6-minute read
If you're looking for an excuse to avoid doing your laundry right now...good! Drop that laundry basket, grab your favourite drink and get ready to learn about natural, chemical-free ways to clean your laundry.
I must confess that it's been a minute since I wrote our last blog post, where I officially introduced Change is Nature to the world. Apparently, I approach blogging the same way I approach doing my laundry. I leave them both to the very last minute and I go into panic mode to finally get it done. What makes me feel a little less guilty about this is that according to research I'm not alone in being a little lax when it comes to my laundry habits.
Research led by Whirlpool last year found that 16% of Canadians surveyed say that they've never washed their winter jacket and 19% have never washed their winter gloves.
If doing your regular laundry routine isn’t challenging enough there is also the environmental impact to consider. How we typically wash our laundry is not earth-friendly or good for human health.
In today's blog, you're going to learn how to easily and affordably ditch the chemicals from your laundry routine and replace them with clean, natural ingredients. The best part is that you likely already have these basic laundry-enhancing ingredients in your kitchen.
Breakdown laundry detergent buildup
Did you know that you may have a buildup of excess laundry detergent embedded in the fibres of your clothing? This buildup is caused by using too much detergent load after load. The best way to tell if you have detergent buildup is if your wet laundry feels slimy, sticky or soapy.
Banish the buildup by soaking your dirty laundry in a deep sink, basin or tub. Use four parts water to one part distilled white vinegar. Make sure your clothing is fully submerged and soak for up to one hour, then follow with a regular wash cycle.
We strongly recommend avoiding a popular laundry cleaning trend called laundry stripping. This process requires using a harsh chemical-based product called Borax which contrary to popular belief is NOT eco-friendly or even safe for humans. Health Canada recommends limiting your exposure to this chemical whenever possible.
Boost your laundry with baking soda
Adding baking soda to your regular laundry routine can work wonders to naturally clean and deodorize your laundry. Baking soda is harmless to the environment and has mild alkali qualities that help to dissolve dirt, grease, and mineral-based residue from hard water.
Add half a cup of baking soda to a top or front-loading washing machine. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, especially for tough-to-remove odours from athletic wear or socks.
Pro-tip: Oops! You did it again. You forgot your laundry in the washing machine, and it smells mildewy. Add a cup of distilled white vinegar with your laundry detergent for a regular, cold wash cycle. Repeat for a second wash cycle, adding only half a cup of baking soda. Still smelly? Repeat the process!
Give your laundry a lift with lemon
A lesser-known fact is that lemon is another earth-friendly way to clean your laundry. Pure lemon juice squeezed directly from a lemon or a bottle will naturally bleach your clothing.
Any fabric (other than silk) can be brightened using lemon juice. Mix half a cup of lemon juice with three-and-a-half litres of very hot water. Soak the clothing in the lemon and hot water mixture for at least an hour or leave it to soak overnight. Afterward, pour the clothing with the lemon juice mixture into the washing machine. Add detergent, and wash on a regular cycle.
Pro-tip: Line-dry your laundry outside in the sunlight to further enhance the brightening effects of the lemon and save on electricity too. Win-win!
Pass the salt, please!
Not only does salt have the power to bring out the flavours in our food it’s also an effective, eco-friendly stain remover. The natural properties of salt will help to remove almost any freshly stained fabric.
Blood stains: If a blood stain is still fresh, it should quickly disappear if it's immediately covered with salt, followed by continuously blotting the stain with cold water until it’s gone.
Grease stains: To remove a fresh grease stain, generously cover it with salt immediately. Wait for the salt to absorb the grease, then brush the salt away. Repeat until the spot is gone, then wash as usual.
Wine stains: Immediately apply plenty of salt to soak up the wine stain, then soak the fabric for an hour in cold water, followed by a regular wash cycle.
Coffee stain Pro-tip: If you're a coffee addict like me, this tip is for YOU. To stop a fresh coffee stain from ruining your favourite shirt, immediately apply a generous amount of salt to the stain. The more salt the better, as it will help to penetrate the fabric. After letting the salt sit for a few minutes, gently rub it away with a clean paper towel or cloth. Continue to blot with cold water until the stain is gone.
Say 'ta-ta' to toxic laundry detergents
One of the most toxic products we use to clean our clothing is laundry detergent, which is quietly polluting our planet. Traditional laundry detergents are often packaged in single-use plastic jugs, which are heavy and create unnecessary carbon emissions during transport.
The most troubling thing about traditional laundry detergents is what you cannot see. Detergent companies have no legal obligation to disclose ingredients like formaldehyde which is used as a preservative in laundry detergent and is known to be toxic to both environmental and human health. Phosphates are another chemical in traditional detergents which contribute to toxic algae blooms in our lakes and rivers during warmer months. Algae blooms can be fatal to aquatic life and pets and have made people sick here in Atlantic Canada.
Give Change is Nature's Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Sheets a try!
Change is Nature is Atlantic Canada’s newest earth-friendly household goods brand which was founded with the vision to help preserve the health of Atlantic Canada’s natural environment by offering affordable, earth-friendly household goods.
Detergents are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to water pollution, which is why we chose to offer an eco-friendly detergent as our flagship product. Unlike traditional laundry detergents, our detergent is good for both environmental and human health. Our detergent is plastic-free, formaldehyde-free, and phosphate-free. We're proud to say our detergent fully biodegrades in the environment within 90 days.
Although our eco-laundry detergent sheets are plant-based, they’re powerful and worth adding to your weekly laundry routine. A package of 40 loads costs only $16.97, with FREE shipping across Canada.
Still not sure about switching to our natural laundry detergent? You can give our detergent a try for as little as a toonie! Your sample pack will arrive to you in 5 business days or less, and each pack also comes with a promo code for 10% off your next order with us.
If you prefer to not shop online, and instead shop at local small businesses, we also sell our detergent at these retail locations across Halifax and Queens County in Nova Scotia:
- Arthur's Urban Market - Downtown Halifax, Hollis Street
- Bluenose Laundromat - Downtown Halifax, Windsor Street
- Local Source Market - Downtown Halifax, Agricola Street & Windsor Street
- Organic Earth Market - Downtown Halifax, Quinpool Road
- Redmond's HomeHardware - St.Margaret's Bay Road, Upper Tantallon
- Three Mile Outfitters - Chain Lake Drive, Halifax
- Vaughan's General Store - North End Halifax, Bloomfield Street
- Wildflower Makery & Design - Port Medway, Queens County
When you make the switch to an eco-friendly laundry detergent you’re helping to reduce harsh chemicals and microplastics that are quietly entering our natural environment every day.
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