In our previous article about eco-friendly laundry, we suggested choosing sustainable products to wash and dry your clothes. In this blog, we’ll take a look at four points to consider when purchasing laundry detergent.
Ingredients
It’s important to know what’s in your laundry detergent because with every load of washing you do, those chemicals will travel down the drain, into the wastewater system, and end up at the treatment plant. There, some of them will be removed successfully, but some will end up in our waterways when the treated water is released. Specifically, phosphates and nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants are harmful to the aquatic ecosystem. A great way to ensure your laundry detergent doesn’t contain potentially harmful chemicals is to look for the Environmental Choice Tick or the Green Tick.
Packaging
What your laundry detergent comes in is just as important as what is in it. Whether you choose to buy a product in a plastic or cardboard container, check the labelling for one that’s made of partly or fully recycled material and can be recycled or composted after use. Alternatively, look for a store that sells laundry detergent in bulk where you can refill an existing container.
Effectiveness
Many laundry detergents contain fillers designed to bulk out the product. These fillers are often bad for your washing machine, render your greywater unusable, and may cause reactions in people with sensitive skin. They also make the product weaker, so you have to use more. Choosing a concentrated product means more active ingredients and less waste.
Manufacturing process
Another thing to consider is the effect of the manufacturing process of the detergent on the environment. Check the box to see if the company that made your detergent has ISO 14001 Environmental Management certification, Toitū Enviromark Diamond certification, or Carbonzero certification.
Once you’ve washed your clothes with a sustainable detergent, the most eco-friendly way to dry them is with sun and wind on a washing line. Check out our range of quality clotheslines to suit every property.
Need a new clothesline or some TLC for your existing line?
If you are looking for a new clothesline talk to us. We ship across the country and if you are in Auckland or Christchurch we can arrange installation for you to at an affordable price.
Give us a call to find out more.