Clean Laundry
Setting specific and well outlined goals isn’t really my thing. I’ve never created a vision board, and I’m pretty sure I am not using Pinterest to its full potential. I just “pin” inspirational and aspirational posts into boards that I’ll never revisit. I don’t even really make New Year resolutions, I just think of things I may or may not end up working on throughout the year. That’s probably why I’m so excited to share that I have set myself a goal and accomplished it prior to the deadline.
That goal was to eliminate single use plastic in my home for garment care before year’s end.
So what is the big deal with plastic anyway? Other than the time it takes to decompose, plastic production is extremely harmful to humans and the environment. During plastic production EDC’s (Endocrine disrupting chemicals) are emitted. EDC’s can imitate your own hormones, disrupting your brain’s development. BPA is the most commonly talked about EDC and it has been proven to be a carcinogen, and cause other health/development issues such as stunted growth and infertility.
Finding sources to eliminate the plastic turned out to be the easy part. You see, I don’t live alone, so any time I make the investment to replace something that is communal in my home I am overwhelmed with the fear that it will be rejected by my housemate, that I will be met with questions I can’t answer, and/or that there will not be a smooth transition causing everyone else discomfort. At the moment I currently buy about 80% of all our communal household products for the following reasons:
I do 80% of the home cleaning so I know what we need and when, and quite frankly am usually the person to identify the need in our home.
I want to make sure I purchase the eco replacement before someone else purchases something from the “Toxic & Death to Earth” section of the market. (Kidding… Or not kidding?)
Its easier to make the investment myself rather than confront someone about their habits. I’ve tried the latter and it doesn’t always make a difference.
As my compromise, I spend countless of hours a week doing research, comparing products, reading reviews, and I often end up spending way more money than someone with my income to make sure I’m getting the very best products. I don’t always get it right, which can be discouraging, but I still wanted to share some of the things I’ve found and am loving for my laundry room and a few I can do without.
Refillable Laundry Detergent
Detergent dispenser by The Grove Co. & laundry detergent refilled at Sustain LA.
First the good - Back in November I finally made the trip to Sustain LA which is a package free shop that allows you to bring your own containers like my maison jar pictured above (or purchase a reusable container) to fill with common household items. Sounds like a dream store, but shops like these are popping up all over the world every day! Less packaging means less waste that will end up in a landfill. In 2017 the EPA (Environmental Protections Agency) estimated that 14.5 million tons of plastic containers were generated… and yes, those included laundry detergent containers. To combat that we can build a hierachy of solutions with buying detergent in a container made of recycled plastic being the least effective and making your own at home the most environmentally friendly option. If you’re not ready to make your own, purchasing the detergent package free is the next best thing.
Since the detergent made by Sustain LA is highly concentrated a little goes a long way, which makes it a good option to use with The Grove Co’s Auto-Dosing Detergent Dispenser. The purpose of the auto-dosing dispenser is to allow you to pour the perfect amount of detergent if you’re using The Grove’s house brand, however I found that their detergent was actually not strong enough and it was delivered in a plastic bag (uses less plastic than a plastic bottle) and I wanted to go the extra step and eliminate petroleum based packaging altogether. The dispenser definitely has some kinks to iron out, like the way detergent clumps at the opening, but I love that I don’t have to do any actual measuring and it looks super clean and chic on my shelf!
Similar to a small bar of soap, these stain bars get the job done. Since they’re solid, its easy the target the exact stain and pre-treat it before you wash. To use I just wet the bar and rub a corner against the fabric I am trying to treat the stain thoroughly. The bars can also be used in lieu of liquid detergent. For tougher stains I use the brush to scrub them out with the stain solution.
wool dryer balls
Available at The Grove Co. as well as many of your common household stores.
This switch was a no brainer. Wool Dryer Balls are not only the better option for the environment, they’re more effective at eliminating static and softening fabrics in the dryer than your traditional dryer sheets. Since they can be used up to 100 times before you might want to replace, they will help you eliminate waste and save you money in the long term, plus they’re made from a natural & renewable resource without the harsh chemicals in a lot of dryer sheets contain.
To “recharge” your wool balls simply wash them in warm or hot water in the gentle cycle and dry them at high-heat. If you’re a fan of a specific scent, you can add your favorite essential oil to your dryer ball too.
I first became familiar with the brand Burstenhouse Redecker for their wooden dish brush which comes with a removable/replaceable brush head to minimize waste. Turns out these folks have been making brushes since 1935!! At that point, I had never heard of a clothing brush (at least I don’t think I have). Well, put this under a list of must haves for garment care.
The Everyday brush is ideal for stiff fabrics such as denim, and can help keep your jeans clean in between washes. I’m guilty of washing my jeans entirely too often, mainly to shrink them in the dryer, but I’m trying my very best to change that since it wastes entirely too much water and its damaging to the material. In fact, denim was not designed for the washing machine and denim makers/pros encourage only a handful of washes A YEAR! This of course depends on how often you wear them, how much you sweat, and what you’re doing in them, but non the less you’ll want to give them a good brushing in between those washes.
The Delicate Brush has gentle bristles making it ideal for fragile fabrics such as silk or cashmere. Hey, if it helps me avoid spending a bunch of money on “green” dry cleaning services sign me up!
Rubber lint brushes
Purchased from one of the most aesthetically pleasing curation of an online shop I’ve come across, Housework store.
I was super excited about getting these to replace my lint roller so that I wouldn’t be tossing out a piece of sticky paper out every day and purchasing yet another plastic item every month. I live with a big fluffy white Persian cat that loves a good cuddle so a lint/fur remover is key to looking polished!
Prior to purchasing these I did a little research and found nothing but good reviews. I also contacted "Housework” prior to purchasing and inquired about their guarantee just in case these ended up falling apart, and was met with even more glowing reviews from the customer service rep who might be bias but worked on me. These are also made by the brand Redecker
I tried the large one straight out of the box on an ottoman that had been designated Hamilton’s (our cat) lounge chair, so it was covered in his fur (gross... I know). It worked wonders! Unlike traditional lint rollers, the fur sort of clumped together so you would easily pick it up and toss it without having to use a fresh sticky sheet at each roll. They do work best if you wash them after every use however, which I haven’t always done so I find myself reaching for my every day brush a little more often.
Its still winter here in California, even if the weather never drops below 40 degrees, so I’m getting to enjoy wearing my cashmere, alpaca, and wool sweaters for a little longer. Unfortunately fabrics like these tend to pill and look a little disheveled with constant wear so I needed to find a way to refurbish them and keep them looking like new even if I’ve owned them for years like the one pictured above. Unfortunately, the sweater Stone did arrive wrapped in a thin plastic bag which was a huge disappointment so I probably won’t be repurchasing after it needs replacing and will source one is 100% plastic free.
Fun fact, pilling is actually cased from stretching the fibers when you wear them and not just from washing which is a common misconception, although washing your garments often doesn’t help.
The Sweater Stone and Sweater Comb are NOT meant for lint, just for pilling. To de-pill a sweater simply lay the item flat and gently brush either the stone or comb in one direction.
Cheers to starting the new year in the right direction! Next I’m debating on tackling a plastic free bathroom or kitchen. Wish me luck!!