I thought I already knew everything I needed to know about doing laundry in an eco-friendly way. But after we moved to an acreage with well water in 2019 I noticed a big change in how long my clothes were lasting. All of my clothes with stretch to them were losing their elasticity and sagging. At first, I chalked it up to the age of the clothes, then to changing laundry detergents, but even with newer items and new detergent the problems persisted. So, I decided to do a little investigating.
It turns out, there are a few changes I can make that should help my clothes last longer:
Easy Solution #1 – Make sure I’m washing anything with stretch in cold water. As well as saving energy, washing in cold water is better for your clothes too. I’ve always done a cold water rinse, but usually washed in warm water. I learned that things without stretch like towels and sheets might benefit from a warmer wash, but anything with elastic in it doesn’t do well with heat – either in the washer or the dryer.
Easy Solution #2 – Soften the water. It turns out that our well water is harder than City water –
and hard water is ‘hard’ on elastic. Mineral buildup from hard water in the fabric makes it stiffer which creates friction and breaks down the fibres. Washing soda will bind to the minerals and precipitate them out so detergent can do its work. All I have to do is add 1 cup to the load along with my natural detergent and it will counteract the hardness in the water.
Easy Solution #3 – Stop using oxygen bleach with my clothes. We had used it all the time in the city with great results but apparently out here it doesn’t do well with the higher levels of iron in our well water. Iron, peroxide (like in Oxiclean meant for laundry), and water combine in a Fenton’s Reaction and chemically attack elastic fibers. Oxiclean also works best with really hot water as a soak. So, while that might work for plain cotton things like towels or sheets, I won’t use it on clothes with elastic anymore. Washing soda will make a better laundry detergent booster for us.
Easy solution #4 – Hang laundry to dry. Since heat is an enemy to elastic in any form, cool drying is best; even sunshine can be too much. We have an indoor drying rack and an outdoor one for summer that’s shaded so this is something I’ve already been doing. I avoid using a dryer as I was taught that it wears out your clothes faster as fibres are removed into the lint trap.
Instead, I allow items to air dry then pop them in the dryer for a few minutes to soften up if needed.
Now that I’ve done the research and gotten some scientific answers as to what’s been going on with my clothing, I’m feeling much more hopeful I can prevent premature wear. I know my water situation will be different than many of yours, but I hope I’ve inspired you to do a little research of your own to solve your own ‘laundry quandaries.’ I’m also hopeful this will mean I have fewer pieces of clothing that need recycling.
