How to Do Laundry (From Start to Finish) Without Nasty Chemicals

Hey R&H peeps! This post is all about detoxing your laundry routine, but I’ll give you a spoiler alert right off the bat – my main reason for writing this post was to introduce you to these fabulous felted wool dryer balls, sold by a WAHM at a little online shop called Lovesmade.

Once I started talking about detoxing your laundry routine I got a little carried away with the many tips and tricks out there to help you! I think we all know by now that being succinct is not my spiritual gift. Ahem. Anyway – go check out the cute little store at Lovesmade, and don’t forget to enter to win your own felted wool dryer ball set for FREE at the bottom of this post!

Detox Your Laundry? Why Bother?

If you had told newly-married me (ten years ago) that there were nasty toxic chemicals in my Tide laundry detergent (cheap store-brand for frugality’s sake: some things never change) and Bounce dryer sheets, I would surely have rolled my eyes and written you off as a total hippie consiracy theorist, slightly out of touch with reality.

Harsh? Maybe. But that’s actually the vibe I often get from others now that I’m on the other side of the equation. I’m a huge fan of seeking to avoid nasty toxins lurking in most conventional household products. And I’m not just talking about draino and windshield washer fluid, I’m talking about everything from soap and shampoo to cleaners to the seemingly innocuous dryer sheets (now I use these instead and LOVE them).

It can be frustrating and overwhelming once you realize that the government actually does *not* regulate this stuff. There are a few banned substances, but other than that it’s pretty well a free-for-all. The terms are not regulated, either. “Natural”, “eco-friendly”, “green”, and “Non-toxic” are all bandied about on products that are often anything but those very things they claim.

And in case you’re wondering? It’s not just the hippie crunchy folks complaining, either. There are a lot of banned ingredients in other countries that are allowable in the U.S (and Canada). What do they recognize that our government won’t?

So when you hear me talking about the more expensive laundry detergent from the natural foods aisle in the grocery store, or a set of pure wool dryer balls (which, actually are more frugal in the long run), or going to the effort of googling that perfect natural DIY stain remover instead of throwing some heavy-duty chemical concoction (or bleach!) on it… maybe you can understand why.

Natural laundry care is especially important to me because it essentially effects us each and every day as we wear the clothes that were laundered without heavy fake scents, irritating chemicals, or unhealthy residues. I think that detoxing your laundry should actually be one of the very first steps you take in a journey to natural living.

OK, But Where Do I Start?

Non-Toxic Detergents

Switching over to a more natural laundry detergent was easy. We got the low-down on that whole deal when we first started cloth diapering (when our first baby was born more than five years ago). You can just grab one of the more natural options available for purchase (if you don’t know what kind to buy, research what brands are cloth diaper safe – those are usually the more natural ones), or you could try one of the many DIY detergent recipes out there on the web. This is the brand I use. More resources:

Choosing a Natural Laundry Detergent
Laundry Detergent Options
Homemade Laundry Detergent
5 Homemade Laundry Detergents

Detergent Alternatives

On the other side of the same coin, Adrienne from Whole New Mom shares why she doesn’t make her own laundry detergent, and what she uses instead. (Hint: it’s nuts. Hardy, har, har. I’m hilarious…) She also has a guest post on her site that shares a recipe for DIY baby laundry detergent that uses Baby Mild Dr. Bronner’s soap. Wellness Mama also wrote about her experience with soap nuts.

Stain Removal & Freshening

You can also detox your stain removal tools! There’s no need for questionable and dangerous ingredients. Emily has a simple recipe for stain remover that you can make ahead and store in a spray bottle to keep it easy. If you’re looking for some more stain removal suggestions, check out this post from Common Sense Homesteading. I’ve heard amazing things about this brand, and really want to try it!

Fighting Stains the Natural and Green Way
How to Get Your Laundry Smelling Fresh, Naturally
10+ Homemade, All-Natural Stain Removers (Including the Best Stain Remover EVER)

Dryer Balls

These are my favourite part. I told you above about how I first started by switching to a more natural laundry detergent. Then I just kind of quit using dryer sheets, knowing they were yucky. But I didn’t know what else to use. My mom got some reusable plastic dryer balls and I used those for a while, but I didn’t love the fact that I was heating plastic every time I used them (plastic is not the most natural invention ever…)

Felted Wool Dryer Balls: The Low-Down on Lovesmade

Then… I was contacted by a work-at-home mama who makes beautiful felted wool dryer balls and sells them online. By that time I had seen the tutorials floating around online. I had probably pinned a few to my pinterest boards.

But I seem to have this problem with pinterest whereby I pin things on my DIY boards and never actually DO them. (I know I’m not the only one – ‘fess up, peeps.)

So while I’m sure that I *could* make these myself (in fact, Shahbeila was kind enough to allow me to share the basic directions with you – see below), I am totally one of those people who, with 3 kids 5 and under and a busy household and side PT job, would sometimes rather just skip the DIY and PSETMIFM (Pay Someone Else to Make it For Me). Amen?! Besides, the cost of the wool roving would be comparable to the excellent prices of the ready-made dryer ball sets that Lovesmade sells. For my family, it’s totally a no-brainer! When these wear out (in like, five years…) I will gladly go back to Lovesmade to buy myself some more!

I’ve been using these dryer balls for about three months now, and I am super impressed. I mean, I knew the claims: they are supposed to reduce static cling, reduce drying time, and help leave laundry fluffier.

I wasn’t convinced that I’d actually see much drastic change. I already had cut down on static issues from switching to a more natural detergent. When I started using them, however, I very soon became a total convert, for 3 main reasons:

1. They really do cut down on static completely, even in the dry winter air! In fact, writing this made me realize I can’t remember the last time I took something out of the dryer with static on it!
2. They also help keep the load nice and fluffed up in the dryer, preventing those “damp spots” that I used to get when stuff would get tangled up.
3. I also saw a definite reduced drying time. I could tell because my dryer wasn’t fully drying a load in a regular time setting – I was forever needing to put it on for an extra 20 minutes – but now it’s always dry in time! A clear difference.

You can buy your own set at Lovesmade and get FREE shipping until the end of November 2013.

{To get your free shipping, use the code “decfreeship” to get it! I honestly can’t recommend these enough – and they’d make fabulous Christmas gifts, too!}