Nicole Gibson explains how you can be eco-friendly with these handy 8 tips for busy mums and dads.

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Even during a global pandemic, the laundry is never closed! Whether it’s sorting whites, darks, colours, delicates, towels, soaking stained items or searching for a missing sock, it certainly is a busy hotspot of any home that often seems never ending for many mums. Given our lifelong commitment and time spent doing laundry, it makes perfect sense to consider making some easy eco-friendly changes that will save you water, time, money, sanity and is better for our environment.

1.AIR DRYING

Air drying clothes will save on energy, helps you save money, disinfects clothes, reduces wrinkles and is gentle on fabrics. So often we put clothes unnecessarily in the wash to avoid putting them away. I know most kids tend to be the main culprits!  Simply by hanging a worn item in a breezy sunny spot will be all that is needed to freshen and clean.

2.EARTH FRIENDLY DETERGENTS

Earth friendly laundry detergents are better for the environment because they are natural, safe, effective in cold water, free from toxins, nasty chemicals and fillers. Fillers are the main contributor to washing machine build up which increases the frequency of cleaning.  Earth friendly solutions are also suitable for grey water systems and septic tanks.

3.HIGH EFFECIENCY WASHER

High efficiency washing machines cost less to operate because they use less water, energy and detergent. They use up to 80% less water which over a year could save you significant money.

4.QUICK WASH

Choosing a quick wash is the perfect cycle setting for those visually clean items that may have been worn a couple of times. A quick wash uses less water, detergent, saves time and energy and is better for maintaining the integrity of fabrics and the shape of clothes.

5.HAND WASHING

Hand washing in smaller compartments saves a lot less water than filling up the laundry sink. It also uses less laundry detergent, allowing you to get a more effective clean using a more accurate ratio of water and detergent. By using a compartmentalized laundry soaking system will also allow you to multitask different items and avoids the painful drip line to the washing machine.

6.WIRE PEGS

Wire pegs are made from a continuous piece of marine grade stainless steel that will not break, fade or crack, lasting a lifetime in the sun. This ecofriendly alternative will eliminate standing on sharp broken off pieces of plastic pegs that often gets turned into smaller pieces after mowing.

7.IRON FREE CLOTHES

Hate ironing? The easiest most effective way to iron clothes without plugging in the iron is to fill a spray bottle with 1 litre of water combined with 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil.  Shake, spray and hang! It seriously is that easy!! One of the amazing properties of lavender essential oil is that it naturally relaxes the fabric fibres and as a result, reduces unwanted wrinkles. It is the perfect hack for school uniforms. You can even spray whilst the kids are wearing them!

8.RECYCLE RINSING WATER

You may already have grey water systems and or septic tanks up and running at your house but for those who don’t you can easily recycle the rinsing water from your washing machine by simply removing the hose and allowing the waste water to fill into a bucket. This water can then be reused on the grass or garden if earth friendly laundry solutions were used.