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Going green with the laundry?
I already try to do as few loads as possible per week, make sure the washer is full and I wash/dry all at once to save energy heating up the dryer. I use the bouncy balls instead of fabric softener and use an environmentally friendly detergent.
Do I NEED the extra rinse cycle? None of my things are heavily soiled.
And is it ok to wash everything in warm/cold? From an energy conserving standpoint versus ruining my clothes....
And is there anything else I can be doing short of line-drying my things? It's way too cold now - worked ok in the summer but I am not too keen on pulling frozen bras off the line.
2 Answers
- The CurmudgeonLv 61 decade agoFavourite answer
One thing I learned is with today's detergents you can wash your clothes in cold water and they will get just as clean. I don't dry my clothes in a machine either, I have a bar in my apartment (not THAT kind of bar) where I hang my washed clothes on hangers. And I have one of those accordion racks that I can hang my socks and under-roos on.
I really need to start recycling my cans. With as much aluminum as I go through.....
- Anonymous1 decade ago
It is certainly ok to wash everything in warm/cold. I wash most of my clothes in just cold water, and only use warm for certain delicates and sheets/towels. Besides conserving energy, cold water is best for stains, if there are any. And, like you, i don't bother with fabric softener. Just an unnecessary expense for me. My clothes turn out fine with out it.
For drying, if you really want to hang clothes you can purchase folding racks for hanging clothes on. Available at wal mart and similar stores. I live in an apartment and have to pay for every load so i save money (and energy!) by drying my clothes on those racks (I only use the dryer for sheets and towels. everything else gets hung). I'll sometimes turn a fan on to help them dry faster. I occasionally put my dehumidifier on as well, and then use the water it collects for plants i have in the home and wherever else i can reuse water.
As for the extra rinse cycle, i think thats a personal preference. If you are fine with how your clothes turn out without it, then don't use it.