Ditching the Plastic Jug: My Journey to a Sustainable Laundry Routine
When I moved into my apartment one year ago with my husband, it was my first time having access to a washer-dryer setup in my home. I was so excited to create a low-waste laundry routine for us. To me, a sustainable laundry routine consists of avoiding plastic jugs of detergent, washing clothes on cold to conserve energy, air drying when possible, and using wool dryer balls in place of single-use dryer sheets.
But choosing the right detergent was at the top of my priority list. After all, approximately 1 billion laundry jugs are discarded in the United States each year. Only 30% percent of these plastic jugs get recycled, while the remaining 70% end up in landfills or our oceans. That’s why I decided to try out Earth Breeze’s laundry detergent sheets: Completely ditching the plastic jug for an eco-friendly cardboard envelope!
Saying Goodbye to Plastic Jugs
I have been using Earth Breeze for about a month now and really love the results. I have a really sensitive nose, so when I tried the scented version, I was happy to see it didn’t leave a super strong scent on my clothes. Some detergents do that, but not this one. There is a fragrance-free option too, which I love and will definitely be using as well.
What I personally adore most about these detergent sheets is how easy they are to use. I just plop one right into the drum after I dump all my clothes or linens in, then let the machine do the rest of the work. There’s absolutely no mess. Since Earth Breeze uses a concentrated formula, it’s pre-measured so no pouring into that flimsy cup. That means there’s no chance of sticky residue or spillage. It’s also a great space saver! My laundry room tends to get overcrowded easily, so a big plastic jug of detergent would not be a welcome sight. Instead, Earth Breeze’s detergent sheets are packaged in compact cardboard packaging that’s light-weight, slim and eco friendly. At the end of its life, I plan to rip it up and add it to my recycling bin.
Most importantly, it actually CLEANS my clothes. They smell clean, feel clean, and look clean – so I can safely say this stuff actually gets the job done. Overall, I am very happy with Earth Breeze. It’s a great alternative to huge plastic jugs that will likely end up in a landfill somewhere.
Avoiding Harsh Chemicals in Laundry Detergents
But it’s not just the packaging that makes Earth Breeze an eco-friendly choice. Their laundry detergent sheets are made from dermatologist-tested ingredients and are free of parabens, bleach, dyes, phthalate and phosphates.
Traditional laundry detergents are loaded with chemicals that aren’t great for us or the planet – things like synthetic fragrances, synthetic surfactants, and artificial dyes. I mean, come on, WHY does our laundry detergent need to be radioactive blue?? All of these things can cause some pretty major irritation. They can cause skin irritation and rashes, allergic reactions, eye and lung inflammation, asthma, and more. Especially if you’ve got babies or kids, these are absolutely not things you want around them.
But, really, even as grown adults why would we want these toxic chemicals around? And on top of the effects these chemicals can have on us, whatever we send down our drains, ends up in our waterways. And as you can imagine, if these chemicals are this bad for us (the ones the products are intended for), they’re gonna be real bad for the natural environment, too.
Choosing a Truly Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent
When it comes to laundry detergent, I’m a bit biased towards the natural, refillable, and plastic-free option from A Drop in the Ocean. Their laundry detergent is by far their best-selling product, every year. In fact, last year, they sold nearly 50% more laundry detergent than their next-best-seller. Their EcoWarriors love the stuff!
What makes their laundry detergent so great? Well, for one, it’s got none of those nasty toxic chemicals. Just 4 natural and biodegradable ingredients – castile soap, sodium bicarbonate, sodium tetraborate, and sodium carbonate. And their scented options (eucalyptus, rosewood, and lavender) are scented with just pure essential oils – no artificial fragrances allowed. And because of those ingredients, their laundry detergent is safe for babies, safe for sensitive skin, and safe for septic systems. It’s also totally vegan, palm oil free, and cruelty free.
But what I love most about their laundry detergent is that it’s truly refillable and zero waste. They get their detergent in 5-gallon buckets, and when those buckets run out, they bring them back to their vendor to be reused again and again. And then customers get the detergent in a glass jar. When you’re running low, you just order a “Refill” glass jar, and they’ll take back your empty jars to wash and reuse – all at no extra cost. Now THAT, is refillable.
Greenifying the Rest of Your Laundry Routine
Of course, choosing the right detergent is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating a sustainable laundry routine. There are a few other small changes you can make to greenify the rest of your laundry process:
- Washing your clothes on cold rather than hot or warm can save a ton of energy. 90% of the energy used to wash your laundry comes from heating the water.
- Hang drying your clothes whenever possible can help them last longer and reduce your carbon footprint. If every home in the US hung-dried just half their laundry, it would save the equivalent greenhouse gases as not driving 161,000 cars for a year.
- Using reusable wool dryer balls instead of single-use dryer sheets can soften your clothes, reduce static, and even cut down your drying time.
These small tweaks can make a big difference in reducing the environmental impact of your laundry routine. And when combined with an eco-friendly detergent like Earth Breeze or the one from ABC Home, you’ll be well on your way to a truly sustainable laundry process.
So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to ditch those plastic jugs and greenify your laundry routine! Your clothes, your wallet, and the planet will thank you.
