I use only one laundry product, a hyper-clean soap powder called Charlie’s Soap. I imagine there are other good choices. It dissolves readily in the water (add clothes after for best results), and works very well, better than I expected.
The most important thing is that it has no fragrances or softeners or brighteners. Most fragrance chemicals and softeners are petrochemical oil based, and are pollutants; many of them are carcinogens (voc’s). They are particularly bad because they seem to teach people that the smell of clean is the same as the smell of the fragrance. This is NOT TRUE. The fragrances mask the dirt that does not wash out, and after a while clothes become rancid and smell like a cross between old stale perfume and a gym locker. Yuck!
I also virtually never use the dryer. All you need is a sunny yard or porch and some (hemp) clothesline. The sun is the best antibacterial as well as the most efficient whitener. And the fresh air combines with those to make clothes actually clean. With all those fragrance chemicals and softening oils gone, the human sweat and oils can really be washed out and rinsed away, and the real smell of clean returns.
By not using all those other products, a HUGE amount of waste could be eliminated, as well as taking a HUGE burden off the water supply.
This post was submitted by Will Beuscher.
Even in northern Europe, and particularly Brussels, Belgium, where sun is hard to come by, drying clothes on a clothes rack is perfectly viable. I have mine on my balcony, and have an old showercurtain covering the clothesrack from the rain. It takes a bit longer, but I also have a system where I bring one rack in overnight to give the final un-dampening dry-out. (at night because it uses up the built up heat in the kitchen, and doesn’t get in the way).
Comment by Lisette van Vliet — February 24, 2011 @ 12:37 pm
Thank you for the tip
Comment by greenie — March 15, 2011 @ 12:51 am
I love the idea of drying my clothes outside, however, I live in a very northern climate where the clothes would just freeze stiff from December to March. A few years a ago I purchased an umbrela-style clothes dryer that I could put up and take down in my yard. Actually, when it isn’t freezing cold here it is quite often raining. Anyway, I went outside one day with my wet basket of clothes only to find that my dryer had been stolen! I live in a very low crime area (It makes up for the bad weather!), however I guess someone just couldn’t resist the idea of drying their own clothes outside!
Comment by Susan — March 29, 2011 @ 10:36 am
Don’t forget about soap berries/nuts! I’ve just discovered them and am thrilled so far.
Comment by Monica — April 3, 2011 @ 5:48 pm
Been an air-dryer girl for years. Product of the 60′s and prior to that, was highly influenced by Vance Packard’s book “The Hidden Persuaders.”
No sun, no worries. Drying clothing inside on a rack and hangers in winter is an awesome, no-impact method for a) drying your clothes and b) adding humidity to the air.
Comment by Jane Fitzwilliam — May 9, 2011 @ 9:37 am
This seems pretty expensive to me, and I can not find a detailed list of ingredients on their website….so what is in Charlies Soap?
I use a much cheaper (few cents per load) organic, hypoallergenic cleaner: WASHNUTS
They grow on trees, you can order them online, e.g.: http://www.buysoapnuts.com
I try to only airdry my laundry, too (we live in Germany, and it still works most of the year!) , and with the washnuts the laundry gets soft and clean without any chemicals. For white laundry, I just add baking soda to bleach.
Just try it!
Comment by Tanja Wright — May 12, 2011 @ 6:14 am
Hanging laundry gives me more exercise, and saves money, so makes sense. I have two wooden dryer racks for inside the house on rainy spring days. I am reusing my steel/plastic coated rolling line that I moved from my previous residence, as ‘recycling’ what we have helps save money as well. I was given lots of nylon rope too, so may make a line in the basement as well.
Comment by Karen C. — May 14, 2011 @ 9:27 am
Does Charlie’s Soap come in anything other than a plastic tub? That’s all I saw on their website.
Comment by Liz — May 14, 2011 @ 12:09 pm
Norwex enviro products cut down on waste. No bulked up detergents or extra cleaning product. Just WATER!!!
