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Rockin Mama™

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Eco-Laundry Challenge *Giveaway*

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This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by.  The winner is Ellen B. Congrats!

With two children under 3 and a husband in the house, I do a lot of laundry.  I probably wash at least one load a day, which means at any given time, our daughter’s crib is a reservoir for clean laundry.  As you can imagine, all of that laundry consumes a lot of water, soap, and energy.

Seventh Generation recently approached me to participate in their Seventh Generation Project Laundry Line Challenge.  It’s simple…by washing in cold water with Seventh Generation’s non-toxic, biodegradable laundry detergent and line drying our clothes, they propose that my husband and I will save water, energy, and money.  We already use Seventh Generation’s Laundry Detergent and wash about 75% (ish) of our clothes in cold water.  The days I come home from the hospital, I do take those scrubs and wash them in hot water to kill all of the germs.  I also find that some of my children’s tougher stains come out more effectively when I wash in hot water.


My husband and I spend almost a year in Europe before we had children, and we’ve lived without a dryer.  I don’t mind if my clothes are a bit stiff when they’ve been line-dried because they relax when I put them on.  My husband, on the other hand, does not like stiff clothes (particularly his work clothes).  Seventh Generation sent me their canola-based liquid Fabric Softener which actually made our clothes softer.

The one major issue I’ve come across is stain removal.  My kids, in particular, manage to get everything from raspberry sorbet and pureed carrots to paint all over their clothes.  Typically, in these situations, I would pre-treat with a stain remover (although I’m trying to move away from this practice).  For the challenge, I did not use any stain remover and found that while the stains were lighter in color, they were still there.  I posed my questions about cold water washing and stain removal to Seventh Generation’s ScienceMan and here is what he had to say:

All stains are not created equal. The majority, even those big scary stains, are treated effectively by the agitation process of washing machines and multiple rinse cycles. But some stains require extra attention. The most common way to pre-treat stains is with concentrated detergent. As soon as possible after the stain appears, apply the detergent directly to the affected area, rub gently, and leave to soak thoroughly prior to washing.  If it’s a particularly stubborn stain, wash in cold water and increase the amount of detergent used by 20-25 percent. Continue by using a longer wash cycle or “pre-soak” cycle if available on your machine. As a last resort, use a powder laundry booster such as Borax that increases the pH of the wash water and also provides oxygen bleach (not chlorine) to enhance stain removal.

I’m just starting to test out his recommendations, and I plan on posting more about how effective this is in a future post.

In all honesty, it’s not difficult to wash in cold with biodegradable, non-toxic laundry detergent.  Too often I’ve heard people tell me that “going green” is expensive and time-consuming.  Seventh Generation’s products are priced comparably to conventional products.  For example, their Natural 2X Concentrated Laundry Liquid (which is plant-derived) retails for $3.84 (32 ounces, 20 loads), $5.78 (50 ounces, 32 loads), and $10.27 (100 ounces, 64 loads).  Because their detergent is concentrated, you don’t need much for effective washing.

The most difficult part of the challenge was spending the time and effort to line-dry the clothes.  In all honesty, it doesn’t take much more time, but it takes longer than throwing the clothes in the dryer. But when you consider the following facts, it makes economic and ecologic sense to line-dry:

    If Americans air dried their clothing for 10 months out of the year, we could avoid 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
    Approximately one quarter of Americans use an ENERGY STAR washer. There are no ENERGY STAR dryers on the market.

Stay tuned!  I have more information to share with you about our Eco-Laundry Challenge.

I want to challenge you to do the same…wash in cold water with a non-toxic, biodegradable laundry detergent and line dry.  To help you out, I have one laundry kit to give away.

Win It! One of you will win a Seventh Generation “Project Laundry Line” kit that includes:

·         Seventh Generation Natural 2x Concentrated Laundry Liquid (good for 66 loads of laundry)

·         portable laundry line

·         clothes pins, laundry basket

Simple leave me a comment with an eco-friendly laundry tip!  Comments will close on July 1, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST.  One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn. Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.

Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.

Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!

No compensation was received for this post.  Seventh Generation provided the items for review and giveaway.

Caryn Bailey
Latest posts by Caryn Bailey (see all)
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231 Responses to Eco-Laundry Challenge *Giveaway*

  12. I wash my laundry in cold water (except the whites) and only do full loads of laundry. I’d love to hang my laundry outside to dry, but don’t have a clothes line (no place to hang it). I never thought of a portable laundry line. Thanks!
    jackievillano at gmail dot com

    Reply

  14. This is a GREAT tip, something I’ve done for years. Remove clothes from the dryer 1/3 of the way through the cycle and hang up. Saves a ton on energy costs.

