5 Ways to clean more sustainable

Everything has to be cleaned at some point. But how can we wash our clothes and clean our house without hurting the environment? With cleaning supplies that contain so many chemicals and the need of a greater amount of water and electricity, it seems like there’s no possible way of connecting “cleaning” and “sustainability”. But, in fact, it is possible. Here are five options for you to try, in order to help and save the environment:

1. Reduce Chemically-Saturated Products
   Try to use natural products with less chemical ingredients, in order to save the environment. With the amount of products that are on the market, it’s not easy to choose a “green” product. Especially products with specific fragrances and fabric softeners are very harmful to the water quality. Don’t get fooled by eye-catching words like “green” or “natural”. Look out for official Eco Logos. This will most likely help you to find the best product available.
2. Choose the correct product
   Liquid detergents contain more surfactants than powder detergents. Although surfactants are necessary to get rid of dirt and stains on clothes, they are harmful to the environment. In order to reduce the amount of surfactants set free to the environment, choose powder detergent over liquid detergent. It also helps to buy products in bulk or even with environmental friendly packaging, such as reusable bottles or bars of soap instead of liquid soap. This means less packaging and less waste.
3. Wash less hot
   Washing at 60 degrees uses way more electricity than a wash load at 40 or even 30 degrees. For most of the textiles that need to be washed, it is absolutely sufficient to wash them around 30 degrees. Although, from time to time, for example after sickness or even to give the washing machine a cleaning, it makes sense to wash at temperatures around 60 degrees.
4. Load your washing machine correctly
   Always try to fully load your washing machine as directed in your washing machine’s user guide. Instead of washing only half a load, wait a little longer until you can fully load your machine. This will save you water and electricity. And the environment will thank you.
5. Repurpose old items
   You can give items you can no longer use a second life, before they go to the landfill. Maybe there is an old pair of socks, a stained t-shirt or worn out sheets that can be used for another cleaning job that needs to be done in your household.