Comment by Alia — June 8, 2011 @ 5:11 pm
I use Dr. Bronner’s soaps. They are all organic, and there is one soap that is an 18-in-1 use soap that I have yet to find the other uses for besides my body; but it’s a local soap in my town, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
Comment by Mara — July 8, 2011 @ 7:54 pm
As other commenters have suggested — I strongly recommend soap nuts! I bought a bulk package a year ago and haven’t even made it through 15% of them. In other words, they’ll last me years. There are absolutely no chemicals involved, minimal packaging, and they leave my laundry fragrance-free, clean, and super soft. I wrote about them in depth on my blog awhile ago, if anyone would like to learn more: http://prettyclearblog.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/how-soap-nuts-saved-my-laundry/. Happy {green} washing, everyone!
Comment by Kelly — August 3, 2011 @ 10:46 pm
Soapnuts are brilliant, just make sure you soak them in a cup of boiling water before the cold wash. Even in Winter in my part of Australia there is no need for a dryer so we’re lucky. I find slightly damp jeans finish drying pretty fast once you wear them!
Comment by Finn — August 9, 2011 @ 2:28 am
To Susan, March 29, 2011, My friend and I have easily proved that clothes will dry when frozen, just as puddles shrink disappear in persistently subzero weather. Get a chair, watch, you’ll see. IT happens faster with laundry. And also, winter is dry weather, and indoor racks work extremely well if you find the sunny window, etc.
Comment by will — August 30, 2011 @ 9:31 pm
I love the idea of making my own laundry cleaner, and I line dry inside (can’t do it outside as my allergies are severe). However, my clothes are so wrinkled when they go straight from the wash to the line! Both my husband and I are professionals, so it’s not feasible to go to work in wrinkly clothing. Any suggestions on how to reduce wrinkles without turning on the iron (or the dryer)?
Comment by Lauren — September 25, 2011 @ 11:02 am
To Lauren: I have found that hanging items that are wrinkly on a hanger or over the towel rail in the bathroom before we get showers or a bath can really help to remove a lot of the wrinkles. Hope this helps.
Comment by Susan — September 25, 2011 @ 9:57 pm
To Lauren,
you’ve probably already done this, but just in case: remove clothes from machine immediately upon end of wash, and give each piece of clothing one good shake out / whip out before putting on hanger/line. You can also try stretching each piece into shape before putting on line. (I also have a side loader, not a top loader and this seems to reduce the wrinkles somewhat.)
Comment by Lisette van Vliet — September 26, 2011 @ 3:32 am
I’ve been doing some experimentation in wrinkle reduction while air drying. Here are some things that may help others.
1- Don’t let the last spin cycle finish. This is by far the most helpful thing to do. Pull your clothes out after they’ve spun for a minute or two. They won’t be dripping, but will still be pretty wet. Not only will this help keep the wrinkles from forming in the first place (by the compression from spinning) but the weight of the water will help stretch out some of the wrinkles as the clothes dry.
2-Give clothes a good, hearty shake. Some things you can’t do this with, but tee-shirts, polos, and slacks will benefit from a whipping.
For many items, the above two steps will make your clothes look presentable. However, some materials, like cotton and linen, hold onto wrinkles fairly tightly. I’ve found that if I choose 6-9 things (depending on size) and throw them in the dryer for 10-15 minutes on high (so they get good and hot) after they are dry the wrinkles mostly fall out. Be sure to pull them out right away so new wrinkles don’t set in. Now, this sort of defeats the purpose of not running the dryer at all, but hey. Reduction is good too, right?
Comment by Lauren — October 4, 2011 @ 9:59 pm
I have done the air-drying on clothes racks for years — sometimes on a balcony outside — sometimes just in a spare room. In northern climates where central heating tends to make indoor air extra dry the added humidity would be a welcome thing. In southern climates where the AC runs a lot of the year the dehumidifier does the work — which means that at least you aren’t making one section of the house especially hot just to cool it down again.
For years I have been adding plain old white vinegar to the spin cycle as a fabric softener.
