The health of Atlantic Canada’s coastal ecosystems and others like it around the world are being impacted by the activity of people who call these areas home. At Change is Nature they believe that everyone can do their part to help reduce pollution by simply choosing products that are free from harsh chemicals and plastics that are among the most common pollutants accumulating in the world’s oceans and waterways.
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Laundry. It’s an endless household chore that many of us push to the last minute or do our best to avoid altogether. Research conducted by Whirlpool earlier this year suggests that Canadians are somewhat slack with their laundry habits. Interestingly, 16% of Canadians surveyed claim that they have never washed their winter jacket, and 19% have never laundered their winter gloves. Ick!
If doing your regular loads of laundry each week isn’t challenging enough there is also the environmental impact to consider. How we typically wash our laundry is not earth friendly or good for human health.
The good news? It’s easy and affordable to start cleaning your laundry more efficiently while keeping the process earth friendly. Ready to start washing your laundry more effectively for a lower cost while using fewer chemicals? Then please Read on!
Breakdown the Buildup
Did you know that you may have a buildup of excess laundry detergent embedded in the fibres of your clothing? This buildup is caused by using too much detergent load after load. The best way to tell if you have detergent buildup is if your wet laundry feels slimy, sticky or soapy.
Banish the buildup by soaking your dirty laundry in a deep sink, basin or tub. Use four parts water to one part distilled white vinegar. Make sure your clothing is fully submerged and soak for up to one hour. Follow with a regular wash cycle.
We strongly recommend avoiding a popular laundry cleaning trend called laundry stripping. The process requires using a chemical-based product called Borax which is not eco-friendly or safe for humans. Health Canada recommends limiting your exposure to this chemical whenever possible.
Boost your laundry with baking soda
Adding baking soda to your regular wash can work wonders to naturally clean and deodorize your laundry. Baking soda is harmless to the environment and has mild alkali qualities that help to dissolve dirt, grease, and mineral-based residue from hard water.
Add half a cup of baking soda to a top or front-loading washing machine. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer, especially for tough-to-remove odours from athletic wear or socks.
Pro-tip: Oops! You forgot your laundry in the washing machine, and it smells mildewy. Add a cup of distilled white vinegar with laundry detergent for a regular, cold wash cycle. Repeat for a second wash cycle, adding only half a cup of baking soda. Still smelly? Repeat the process.
Pass the salt, please!
Not only does salt have the power to bring out the flavours in our food, but it’s also an effective, eco-friendly stain remover. The natural properties of salt will help to remove almost any freshly stained fabric.
Blood stains: If a blood stain is still fresh, it should quickly disappear if its immediately covered with salt, followed by continuously blotting the stain with cold water until it’s gone.
Grease stains: To remove a fresh grease stain, generously cover it with salt immediately. Wait for the salt to absorb the grease, then brush the salt away. Repeat until the spot is gone, then wash as usual.
Wine stains: Immediately sprinkle the wine stain with enough salt to soak up the wine, then soak the fabric for an hour in cold water, followed by a regular wash cycle.
Give your laundry a lift with lemon
A lesser-known fact is that lemon is another earth-friendly way to clean your laundry. Pure lemon juice squeezed directly from a lemon or a bottle will naturally bleach your clothing.
Any fabric (other than silk) can be brightened using lemon juice. Mix half a cup of lemon juice with three-and-a-half litres of very hot water. Soak the clothing in the lemon and hot water mixture for at least an hour or leave it to soak overnight. Afterward, pour the clothing with the lemon juice mixture into the washing machine. Add detergent, and wash on a regular cycle.
Pro-tip: Line-dry your laundry outside in the sunlight to further enhance the brightening effects of the lemon and save on electricity too. Win-win!
The Trouble with traditional laundry detergents
One of the most toxic products we use to clean our clothing is laundry detergent which is quietly polluting our planet. Traditional laundry detergents are often packaged in single-use, non-recyclable plastic jugs, which are heavy and create unnecessary carbon emissions during transport.
The most troubling thing about traditional laundry detergents is what you cannot see, like harsh chemicals. An example of these chemicals is phosphates, which contribute to toxic algae blooms in our lakes and rivers during warmer months. Algae blooms can be fatal to aquatic life, and pets and have even made people sick here in Atlantic Canada.
Introducing Change is Nature, Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Sheets
Change is Nature is Atlantic Canada’s newest earth-friendly household goods brand which was launched last spring by founders Brittany Pickrem and Nemo Lopez.
Change is Nature was founded with the vision to help preserve the health of Atlantic Canada’s natural environment by offering affordable, earth-friendly household goods.
Detergents are one of the largest culprits when it comes to water pollution, which is why they chose to offer an eco-friendly detergent as their flagship product. Unlike traditional detergents, their detergent is designed to help preserve the health of our many rivers, lakes, and ocean across Atlantic Canada.
Although their detergent sheets are plant-based, they’re powerful and worth adding to your weekly laundry routine. A package of 40 loads costs $16.97, with free shipping Canada-wide.
Visit Changeisnature.com and use promo code SPOTLIGHT for 10% off your first order with them. When you purchase Change is Nature products, you’re helping to reduce harsh chemicals and microplastics that are quietly entering our natural environments every day.
by Lee Ann Atwater