    Reply

  18. Wash your clothes in cold water. It works as well and laundry detergents are formulated to work in cold water. This way you use less energy.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  22. I guess my tip isn’t really anything new but I always use cold water and I try to make sure I have full loads.

    Reply

  24. Making your own laundry detergent is really easy to do and it lasts for a long time! (I buy Seventh generation too, because my husband prefers it and for that reason, like you, I can’t line dry his clothes either).

    Reply

  28. We use cool water whenever we can (with darks) and also don’t use as much detergent as they tell you too. Just don’t need that much to clean clothes.
    tvollowitz at aol dot com

    Reply

  34. My eco friendly tip besides washing in cold, is to use LESS detergent than is recommended . The detergent no matter how sweet smelling is what makes washers stinky. My other tip- pretreat the stains with dishsoap- I use Dawn and have had wonderful results. If you can get the Dawn on before things set, all the better!

    Reply

  40. i rip fabric softener sheets in half..and only use a half a load..i guess that saves some trash…and my clothes are still left soft
    nannypanpan at sbcglobal.net

    Reply

  42. My eco-friendly laundry tip is for cloth diaper users out there. We all know that we are supposed to wash our diapers twice. I try to keep an eye on my diapers during the first wash, so that when the washing machine goes to its final spin cycle, I just stop it and start the next round of washing. There’s not reason for them to go through the spin cycle when they are about to get washed again. It saves a little bit of energy and time! 🙂

    Reply

  44. I’d love to line dry my laundry, and I really don’t know why I haven’t started. This info has inspired my to make more of an effort. I can’t really think of any tips besides the ones you already mentioned, except to not wash clothes after every single wear. Especially with pants, I try to have the kids look and see if they are dirty before throwing them in the wash.

    Reply

  49. If you can’t break the dryer habit, put your clothes in the dryer for just a few minutes to fluff them, then hang them line dry. They will be much softer.

    Reply

  56. I leave water in the bathtub and rinse some laundry like rugs, mats, house clothes etc and then I wash the dog, dirty yard funiture or anything else dirty around the house with the same water!

    Reply

  70. I take out the clothes (esp. baby clothes) and hang them up on hangers over the dryer. They get some of the warm air from the dryer and dry well w/o much wrinkling. I lay some of the clothes on the dryer – esp. the cloth diapers. That dried them out part of the way and then I’d hang them up to finish drying.

    Reply

  73. I hardly ever use warm water. They say specific colors need warm water, but really, it doesn’t make a difference. This saves on heating and energy costs.

    Reply

  79. Something that I used to do years ago and would love to start doing again: hang your close out to dry. They smell so fresh and just think of all the energy you save by not drying them in the dryer.

    Reply

  82. My eco friendly tip – If I buy a non-generic big brand name laundry detergent, I always use half of the amount that they tell me to use to clean my laundry. It works just as well!

    Reply

  92. I started adding vinegar to every load of laundry. Vinegar helps reduce odors in clothes, provides some whitening and stain removal boost and can soften them as well. I also found that it could help laundry since we have such hard water. When adding vinegar to the washer, especially the first time, it seems that it helps rinse the detergent more thoroughly!

    Reply

  93. I also wash in cold water, as you suggested, and I hang my clothes in the summer as well. Also, I only do loads when I have a full load, which is not hard in this house! None of these are anything new to this list, but they are what I do at home!

    girlygirlugh at gmail dot com

    Reply

  100. Buy detergent that is effective in cold water to save on the crazy amount of hot water laundry can demand.

    Reply

  109. I know it’s redundant but line-drying is the best way to make ecological impact with your laundry.

    Reply

  115. I use white vinegar in my laundry to help cut out odors (especially in my husband and my gym clothes).

    Reply

  117. I use all cold water and to help with tough stains i pretreat with warm water in a bucket to concerve the oil heat used to heat the water.

    Reply

  122. For years, I have removed my laundry from the dryer about a third of the way through the cycle, and I hang everything. Saves on energy costs too.

    Reply

  124. The only eco-friendly tip I have is to use your laundry line as much as possible instead of the dryer.

    Reply

  125. I don’t think I really have a whole lot to add to the list; I use cold water, vinegar instead of bleach, and line dry when I can. 🙂

    Reply

  128. I’m actually making my own laundry soap – fels naptha (grated), borax and washing soda. Since I’ve been line drying for years, I was thrilled to figure out that the above recipe actually softens the clothes! TaDa! No more fabric softener needed (and no more stiff line dried clothes)! But every once and a while, I’d like to try some of the green laundry products on the market to see if I can retire from making my own..

