How To Have an Eco-Friendly Laundry Routine

There’s more to consider than you might think when talking about eco-friendly laundry. The first thing people will think of is eco-friendly laundry detergent or washing powder, but we also need to think about several other things including what’s the most eco-friendly washing machine as well. Is it energy efficient? How much water does it use? How should you dry your clothes? Let’s get into the most eco-friendly way to wash your clothes and the options available.

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Which is The Most Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent (UK)?

There are several options available to you, and which is the most eco-friendly depends on several factors, like the products carbon footprint, the ingredients and the packaging. For example Soapnuts are completely natural but they can’t be grown in the UK. So check out the following options that are all much better than the cheapest washing powders and liquids you can find in the UK which contain numerous chemicals, many of which are toxic to us, the environment and wildlife.

Homemade washing powder / liquid
Plastic free laundry detergents
Non-toxic laundry detergents

Homemade Washing Powder

There are numerous ‘recipes’ for homemade washing powder to be found in a simple google search. I made my own washing powder and it works really well. The great thing about making your own is you know exactly what’s going in to your washing machine.

Some people just don’t have the time to make their own and for those people there are loads of eco-friendly laundry detergents you can buy.

Plastic Free Laundry Detergents

Soapnuts

Anyone who is interested in being more environmentally friendly will have heard of Soapnuts. They’re a natural, compostable alternative to laundry detergent. So what exactly are soapnuts? Soapnuts are dried fruit shells which contain real natural soap and are 100% completely natural. They contain a natural soap called saponin, which is released when they come into contact with water.

Fill Laundry Liquid

This is a product I’ve never seen before and it has some great eco credentials. It comes in a refillable glass bottle with an aluminium screw top. It’s cruelty free and vegan and contains no harsh chemicals. Best of all it’s made in the UK so the carbon footprint of your product is much lower than products made abroad. They also make Fill Washing Powder that comes in a glass jar if you prefer powders to liquids.

Clothes Doctor

Clothes Doctor make laundry detergents for specific materials. There’s No.3 which is good for cashmere and wool, No.4 good for silk and No.5 which is good for sportswear. The washing detergent comes in an aluminium bottle with a compostable label. A bit pricy but a good eco-friendly option.

Ecover Washing Powder

If you buy washing powder in a cardboard box you’re going to have a plastic free option as well as one of the cheapest options for eco-friendly laundry detergent. Ecover also sell laundry items in recyclable plastic bottles.

Plastic Free | Biodegradable | Vegan | Cruelty Free | Recyclable

Non-Toxic Laundry Detergents

Tru Earth Laundry Strips

Another new one for me. Tru Earth make laundry strips! If I’m honest I like the concept but they are really expensive. You get 32 strips, so 32 washes for £12.95. Another thing that concerns me is that it contains PVA, so I don’t think they’re plastic free. (Poly(vinyl alcohol) is a water-soluble synthetic polymer).

Biodegradable | Vegan | Cruelty Free

EcoEgg

Like Soapnuts most eco-conscious people will have heard of the EcoEgg. I’ve linked to the one which provides 720 washes (working out at 3p per wash), so it’s very economical. Sadly it isn’t plastic free even though apart from that it’s pretty eco-friendly and very affordable in the long-term.

Vegan | Cruelty Free | Made in UK

Eco-Friendly Laundry Liquids

There are so many ‘eco-friendly’ laundry detergents you can buy which come in recycled plastic bottles, recyclable plastic bottles or just plastic bottles. These tend to be a bit cheaper than other products.

Eco-Friendly Fabric Conditioners / Stain Removers

Eco-Friendly Fabric Conditioners

All the fabric conditioners I’ve found come in plastic bottles. Yes some of them can be recycled, but do you really need a fabric conditioner? Is it maybe just something we’ve been convinced we need? I don’t know the answer and it comes down to your own preference at the end of the day. Some people use apple cider vinegar, but I’m not sure how much you use and if that means things smell a little vinegary.

Eco-Friendly Stain Removers

If you can avoid using bleach to remove stubborn stains then that’s all good with me. There are a few good alternative options available.

Bio D Laundry Bleach

This is an oxygen based antibacterial, sanitising in-wash whitener and odour and stain remover. They say to use it in conjunction with Bio D washing powder or liquid.

ImseVimse Citrus Soap Stain Remover

A simple soap bar for stain removal which works on a variety of different fabrics without using harsh chemicals.

Organic | Plastic Free | Vegan | Cruelty Free

Eco-Friendly Washing Machines

Probably the most important thing to look at is the energy efficiency rating of washing machines. The energy efficiency should be looked at in conjunction with water usage. If you want to look into the ethics of the company you should take a look at this ethical guide to washing machines. The Ethical Consumer looks at tax avoidance, the materials used in the manufacturing of the machine, as well as energy efficiency and some alternatives to washing machines.

Things To Look For

Energy Efficiency rating
Water Usage
Cool Wash Setting Available?

The best energy efficiency rating is A*** and you’d be very surprised at the difference between A*** and A**. The following companies all produce only A*** rated washing machines – New World, Fisher & Paykel, Haier, Grundig and Maytag, NEFF, Siemens. Most other companies produce washing machines with a variety of ratings between A and A***.

Please note that the energy efficiency rating system has changed as of March 2021. You might now see 2 labels side by side. The new rating system is from A to G to simplify things. The highest rating therefore will now be A. The old energy efficiency ratings are being phased out and you shouldn’t see any beyond December 2021. So please bear that in mind when looking at any appliances affected by this change.

