8 tips for environmentally friendly washing
Every wash cycle consumes energy and water. In addition, the environment is polluted by various substances in conventional detergents. Even with very small changes to our usual washing habits, we can wash more sustainably and save money at the same time.
- Fill your washing machine
Your washing machine uses the same amount of energy whether it is half empty or full. So please make sure you fill up your washing machine drum too.
- Does it really have to go in the wash?
Every wash cycle costs resources, microplastic fibers are released from synthetic clothing and the environment is also polluted by waste water. That's why we can only wash sustainably if we reduce the number of washes.
Luckily, this is easier than you might think and also protects our clothes. Instead of throwing the T-shirt we wore to the office into the washing basket as soon as we get home, we can hang it up and let it air out for a while. Then it could certainly still be worn for shopping later.
- Wash cool & save money
In the past, when washing machines were not as efficient as they are today, clothes were washed at high temperatures. This was necessary to remove stains and bacteria from the laundry. Thanks to technological advances in washing machines, this has changed and modern detergents are also developed enough to be able to wash without pre-washing and at lower temperatures. This not only saves energy costs, but is also good for the environment.
A 30°C program is usually sufficient for everyday clothes. Stubborn stains can be easily pre-treated with a vegan Washo stain soap , for example. Although low-temperature programs are good for the environment, a 60°C+ wash should also be done from time to time. This promotes the cleanliness of the washing machine and kills germs.
- Saving program: longer but environmentally friendly
Washing machines have a lot of buttons. Hand on heart - how many of them do you use? Most households don't use different washing programs or the additional functions. Yet we can already save a lot of electricity with the economy program.
It seems like a contradiction that the economy program with a much longer wash time requires less electricity and water than the standard program. The reason for this is that the water is heated less with "Eco". A test by Stiftung Warentest showed that bacteria are also removed in the economy program.
- Biodegradable detergents - always!
Conventional detergents still contain unnecessary additives and microplastics. Much of this can hardly be filtered out of the wastewater and therefore ends up directly in our ecosystem. As a result, microplastics are littering the oceans - they have even been found in the Antarctic. Other substances such as phosphates or chlorine bleach also unnecessarily pollute our waters and therefore our nature.
It therefore makes perfect sense to use detergents that are free from questionable ingredients and unnecessary chemical additives. Like the Washo washing strips, for example. They are not only easier for you, but also better for the environment.
- Use wash bags and reduce microplastics
You can significantly reduce the amount of microplastics in water by using a washing bag or washing machine filter. This is because the microplastic particles that are released from clothing during washing, especially from synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon, are collected and do not end up in the environment in the first place. Instead of putting the laundry straight into the drum, simply put it in the bag first and hop in the washing machine.
- How important is the tumbler to you?
The biggest energy guzzler when washing is the tumble dryer. So if you want to wash sustainably, you should use the familiar washing line or a clothes horse. If you can't manage without a tumble dryer, natural energy savers such as the Washo Natural Tumbler Balls, can at least significantly reduce the drying time and thus save valuable resources. Simply put the natural sheep's wool balls in the tumbler with the laundry and you've already saved energy and money.
- Core soap against stubborn stains
Aggressive detergents can also remove stubborn stains, but the environment pays a high price for their use. The gentle alternative is to briefly pre-treat our laundry to remove stubborn stains before the wash cycle. This gets our laundry clean without having to use chemicals. What's more, pre-treatment takes a maximum of a few minutes.
The Washo Stain Soap is biodegradable, without microplastics and enriched with soap nut extract. This means it can gently remove even "nasty stains" from your favorite clothes.