Sustainable Laundry Tips

Sustainable Laundry Starts with These Easy Tips

• ECO Mode

  The washing machines on campus have a wash setting labeled Eco mode that uses less water than the Powerwash, Mixed, and Delicates cycles. Eco mode also uses cooler water to wash your clothes which helps save water and energy each cycle.

• Water Temperature

  Cold water cleans just as well as hot water, and all laundry detergents are made for washing in cold water. Selecting cold water on your washing machine helps save energy as the water doesn’t need to be heated prior to washing. Cold water can also help your clothes last longer. Hot water can cause colors to bleed, clothes to shrink, and permanent wrinkles in certain fabrics. Using cold water can prevent these damages.

  Using hot water also allows a higher level of microfibers to be released into the grey water of your washing machine than cold water.

• Water Levels

  Washing machines all have different settings that offer different water levels. The machines on campus offer Powerwash, Mixed, Delicates, and ECO settings. Powerwash, Mixed, and Delicates are all labeled as deep-water cycles. For a top-loading washer this means that using these wash cycles will fill the drum of the washing machine over halfway full. The ECO mode setting uses much less water as it only fills the drum around ¼ full.

  Using a lower water cycle setting can also help limit the amount of microfibers being released each cycle. It has been proven that using a higher water level cycle when washing your clothes leads to a higher level of microfibers that are released.

• Washing Frequency

  Most clothing items do not need to be washed unless they start to smell or are physically dirty. Undergarments should be washed every wear, but exterior garments should be washed as infrequently as possible. The more you wash and dry your clothes, the more wear your clothes experience. When you do wash your clothes, ensure that you are turning the clothing items inside out. This helps prevent wear on your clothes.

• Laundry Detergent

  When washing your clothes, the lowest recommended dose is all that is needed regardless of the soil level or size of the load. Try using liquid or powder detergent instead of the laundry pods. These pods are made from dissolvable plastic which is then released into the environment. You should also aim to use a laundry detergent that is fragrance and dye free. These synthetic fragrances and dyes also make their way into the environment from the water the washing machine uses. You should also avoid using fabric softeners, as these products just put a coating on the fibers of your clothes. This coating can limit absorption levels of the fibers, which means items like towels will be less absorbent.

• Drying

  For drying, you should aim to air dry as much as possible. Air drying can be difficult while living on campus, but there are collapsible drying racks for this exact purpose! Dryers use an immense amount of energy, and air drying can help cut back on energy use. Drying is also very damaging to your clothes, all the lint that is collected in the dryer is made of fibers that are shed from your clothes. If you do use a dryer, make sure to immediately take your clothes out when the drying cycle is done. If your clothes cool down while in the dryer, all of the wrinkles are set into your clothes.

• References

  Kelly, M., Lant, N., Kurr, M., & Burgess, J. (2019). Importance of Water-Volume on the Release of Microplastic Fibers from Laundry. Environmental Science & Technology 53(20). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03022

  Pakula, C., & Stamminger, R. (2010). Electricity and water consumption for laundry washing by washing machine worldwide. Energy efficiency 3(4). DOI 10.1007/s12053-009-9072-8

  Maytag. (2025). Normal, Delicate, Eco or Quick Wash Cycles - Commerical Grade Washer. https://producthelp.maytag.com/Laundry/Commercial_Laundry/Washer/Commercial_Grade_Residential_Washer/Operation/Not_Filling_or_Long_Fill/Normal%2C_Delicate%2C_Eco_or_Quick_Wash_Cycles_-_Commerical_Grade_Washer

  Andrea Eklund, MA, Apparel, Textiles & Merchandising

  Langenheim, J. (n.d.). Laundry: Lightening the Load. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/partner-content-laundry-lightening-the-load