Depending on the number of people living in a household, the washing machine might run once a day. Because the convenient appliance does all the work, sometimes in tandem with a tumble dryer, consumers don't notice how much water, detergent, additives, and energy are used (except perhaps when they look at their electricity bill). In practice, however, almost all of us wash far too often, too laboriously, and without making optimal use of the washing machine. With a few tips, however, you can easily do laundry sustainably – which is good for the environment and your wallet!
Sustainable washing 1: washing less is also possible
In our generally cooler latitudes, not every worn item of clothing needs to be washed immediately. Underwear, of course, but blouses, pants, sweaters, and other clothing don't get dirty after just one or two wears. As long as the item doesn't smell of sweat, you can hang it on a hanger and air it out. This works perfectly on the balcony, but also in your apartment.
Sustainable washing 2: Pre-wash only for heavily soiled items
The prewash cycle, which is automatically activated on many machines, is often unnecessary. Only if you want to effectively treat really dirty white laundry does the complete prewash + main wash cycle at 60°C or higher make sense. Otherwise, simply skip it or use the eco setting on your machine.
Sustainable washing 3: it's all a question of temperature
Clothes, including underwear, don't need high temperatures to get clean. For most of our laundry, a wash cycle at 40°C is perfectly sufficient . You can also reduce the spin speed; while the highest setting will get the laundry almost dry, regular high spin cycles put a strain on the garments.
Sustainable washing 4: there are organic alternatives for washing powder
Many heavily advertised detergents not only fail in product tests , they are also usually overdosed. But there are other options. You can make your own washing powder or try innovative gadgets like washing balls . The purpose of detergent is not actually to clean. It works by breaking down the surface tension of the water and allowing it to penetrate deeper into the fabric. Washing powder is also mixed with fragrances which later create a "clean" smell. Washing balls also break down the surface tension and are sufficient for all wash cycles in which heavily soiled clothing is not agitated. If you really want a "fresh scent", you can add a drop of fragrance oil, and sweaty clothes can be soaked in a 3:1 mixture of water and vinegar before washing.
Sustainable washing 5: Fabric softener can even be harmful
Another overrated additive is the widely used fabric softener. It's unnecessary and in some cases even harmful, especially when fabrics contain elastane. Fabric softeners make swimwear, leggings, stretchy sweaters, and activewear soft, but they also quickly become baggy. And mercilessly softened towels, as advertised, dry far less effectively than untreated terry cloth. This is because the additives coat the textile fibers with a fat-based film. The fabric doesn't become softer, but rather artificially softened.
Sustainable washing 6: Remove stains with household remedies
Nowadays, stubborn dirt and stains are often tackled with chemicals before washing. But that doesn't have to be the case. Home remedies help with many stains: blood stains can be removed by soaking in cold (!) water, and red wine stains can be removed by sprinkling them with salt in the wash. Pre-treatment with gall soap is also very effective, but in many stores the small bars of soap are less prominently displayed than the "chemical sledgehammer". There are lots of tips and tricks for treating stains, just like mum and grandma used to know. So you can save a lot of money when using the washing machine. Often it's enough to rethink your own habits and do the wash cycles consciously instead of just doing them casually. If you put a larger load of clothes in the drum a day or two later and turn down the temperature and spin speed, you've already done a lot!
