What if you could reduce your carbon footprint twice a week with your laundry routine without having to purchase a new washer and dryer? The product suggestions listed below are picked by our decluttering service experts in Manhattan, NY. They make your laundry routine easier, more environmentally responsible, and will make an impact on your home’s carbon footprint!
Washable Mesh Bags
Have you ever lost a single sock and wonder where it goes? Before adding smaller textile products into your washer and dryer, toss them into a drawstring mesh bag to make laundry easier. Our experts in Manhattan, NY recommend this eco-friendly laundry product because it is also useful for delicates which do not go into the dryer; having them separated in a bag makes it easy to identify when transitioning out of the wash.
Textiles perfect for this product:
- Socks
- Bras
- Underwear
- Delicates
- Shoes
If you own a front loading washer and dryer you can toss your shoes into a large mesh bag; loop the top of the bag around the top of the (washer or dryer) door and close shut. This effectively keeps the bag hanging against the door to avoid rattling around your machine.
Laundry Magnets
Life without laundry detergent; save your house from purchasing laundry detergent all together! What are laundry magnets? They are a chemical free product which increases the positive and negative charges of water molecules added to your washing machine during a wash-cycle. The magnetics change the surface tension of the water which in turn cleans your clothes more effectively and in a healthier way than adding toxic chemicals found in common scented laundry detergents which can be cancer-causing. Lasting for over fifty years in your laundry room, this one time purchase saves you an average of $180 – $600 which is what the typical American household spends annually on laundry detergent. This eco-friendly laundry product is perfect for Manhattan, NY homeowners looking to save money and help the environment.
Detergent Sheets
Still convinced that clothing needs detergent to be cleaned properly? The next best option our sustainability and decluttering service experts in Manhattan, NY recommend would be laundry detergent sheets; Earth Breeze sheets are vegan, hypoallergenic, skin sensitive, bleach-free, paraben-free, phosphate-free and chemical free. Detergent sheets give a powerful clean, are plastic free and utilize the water from your machine to dissolve into cleanser. The compact and lightweight formula makes detergent sheets the most environmentally friendly option and will reduce your carbon footprint by comparison to any other liquid laundry detergents on the market.
Detergent Powder
Are you old school? Liquid laundry detergents are diluted with water; the world’s first commercially available laundry detergent was a powder formula. You will be paying nearly half the price for the same amount of loads comparing the prices of powder to liquid formulas, this is likely due to popularity. To boot, powder is typically a lighter weight formula compared to liquid making it have a lesser carbon footprint of the two options.
Wool Dryer Balls
The list of benefits for switching to dryer balls includes, reducing drying time, saving energy, free of harmful chemicals and toxins. To top all those perks, wool dryer balls are versatile with a variety of different scents for whatever mood you’re in every time you throw in some laundry! Simply add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil onto them and throw em’ in the dryer! Fan favorite scents can be lavender, rose, lemon, eucalyptus and sandalwood. This all- natural alternative is a great environmentally friendly way to scent boost your laundry for a healthy lifestyle for you and your family!
Upcycled Dryer Balls
For those who do not purchase animal byproducts such as new dryer balls, why not upcycle them!? Linked below is a Do- It- Yourself alternative with a detailed step by step guide to upcycling your old sweaters into dryer balls! Do you have a snagged/torn wool sweater you may be ruminating to toss; give it a new lasting use! Substantial upcycling, such as in this instance, will utilize the material highlighting its ability to its end of life.
This DIY hack needs only:
- A sweater for upcycling (70% – 100% Wool)
- Scissors
- A yarn needle
- Pantyhose
- A pot of water
Be sure to recycle your extra material!
Paid Mail in Recycling Programs:
- Fordays.com – Recycling Clothing / Take Back Bag
- Terracycle.com – Hard to Recycle Items / All-In-One Zero Waste Box
- Receive 20% off any ZERO WASTE BOX using discount code: ALEC20
Retractable Clothing Line
Our sustainability and decluttering service experts in Manhattan, NY recommend hang drying as an eco-friendly solution. Save on energy and use a clothing line in your laundry room! If you aren’t one to go to the dry cleaners then you probably hang dry some of your clothing.
Clothing that shouldn’t be added to your dryer:
- Bras
- Bathing Suits
- Tights
- Delicates
- Cotton Slacks
- Read your care tags in detail before adding to your dryer
This space saving system is compact and retracts when not being used; perfect for small spaces. Utilizing fresh air with a clothing line in your home is gentler on your clothes and helps remove stubborn smells from fabrics. Hang dry your textiles in sunlight to enhance whites for a natural bleach. Sunlight also kills bacteria, no harsh chemicals needed!