisle at the store because it was shoved way back on a bottom shelf. I tried it that very night and was AMAZED at how well it worked! Why had I never heard of this before?

After it worked so well for removing the formula stains on the baby’s clothing, I was hooked! The box had a few other common uses printed on the back to clean rusty cooktops, remove mold and mildew stains and dissolve sticky messes. I had to know more…what else could I be using this for?

5 Great Uses for Borax

While Borax can be used for a myriad of household cleaning and deodorizing, here are FIVE ways to use borax around your home.

Use as a deodorizer- Borax powder can be used to deodorize carpets, stinky sneakers, garbage cans, refrigerators, mattresses, and garbage disposals,
Use to remove rust and limescale on tile, porcelain, cookware, and stainless steel. Because of its abrasive qualities, borax is a wonderful cleaner for bathrooms and kitchens.
Use outdoors to deter common pests like ants, fleas, water bugs, roaches, and other pesky insects. Borax can also be sprinkled around the base of fruit trees to enrich the soil, used as a weed killer, or used to scrub your outdoor furniture in the spring.
Use as a rinse agent in the dishwasher instead of the expensive and toxin-filled alternatives to prevent spots on glassware.
Use as a laundry booster. Borax can be used to boost the power of traditional laundry soap or can also be used to make your own detergent. Works well on stains too!

Using Borax Around My Home

I love that borax is so multi-purpose and also safe for my family. I use it as a laundry detergent booster as suggested on the box, but I utilize it for so many other applications around my home.

Borax works fantastically on those crusty, stove burners to clean grease and cooking spills.

With borax, white vinegar and a little elbow grease, this stovetop is gleaming!

I also use borax to combat insects that sneak their way into the house in the spring like ants. Mix 1/2 cup of sugar, 1.5 tbsp borax, and 1.5 cups warm water. Soak some cotton balls in the mixture and place in corners of the room, windowsills, cabinets, and counters to keep ants away.

Another way I use borax at home is to make a natural weed killer to spray the cracks of my driveway and sidewalk. This mixture is extremely easy to make and can be applied once yearly. I apply in the spring for best results. Dissolve 10 oz. of borax into 4 oz of warm water. Once the borax is dissolved into the warm water, mix into a home and garden sprayer and add 2.5 gallons more water. Do not use around flower beds or vegetable gardens.

Cleaning with Caution

Although borax is a naturally occurring mineral with low toxicity, it can still be absorbed through the skin causing mild skin irritation. As with any other cleaning substance, using gloves and following directions, along with heeding package warnings, is always recommended.

Conclusion

Cleaning with natural ingredients is not as difficult or time-intensive as one may think. Natural cleaners are just as effective and much less toxic! Making your own natural cleaners with borax and other household staples like white vinegar, baking soda, or salt are budget-friendly and eco-friendly too! If you haven’t heard of borax, give it a try! I have given you [at least] five great ways to try it in your home while spring cleaning!