Laundry Day...Drying

Although I'm not a fan of cleaning in general, I don't mind washing the laundry. It is a chore that does itself: I put clothes in a machine, and it does all the work. We've come a long way since our ancestors beat clothes on rocks in a river. Plus, I love how warm clothes are when I take them out of the dryer. That's right, I use one: a dryer.

As far as the environment goes, a dryer is a not a very friendly machine. It uses a lot of electricity and generates a lot of heat to do something that nature does on its own. Ideally, use a drying rack (I do use one of these, too) or a clothes line. The sun, for one thing, is free, readily available, and a natural bleaching agent--you can skip the harsh, toxic chlorine bleach when you dry your socks, sheets, and undershirts outside.

But I love my dryer...I love the warmth of the clothes, how it virtually eliminates wrinkles in most of my garments, and how fast it is compared to air drying. Drying clothes outside in the dead of winter isn't very practical, either.

If you can't completely give up your energy-consuming, heat-producing dryer, here are some very easy tips on how to "green" this machine:

1. Switch to an energy-star dryer. This is only if you are looking for a new dryer, but it can save hundreds of dollars in the costs of running the dryer over its lifetime, and using less energy is always good for nature.

2. Run the dryer on its lowest setting. Surely this seems like a no-brainer, but how many of us just turn it to some random number and walk away? Check your clothes after 30 minutes to see if they really need to keep going.

3. Wash (and dry) like with like. Heavy fabrics, like denim, take significantly longer to dry than, say, T-shirts. After your lightweight fabrics are dry, then you are simply running the machine to dry one pair of jeans. Simply stop the cycle and let the jeans continue to air dry, or wash and dry only heavy or lightweight fabrics together.

4. Get rid of dryer sheets...sort of. I am a static-ball without dryer sheets. Yes, I could give them up and the world wouldn't end (although my dog might refuse to let me pet her), but I really love how they smell nice and eliminate static. Use a greener solution: make your own. Here is how:

• Cotton balls and essential oil. This was recommended to me by a friend, but I think I used a cheap cotton ball, because it fell apart and I had cotton ball fuzz all over a dark shirt. I do know people who have done this with success, however. All you need is a cotton ball and some essential oil in a scent that pleases you. Put a couple of drops of oil on the ball, toss in the dryer at the beginning of the cycle, and throw it away at the end. It is totally biodegradable. Bonus points for using organic cotton balls!

• Cotton fabric and fabric softener or essential oil. This is my preference for a dryer-sheet replacement. It takes a bit more work upfront, but you'll have reusable dryer sheets for ages. You only need about 1/2 yard of fabric. Cut into squares. Mine are 6 inches x 6 inches, but you make yours whatever size (or shape) that you want. I used pinking shears on mine since that helps prevent fraying, but this isn't necessary as long as you sew around the edges (which you should do even if you use pinking shears). Dilute an eco-friendly fabric softener in a spray bottle, and spritz on a dryer sheet. Or use a few drops of essential oil. Voila! Dryer sheets that don't end up in a landfill!
  

5. Take out you clothes as soon as they are dry. My sister has this annoying habit of trying to de-wrinkle clothes in the dryer...and they are wrinkled only because she didn't put them away when they were done the first time! Sometimes she ends up using the dryer long enough to dry a new load! Please don't fall into this habit...use an iron, or, if you hate to iron (and loathe the thought of another heat-producing appliance) do your best to put them away as soon as they are dry.


I'll give more laundry tips soon...next time on the actual washing part!