I have just begun to experiment with using ASHES (from paper burned in a hibochi) as a source of lye for cleaning them. (Just put them in the bottom of the machine, get them wet, add the clothes, and my vinegar and let them run.) And all I can say is that so far it is working pretty well.
BTW, I love your ideas, Lauren, about reducing wrinkles AND hope to experiment with them soon. (The biggest downside of the system has been that I’ve had to iron my husband’s work shirts.)
Comment by Denise — October 10, 2011 @ 12:35 pm
I am looking to purchase a washer (possibly a dryer) that is eco-friendly and not ridiculously priced. This is my first time to research/purchase a washer/dryer, let alone an eco-friendly one, so I am pretty ignorant.
I’ve heard of all-in-one washer/dryers, but I am not familiar with any manufacturers, or whether they are more energy-efficient than a separate washer and dryer.
Suggestions, please??
Comment by Elise — October 24, 2011 @ 11:27 pm
Front loaders are often more efficient and use much less water. It is not recommended to get a washer/dryer combo. If you are on a tight budget, you could consider not getting a dryer at first, and forcing yourself to learn about hanging clothes to dry, on a rack or outdoor line or both. Sunlight is best, NOT a damp basement or dark room. In winter, indoor drying is a great way to increase indoor humidity, which makes heat more efficient/effective. Also, a clothesline works just as well when cold; my dentist who is a close friend competes with me for energy efficiency, and he says even if his clothes freeze they still dry well, like a puddle of ice disappearing even when frozen. I can’t always go to that extreme due to the cold fingers I get when hanging the clothes. But it makes a good point! I used my dryer, here in Massachusetts, only three times last winter. I watch the weather report and plan to do laundry on sunny days. The sun is amazingly powerful!!
Dryers are one of the two or three top energy consumers in a household; many people in other countries never use them, including colder European countries. Sheets are the biggest challenge for me, but having a second set helps if it takes a couple of days for them to dry; you can fold them in half and hang and they will dry almost as fast.
As for the washer, remember that even if you pay a bit more for a good one in the beginning, it will mean lower water usage, cleaner clothes, and fewer loads.
How you use clothes can be a factor: as a child we were encouraged to use underwear (tops and bottoms) so that outerwear didn’t have to be washed as often.
Also, not using any of the extra laundry products means there is less to wash out of the clothes, and that the wash can be more effective since it isn’t dealing with all the additives.
Comment by will — October 25, 2011 @ 10:50 am
I swear by soapnuts, as many here do too. I will be growing my own tree soon, nothing better than grabbing your detergent from a tree in your backyard. They are amazing and you don’t need a rinse cycle as there is no residue. http://soapnuts.webs.com/usesofsoapnuts.htm They are a cheap eco replacement to nearly every household need
Comment by Danni — February 7, 2012 @ 6:42 pm
I’ve been making my own detergent for the past few years. Using baking soda, borax, and homemade soap bought at my local farmers market, also adding some essential oils to the mix. Does anyone have an opinion on if this is considered “sustainable” or how can I further my knowledge here.
Comment by adrianna — June 21, 2012 @ 5:36 pm
I leave in Phoenix and can not live without my dryer. When I leave my clothes out to dry in the sun, it bakes this terrible “dirt outdoors” smell that smells worse than when I put it in. Also, in about 15 mins, my clothes become stiff as a board and are unbearable to wear on my skin. Does anyone have any advise for this poor desert dweller?
Comment by Luisa — July 1, 2012 @ 2:45 pm
I love the way you say it: “they seem to teach people that the smell of clean is the same as the smell of the fragrance”. This is so true. People have come to associate cleanliness with chemicals. My neighbor is using some “air freshener” in her home that I can smell three houses away when the wind blows my way. Its awful!
Comment by Liz — August 21, 2012 @ 11:35 am
The washnuts mentioned here seems to be a great idea. I will definitely try those. At home I hang dry my clothes but I am not sure how to avoid the dryer when away living in a dormitory at school. Does anyone have any ideas for drying clothes in a school dorm? Thanks!
Comment by Lisa — December 29, 2012 @ 8:14 pm