Baking Soda is an inexpensive way to boost detergent and bleach performance, soften clothes, clean irons and control suds. It is one of the best things to green your laundry by reducing your dependence on chemicals.

Odors in our laundry are caused by bacteria. They can usually be removed as the detergent molecules break up the bacteria cells. In certain types of water and with some bacteria, the detergent needs a boost to work more effectively.

Baking soda helps to regulate the pH level in the washer water by keeping it from being too acidic or alkaline. By adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to each laundry load, detergents can work more effectively and reduce bacteria.

As a natural mineral, baking soda is less harsh on the environment than synthetic perfumes that mask odors. This also makes it a good choice for those with sensitive skin and allergies.

Once your washing is done use a clothesline rather than the dryer. This saves energy and your laundry will smell fresher.

Do not place too many items in the dryer – Just as the clothes need room to circulate in the washer to be cleaned completely, the clothes will need room to circulate in the dryer in order dry properly and to avoid wrinkling, especially permanent press and synthetic fabrics.

Read care labels for proper drying temperatures.

Always clean the lint filter before drying every load, for safety and efficiency.

Do not over dry your clothing. Over drying causes your colors to fade, increases wrinkling and shrinkage. Try to fold your laundry right after the drying cycle has ended to minimize the need for ironing.

Regarding Dryer Safety – Do not dry anything containing rubber on a heated setting. Do not put anything in the dryer that has been in contact with flammable chemicals, for example turpentine, acetone, cleaning solvents, wax, etc., until you know that the chemicals have been removed completely. To be safe – line dry these items.

Even though many of the newer dryers have features for delicates, you should always hang items like bathing suits or bras (especially underwire) to dry.  Sweaters and some other items instruct you to “dry flat” or “reshape and dry flat” so you will need to either use a drying rack or a towel in order to maintain the item’s shape while air drying. Be sure to turn the item over during drying, to save drying time and circulate air evenly. Clothing that needs to be line dried should be removed from the washer as soon as possible in order to reduce wrinkling.

Whilst it is a good idea to fully fill your washing machine with dirty laundry before using it to save power and water,  you should not cram it to overflowing. The clothes will not get clean and you risk the machine overflowing and flooding your laundry. Follow the   instructions on the washing powder box – extra powder will not make your clothes cleaner and will just clog your machine.

Once your washing is done, consider hanging it up to dry on a clothesline or airer, rather than using your clothes dryer all the time. This will save a lot of electricity and your laundry will smell really fresh.

Dryers use electrical energy, gas or propane to create the high temperatures necessary to properly dry clothes. Warm air is expelled from the dryer during the cycle, and this exhaust can contain some elements that are not desirable to have in the home.

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Used correctly, your clothes dryers is a great help. However it can also be a dangerous appliance if not used properly.

• Always clean the lint filter before use. Even if it looks lint free, this is a good habit to get into.
• Spin your washing as dry as possible to reduce time in the clothes dryer.
• Never leave the dryer on when you leave the house. Built up lint outside the drum can ignite.
• Don’t overload the dryer. Washing will dry better with a lighter load.
• Install a smoke alarm in your home and test it regularly to ensure that it is working.

Only use the dryer when you really need to. Use the clothesline to save power and money.

It’s worth thinking about getting a clothes line. Think of the money you will save!

Energy costs – financial and environmental

Using electricity to create heat is always an energy intensive exercise; so clothes dryers do tend to be electricity hogs. According to the California Energy Commission, the average clothes dryer will cost around  $1,500 to operate over its life span.

Environmentally speaking, the energy consumed by a clothes dryer can be anywhere from 1800 to 5000 watts per hour, or 1.8 to 5KwHr. Given that 1.5 pounds of carbon emissions per kilowatt hour are generated in the production of electricity by a coal fired power station (give or take a bit), over a year this comes to a considerable amount.