You can save energy by making a few changes
in the way you wash clothes:

Cold water keeps your clothes looking newer longer than hot water washing. No special detergents are needed for cold water washing. Use any eco-friendly detergent like Seventh Generation, or make your own.

For complete instructions for buying or making eco-friendly cleaning products of all sorts, read Clean and Green, The Complete Guide to Nontoxic and Environmentally Safe Housekeeping.

    * With natural ingredients, you’ll know what you’re getting. The
contents listed on a popular laundry detergent include anionic and
nonionic surfactants and a buffering agent.

   * Avoid skin irritation caused by old-school products. Fabrics
can appear and smell fresh, but still be laden with chemicals that are
absorbed through your pores

    * Fragrances in detergents and fabric softeners may cause
allergies and asthma, and contain phthalates which are also used car
paint production.

TIP: Rub a paste made of baking soda into strains using a tooth brush.

HOW MUCH IS SAVED?

80%-90% of the energy used to do laundry goes to heating the water.
Washing your clothes in cold water is usually just as effective as hot.

Save $61 per year per household on average by forgoing the hot for the cold.

In a year, each household that switches from hot water to cold keeps 1,281 lbs of CO2 from entering the air.

FOR MORE INFORMATION and photo credit see TerraPass.com