6. Try soap nuts
A less expensive alternative to detergents is soap nuts, a fruit pulp from the Sapindus mukorossi tree that has been used for washing for thousands of years by people in Asia, as well as by Native Americans. This 1-2 cm fruit can be bought online in bulk; 100 grams of soap nuts cost $9.99 on www.laundrytree.com and reportedly last for 35-40 loads of laundry. Place the nuts in a muslin bag in the washing machine; they can be reused multiple times. Afterward, the soap nuts can be composted, leaving no waste. Eco Nuts, a soap-nuts brand, claims they also work well with cloth diapers, since they do not leave a residue, which helps reduce diaper rash. Eco Nuts Soap Nuts are sold at two local stores: the Teeny Greeny section of the Mommy Shop, 14870 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS and Itsy Bitsy Bums, 6213 Oak St., Kansas City, MO. For more information on how to use soap nuts both for laundry and around the house, visit www.econutssoap.com.
7. Use vinegar
Vinegar may be the ultimate low-cost, non-toxic household cleaner. It has various household cleaning uses, including reducing static in the dryer and softening clothes. Spraying clothes with vinegar before washing or drying takes the place of fabric softener and dryer sheets, saving money and space in your laundry room. Don’t fear the pungent scent of vinegar: The smell dissipates as the clothes dry.
8. Recycle the packaging
If you continue to use store-bought detergent or dryer sheets, at least recycle the packaging. Look for HDPE (high-density polyethylene) at the bottom of the laundry detergent containers to ensure they can be recycled. Rinse the plastic jugs and remove the cap, which is often made of a different type of plastic. For more information about what packaging is recyclable, visit www.how2recycle.info.
9. Remove stains naturally
Instead of using toxic chemicals to remove stains from your clothes, use eco-friendly alternatives that you already have in your home. Soak clothing that has berry, tomato or sweat stains in white vinegar. If the stain remains, use salt or baking soda on a recent stain, then rub a paste of vinegar and baking soda into the stained area with an old toothbrush. If you want to buy a stain remover instead of making it, try environmentally friendly options like Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Stain Remover. The stain remover is a USDA Certified Biobased Product and is free of dyes, perfumes, optical brighteners and synthetic fragrances.
10. Choose greener dry cleaners
Most dry cleaners use perchloroethylene, commonly known as perc, a toxic chemical, to remove stains. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that perc does not pose a risk when it comes to wearing clothes washed with the chemical, there are environmental concerns. Perc can enter the air, ground or water through improper use and storage, creating hazardous waste and potentially contaminating drinking water. Kansas City’s hometown eco-friendly dry cleaner, Hangers Cleaners, uses alternatives to perc, including wet cleaning and SolvonK4. Wet cleaning involves computer-controlled machines and biodegradable detergents and conditioners that are less harsh than residential soaps. SolvonK4 is a halogen-free organic liquid that is safe for the environment. There’s also no dry-cleaning odor lingering on the cleaned clothes. Hangers Cleaners offers free pick-up and delivery services to most of the Kansas City area. Sign up online at www.hangerskc.com or by phone at 816-941-2262.
11. Sweat your way to clean clothes
If you want to forgo electrical laundry machines altogether, consider Lehman’s Own Hand Washer. Place clothes and soap into the basin and pull the “agitator” side to side, which introduces air to the water, creating a rolling motion for the clothes. Loads take only a few minutes, and afterward you can squeeze the water out of the clothes with the optional wringer attached to the hand washer. Lehman’s Own Hand Washer with wringer costs $729 at www.lehmans.com.
The most unique laundry option we found is a homemade bicycle-powered washing machine created by Dave Askins, self-proclaimed Homeless Dave (HD), according to his blog. He said he was tired of wringing clothes with a hand wringer that only took one item at a time and occasionally jammed. On his blog, he documented his creation of the pedaled-powered laundry machine. Modifying a broken laundry machine he found on Craiglist and attaching it to an altered bike trainer, he discovered a way to wash clothes without electricity. No longer does Askins have to wring clothes, since the original washing machine barrel pushes water out of the laundry through centripetal force. For more information about how to make your own machine, visit HD’s blog at www.homelessdave.com.
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