“90% of the energy goes into heating the water up. So, washing at cooler temperatures – modern detergents are designed for this – and rinsing clothes cold makes sense. A wash cycle at 20°C consumes around 70% less electricity than one at 60°C. And even just lowering the temperature by 10 degrees and rinsing cold will cut energy use by over 40%.” – The Ethical Consumer

You should try to always wash your clothes at a low temperature and if possible find a machine that automatically detects how big the load is and adjusts the amount of water used.

“Water usage varies greatly by model. When adjusted for capacity, the most water efficient machine will use around 6 litres per kilogram, and the least about 14. Efficiency will be greatest with a full load. Different cycles also use vastly different amounts. Synthetic wash programmes, for example, use around 50% more than cotton ones.” – The Ethical Consumer

Drum Size

Another thing to think about is what size washing machine you actually need. You can get drum sizes between 5.5kg up to 18kg capacity. A washing machine is most efficient when it’s washing a full load, so don’t buy an 11kg drum size if you live alone. A good size for a couple is between 6-7kg. If you live in a shared house, share the load to be as energy efficient as possible.

A few examples of energy efficient washing machines

LG – 9kg – £399.99
Samsung – 9kg – £729
Samsung – 9kg– £569. Smart Washing Machine (includes eco-bubbles to help wash at cooler temperatures)
Grundig – 10kg – £429.99

Hand Washing

Hand washing is not necessarily suitable for everything you own. For example, I would probably never hand wash towels, bedsheets or jeans. But if you have the time then hand washing your underwear, socks, t-shirts and other lightweight items is far better for the environment. You won’t be using as much energy and you won’t be using as much water. If you soak your clothes before washing this will also help.

Avoiding Releasing Micro-plastics

“60% of clothing is now made from polyester, a fabric that sheds tiny strands of plastic every time it is washed. According to Greenpeace, one item of clothing can release 700,000 fibres in a single laundry load.

Once in dirty washing water these bits of plastic go to water treatment plants and then into our taps or into the sea. In fact, between 15% and 31% of marine plastic pollution could be from tiny particles released by households and businesses, rather than larger plastic items that degrade once they reach the sea.

Such plastics are putting marine ecosystems at risk, as they are consumed by fish and other animal populations. They clog up marine organisms’ intestinal tracts, suppress their hunger by making them feel full, and cause infertility. They also damage corals (one of the most effective protections from the effects of climate warming)”

Whether you hand wash or use your washing machine you risk releasing microplastics into your plumbing and then probably into the sea. There are ways to reduce how many microplastics you release when washing by not owning any synthetic clothes, however it is not eco-friendly, or practical, to replace every clothing item you own with natural materials. In these circumstances you can put your washing into a bag (like a Guppy Friend Washing Bag) which will stop the microplastics from draining with the water. You will have to dispose of the microplastics carefully though.

The Plastic Pollution Coalition has the following advice:

Wash synthetic clothes less frequently and for a shorter duration.
Fill up your washing machine. Washing a full load results in less friction between the clothes and fewer fibers released.
Consider switching to a liquid laundry soap. Laundry powder “scrubs” and loosens more microfibers.
Use a colder wash setting. Higher temperature can damage clothes and release more fibers.
Dry spin clothes at low revs. Higher revolutions increase the friction between the clothes.
When you clean out your dryer, place lint in the trash instead of washing it down the drain.
Consider purchasing a Guppy Friend wash bag. In tests, the bag captured 99 percent of fibers released in the washing process.
Purchase a washing machine lint filter. These filters require more of an investment, but they will benefit your septic system and the environment.
Buy clothes made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and wool. Natural fibers will eventually break down in the environment. Plastic fibers will never go away.

Drying Your Clothes

I’m completely against tumble dryers and always have been. I understand why large families with small children own them but for the majority of us tumble dryers are a terrible purchase to make. They use a lot of energy, they’re expensive and most people don’t need them. If you have a garden invest in a washing line or rotary washing line. (Don’t forget to buy wooden clothes pegs rather than plastic ones). If you don’t have a garden, or live somewhere where it rains all the time, then purchase a good clothes airer. Keep a window open to make sure you don’t create a huge amount of condensation, this means a clothes airer is a perfectly good option for drying your clothes. The only drawback to air drying your clothes is that it takes a bit longer.

I hang a lot of my wet clothes on hangers so that when they’re dry I can just hang them straight in my wardrobe (this is a great option for lazy people like me). I also use a clothes airer for socks and underwear and hang some larger items over the banister in my hall. I’m lucky that I also have an outdoor washing line in my garden so when it’s a dry day I can dry my clothes a lot quicker than hanging them inside.

Eco-Friendly Laundry. Ironing?

Finally when we think about eco-friendly laundry we might not think about ironing, but for many people this is the final step before putting clothes away after washing them. Personally I’ve become an expert in buying clothes that don’t need to be ironed. Again this is mainly down to me being lazy but it turns out I’ve been eco-friendly all along! However if you feel you have to iron clothes (and even bedsheets) at least make sure you buy an energy efficient iron.

Eco-Friendly Laundry Conclusion

It is possible to have a completely plastic free and a very energy efficient and low water laundry routine. It could be a bit more expensive for some parts of the routine, but if you mainly hand wash and you use less water (especially when on a water meter) you could have a cheaper and far more eco-friendly laundry routine than the majority of people in the UK.

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eco-friendly way to do your laundry