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In the USA there are more than 88 million dryers and each one of them emits more than one ton of carbon dioxide per year

Detmold image by Pixabay

The washing machines and dryers represent an immense saving of time in the day-to-day. However, if used without discretion, they can waste huge amounts of water and energy. Just to give you an idea, in the United States, the energy used to heat the water in washing machines (this measure would bring a deeper cleaning) results in 34 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. This equates to the total annual carbon emissions of an entire country: New Zealand.

There are already some ideas for reusing water and energy, but they have not yet come out of the paper (see more). While technology does not advance, you can follow some tips on how to save when washing clothes:

Use powder soap or phosphate-free liquid soap

Most detergents contain chemicals, such as phosphate, which can be harmful to the skin and clothes and makes it difficult to reuse water in treatment plants. When you buy one of these products, look for those that have biodegradable ingredients in their composition and those that do not contain phosphate. If you prefer, make your own liquid soap for washing clothes (see more);

use cold water

According to an estimate by the US Department of Energy, more than 90% of the energy used in laundries goes into heating water. So wash your clothes in cold water to conserve energy and save money;

forget the dryer

Along with the heat that leaves the dryer and goes into the clothes is a good amount of carbon emissions, which are harmful to the environment. The good old clothesline is the best alternative;

recycle carefully

A lot of laundry paraphernalia, such as bottles of liquid soap or fabric softener, need to be disposed of properly. In some cases, bottles can be recycled, but their caps must be separated. In general, always check packaging labels to make sure you are disposing of them correctly;

Perform full loads

Your washing machine uses the same amount of water and energy whether you fill it with a full basket or just three shirts. Therefore, use the washer with full loads to save water and energy. However, don't overdo it when putting clothes to the brim. This can promote the growth of bacteria;

Reuse dirty water

How about putting a bucket beside the machine while it is working? Then use the dirty water to wash the yard and sidewalk;

Upgrade your washing machine

If you have an old washing machine, think that if you buy a new one, you will spend less money than with the maintenance of the old one and will also reduce your water and energy costs (around 50%). However, you need to recycle it correctly (look for posts).