    Reply

  131. No need to wash something unless it’s actually dirty. Except in the dead of summer, or when you’ve been doing something filthy, most clothes don’t need to be washed after only one wear (underwear and socks are big exceptions!)

    Reply

  133. Shorter cycles and less detergent can save energy and give your clothing a longer life. If you are washing clothing that has no stains or major odor, use the shortest cycle on your machine and use only half the recommended detergent. Less detergent and less agitation means your clothing takes less of a beating and last longer.

    Reply

  135. my tip is to Use a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of softeners. it eliminates smells and it’s very eco friendly thanks clallen a t ntin dot net

    Reply

  137. My tip: When you do/must use the dryer, add the lint to the compost – it’s biodegradable!

    Thanks so much for the chance to win!

    Amanda – buckeye7081 at gmail dot com

    Reply

  139. In the winter, we usually have our fireplace going, so I like to lay my clothes in front of it to dry!

    Reply

  140. I always use cold water, and set it for gentle wash (which uses less water) whenever I can. Thanks!

    Reply

  143. My only Eco-laundry tip is actually an eco-house tip… Make sure that your water heater is set to 120 degrees or lower. Not only will it prevent burns, but it’ll save energy and even when you have to wash clothes in hot water, they’ll effectively be using less energy too! I’ve found that we’re equally comfortable with ours set to 105. Showers still feel plenty hot and clothes and dishes still get plenty clean.

    Reply

  147. wash fuller loads and take clothes out of the dryer halfway thru if you have to use the dryer which i prefer to line dry thanks for the chance

    Reply

  148. Check the weather before hanging out your clothes, invest in an indoor, retractable line for rainy days or days it’s too cold, wash in cold water as much as possible, and don’t run the washer unless it is full.

    Reply

  150. Of course, it’s best to use a clothes line. However, for when you do use the dryer it’s best to use dryer balls to help make your clothes dry faster and osften them instead of using a softener sheet.

    Reply

  153. I love to hang my clothes outside to dry. They smell wonderful and it really lowers the power bill.

    Reply

  155. Biokleen’s bac-out is a great tool for laundry in addition to Seventh Generation products. It really helps with smells and stains.
    soluckyducky(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  159. Rinse only in cold water.

    Also, break out the clothesline. Not only will you save energy, you’ll extend the wearable life of your clothing (as well as the life of your dryer!).

    Reply

  170. It’s nothing new but we have done it for years… wash in cold water and line dry your clothes

    Reply

  174. Assuming you didn’t “dirty” them in some way, bath towels can be hung to dry and reused without washing at least once.

    Reply

  178. It is one of the most often mentioned things to do, but wash your clothes in cold water. Since I have a front load washer, it also means using less water for each load in addition to less energy used.

    Reply

  179. I make it a habit to unplug the washer after I am done using it and I line dry my clothes about 90% of the time!

    Reply

  180. Only do full loads. Always wash on cold. Use biodegradable detergent, in cardboard boxes. Don’t use fabric softener in the washer or dryer. Limit use of the dryer. Compost dryer lint!

    Reply

  185. You can save and use your rinse laundry water for watering your garden or houseplants or even washing a small dog

    Reply

  187. i line dry my clothes because if i let my kids keep running the dryer my light bill is outrageous and this may sound goofy but i put my dryer lint outside so the birds will take it for nests..lol i got the idea when i saw a bird land on my porch and grab a big chunk of dog hair i figured it was taking it for its nest..but who wants to sleep on a bed of fleas..lol

    Reply

  188. do all your laundry at once. That way, you only have to use the energy to heat the dryer up once.

    Reply

  197. i line dry my clothes and save a dollar each time, so that i can use it towards the washing the next day

    Reply

  201. When you are done with your wash such as dress shirts and pants run them on low for a couple minutes and then hang on hangers, or a line, which I don’t have, to dry.

    Reply

  205. Instead of stain removal products, use baking soda and white vinegar.

    dlodden at frontiernet dot net

    Reply

  210. I wash weekly, instead of a couple of pieces daily. I try to let the clothes build up, and then it’s time to wash.

    Reply

  216. Thanks for the giveaway…our eco-friendly laundry tip is to pre-soak your laundry overnight when time permits: this allows time for the detergent to work on soiled clothing, and as a result you may be able to use a shorter wash cycle to get your laundry clean.

    Reply

  225. I wash about three quarters of my laundry in cold water and line dry all of it 99% of the time.

    Reply

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