1 x 1 of sustainable washing
We need to protect our earth better. That’s why it’s important to consider the planet whatever we do, including when doing the laundry or cleaning.
The good news: Making a contribution to environmental protection and resource conservation when washing is simple! For example, if you use an eco-certified detergent based on natural raw materials, you protect our waters and oceans. For the climate, it is important not to use the dryer and to wash at low temperatures. But the right choice of washing programme and detergent is also important, because this way you can protect your clothes and help the textile waste mountains to grow more slowly.
But that's not all! Check out our tips and tricks on how to reduce your environmental footprint when washing.
1. Use organic detergents – preferably of certified quality:
Your detergent affects how clean our lakes, rivers and oceans are. Conventionally produced detergents and cleaning agents pollute our environment. Every year, private households in Germany alone add 530,000 tonnes (!) of chemicals to our wastewater through detergents and cleaning agents. Our local waters as well as the oceans and their inhabitants suffer from this, as some ingredients are often difficult to degrade ecologically and can remain in rivers and lakes for years.
Our ecological detergents, on the other hand, biodegrade easily – to 100% (with the exception of minerals).
Our motto: clean laundry without polluting the planet!
2. Use detergents without microplastics:
We are often not aware of all the things hidden in conventional detergents. Or did you know that most commercially available detergents contain plastic compounds (mostly unrecognisable in liquid form)? Microplastics or liquid plastic compounds (dissolved polymers) were found in 22 of the 26 heavy-duty detergents tested by Ökotest in 2019 in Germany. Not in ours, of course! The following figures illustrate how all-encompassing the problem really is: almost 50,000 (!) tons of dissolved polymers and microplastics from detergents, cleaning agents and cosmetics end up in German wastewater and thus also in our rivers, lakes and seas every year. We consumers often do not even notice that these tiny plastic particles (often also in liquid form) are in the detergent, as they can neither be seen nor felt!
Once in wastewater, microplastics and dissolved polymers are difficult to remove and thus end up in our oceans, where the plastic particles are often eaten by marine animals – in many cases with fatal consequences. Since humans are at the end of the food chain, we also end up eating some of the plastic that we have added to the wastewater through detergents and cleaning agents.
At AlmaWin, we have always been aware of the harmful effects of such plastic particles and consistently avoid using them in all our products.
3. Wash at low temperatures:
Do you wash underwear, towels and bed linen at 90 degrees? What used to be common a long time ago is not needed anymore. Even at low temperatures, your textiles will be hygienically clean.
Washing at low temperatures saves an enormous amount of energy, because most of the electricity used in washing is used to heat the water. Even if you reduce the temperature by only a few degrees (e.g. from 40 ℃ to 30 ℃ degrees) you save a lot of energy – depending on the machine, up to 40%! If you switch the washing machine to 60 ℃ instead of 90 ℃, the electricity saving (and thus also the emissions) increases to almost 50%!
However, you should wash at the highest temperature at least once a month (in case your machine has that function), because this kills germs and bacteria in the machine and prevents your machine from smelling unpleasant.
4. Use the right amount of detergent:
What sounds simple turns out to be a challenge for many people. To find out how much detergent you really need, you should know the water hardness in your home. If you don't know, just ask your local water supplier. The harder the water, the more detergent (or softener) you need. You can find out exactly how much on the detergent dosage label. You also have to estimate how dirty the water is. As a rule of thumb, light soiling means worn (and sweaty), but without visible stains. Medium soiling, on the other hand, means light stains. Heavy soiling refers to hard-to-remove stains such as coffee and juice stains.
- Dose exactly according to the instructions, because more will not help. On the contrary: overdosing is not only bad for the environment (more raw materials are used than necessary and unnecessary surfactants and other ingredients are discharged into the waste water), but often also worsens the washing result. In addition, overdosing can lead to heavy foaming and possibly even cause your machine to overflow.
- If you use too little detergent, your laundry may not get clean and you will have to wash it again, using more energy and raw materials.
- Look carefully at the dosage chart and make sure you only fill your measuring cup to the optimum dosage. Since we only use concentrates, in the case of AlmaWin and KLAR products this can be only a fraction of the cup!
5. Do not use the dryer:
Apart from heating the water during the washing process, the dryer consumes the most energy when washing clothes. Therefore, you should avoid the dryer whenever possible and dry your clothes in the fresh air. A gentle breeze will not only dry your clothes quickly and evenly, but will also prevent your clothes (and especially towels) from becoming hard and stiff.
6. Load the machine properly:
Did you know that as long as you're not washing delicates, it's good to have just a hand's width of space between the laundry and the drum? Filling up your machine is most efficient as you don't waste electricity and water. In addition, a full load can also have a positive effect on the washing result, because the high abrasion (when the textiles rub against each other while spinning) also makes them clean. The next time the machine is not completely full, it is better to wait a little longer or add more textiles such as bed linen and towels. However, for delicate textiles, for which a delicate, gentle or wool wash cycle is recommended, you should not fill up the drum to protect the fibres from too much abrasion. This is particularly important for woolen garments, where it is recommended that the drum is only loaded to about 25-35%.
7. Select the Eco programme:
Although it may seem illogical, the Eco programme, which often takes several hours, is far less energy intensive than the normal wash cycle, which usually gets your laundry clean in under an hour. The reason? The Eco wash cycle not only uses less water, but also washes at lower temperatures. That's why your laundry has to be processed longer to get clean. Compared to the normal wash cycle, the eco programme often saves as much as 40-50% electricity. Contrast this with the short wash programmes (e.g. with speed function): although they may seem environmentally friendly, many of them often use the most energy because the water has to be heated quickly, which consumes considerable amounts of electricity.
8. Remove small stains locally and let clothes air out rather than washing them all at once.
The garment does not always have to be put into the machine straight away. This saves water, energy and raw materials.
9. Washing machine care & cleaning: to keep your machine clean and last longer, follow these simple tips.
- If your machine allows, wash at 60 ℃ (or higher) at least once a month – preferably with our heavy-duty detergent. This will kill germs and prevent your machine from smelling bad. The oxygen bleach in our heavy-duty detergent also helps to reduce unpleasant odours and bacteria.
- Leave the powder compartment and the door to the drum ajar after washing. This allows the compartment to dry and ventilates the drum, reducing the growth of germs and bacteria.
- Clean the powder compartment and the rubber seal in the drum regularly to prevent mould and to keep your machine hygienically clean. The lint filter should also be emptied and cleaned from time to time. (Not all machines have one, however).
- Especially if you have hard water, you should descale the machine at least once a year. Not only will this save energy (and money) with every wash, but it can also extend the life of your machine. Our dishwasher and washing machine cleaner not only descales your machine, but also removes dirt and grease from places that are inaccessible by hand.