LaundryLast month we looked at ways to clear out our closets and keep clothing out of the landfill.   Now that you have a clean, organized closet you’ll want to take extra good care of your clothes.

Your clothes will last longer if you wash less often and wash on cold.  Levi’s recently came out and said we’re washing our jeans too often and need to stop.  They say to keep jeans out of the washer and spot clean as needed.  

Air drying is always the most economical and eco-friendly option, but if you prefer the dryer try to do loads back-to-back.  This will help ensure no extra heat from the dryer goes to waste and will dry your clothes faster.  

Those of you living in more humid areas probably have to use a dryer, wool dryer balls help cut back on dry time (and are great for the static I deal with in Colorado!).  I can dry a full load of towels in about ¼ of the time it takes without dryer balls! Wool dryer balls also last a LONG time- I’ve been using the same ones for almost 5 years now and I’m just starting to think about replacing them.  We line dry clothing but put towels and sheets in the dryer.  If you miss the scent from dryer sheets you can add some essential oils to the dryer balls.  If you’re crafty you can make your own dryer balls from 100% wool sweaters or yarn.

A big benefit to air drying in the summer is that the clothes help cool off my hot, dry apartment!  In the summer in Colorado, laundry dries FAST.  We’ll often hang it up in front of an open door to create a homemade swamp cooler.  Clothes will last longer if they’re air dryed, so it will save you money on utilities and clothes!  

Want to really take it to the next level?  You can make a washing machine that uses no energy at all from 2 buckets and a plunger!  Check out this tutorial it uses much less water than a washing machine and is a good option for travel or people without a machine or living in areas prone to power outages!

Here’s to longer lasting, more efficiently washed clothing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Olivia lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and 4 year old son. She enjoys spending time in the mountains, studying about essential oils, natural remedies and herbs, as well as upcycling/ DIY projects. Olivia’s family made the move last year towards becoming a Zero Waste household. They have gotten down to one bathroom sized trashcan a month of garbage but hope to be totally Zero Waste by the end of 2015.

Like this? Check out the rest of our Waste Less and Be Green in 2015 series for more tips! 

Giveaway rules: Giveaway ends October 31, 2015 at 10am EST. Entries will be accepted until 10am EST via the Rafflecopter widget. Winner will be notified via email and winner will be posted on our Facebook page. Winner shall choose either a Keeper or a Moon cup in either size A or size B. The winner will have one week to claim prize at which point a new winner shall be chosen

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