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Ken came across soap nuts and knew he was on to something big. 

Ken Marion was about to retire in 2009 when he got a stern wake-up call. His older brother Rich had died from cancer at the ripe age of just 52. He had never smoked, led a seemingly healthy life, but left three kids and a wife behind. Ken was devastated and left wondering how his brother could suffer such an untimely death.

After doing a vast amount of research, Ken was surprised to uncover the number of carcinogens hiding in everyday cleaners. From laundry detergents to fabric softeners as well as household cleaners, he couldn’t believe the number of toxic chemicals and carcinogens in these everyday products. He was even more surprised to learn how so much of the population had absolutely no idea the damage that these products could do.

It was here that an entirely new journey began. Ken dove deep into his research, looking at ways to manufacture eco-friendly products that were free of toxins that could cause cancer and other illnesses down the road. He found that lax regulations in the U.S. had led to a market filled to the brim with products that consumers think are safe, when in fact, they’re far from it. Some of the ingredients found in many widely available detergents are on the EPA list of hazardous chemicals. The European version of the EPA has outlawed well over 1,000 chemicals that are still legal in the U.S. Yet shockingly, the EPA has banned or restricted only five chemicals since 1976. How could our standards be so different? How could so many carcinogens be hiding in products we deem safe?

Ken’s research first led him to soap nuts, a fruit that grows on the Chinese Soap Berry Tree. The shell of the berry contains saponin, a natural surfactant with amazing cleaning abilities. At the same time, these soap nuts, also called soap berries or wash berries, are hypoallergenic and gentle on even the most sensitive skin. Ken knew he was onto something when he tried soap nuts and saw how effective they were. What’s more, they were inexpensive when compared to conventional detergents. By simply adding whole soap nuts in a drawstring bag, the berries clean and deodorize a load of laundry without detergents, fabric softeners, or dryer sheets. And at the same time, soap nuts were relatively unheard of in the U.S.

Ken was hooked. These simple soap nuts, found deep in the forests of Nepal, had so many great uses. That’s when Green Virgin Products was born. Ken discovered that the best soap nuts were grown in Nepal and India, which is where he sources all of his premium, deseeded, USDA certified organic soap nuts today.

While it may seem like a stretch to go from pending retirement to starting a soap nut e-commerce company, Ken was driven to inform the public that there’s a better way to clean laundry. And from there the business grew into non-toxic cleaners that today come in all shapes and sizes. Their formula is 100 percent non-toxic and completely odorless. Green Virgin Products also manufactures non-toxic soaps and deodorant stones. It’s all about getting the carcinogens out of everyday products.

If you’ve never used soap nuts, you should give them a try. I’m a huge fan because they’re completely biodegradable and safe. In fact, they actually clean septic and grey-water systems. For too many years I was left itchy and uncomfortable as a result of harsh laundry detergents, but soap nuts work great for those with sensitive skin like me. Plus, you can replace multiple products with a simple soap nut, so it’s actually a cheaper substitution.

Finding safe cleaning products can be confusing because often times I don’t know which ingredients are dangerous. And more and more it’s becoming difficult to depend on the federal government to properly regulate both cleaning and personal care products. For me, the easiest way to reduce my poison load was to find non-toxic cleaning products that allow me to simplify my routine. Green Virgin Products does both.

Want to detox your cleaning routine? Join the Green Virgin Products Revolution by signing up for their newsletter to get access to exclusive deals.

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The post Soap Nuts Startup: An Unexpected Cancer Death Leads One Entrepreneur to Start a Clean, Green Business appeared first on EcoSalon.

Despite the tragedy of shrinking a wool sweater, the deed is reversible. Here is the best laundry tip; an easy step by step tutorial on how to unshrink a wool sweater.

Have you committed the laundry sin of [gasp] shrinking a wool sweater? In the name of absent mindedness, daydreaming or just a simple mistake — I know I have! And every time I pull out that miniature version of what used to be, like some magician’s bunny hat trick, an unpleasant emotion — somewhere between stubbing my toe and obligatory laughter — wells up inside me.

But despite the initial sorrow, all is not lost for you or that sweater. Here is an easy and fast way to unshrink a wool sweater. Try it out right now or bookmark this How To, and next time you find yourself needing to unshrink a wool sweater, we’ve got you covered.

1. First, fill a sink or bucket with warm water and dissolve a quarter-size amount of both shampoo and conditioner in the water.

2. Soak the wool sweater in the mixture for about twenty minutes. Move around at first so your sweater really absorbs the shampoo and conditioner.

3. After about twenty minutes, remove sweater and lightly ring the moisture out.

4. Next, stretch the sweater, pulling on all angles to loosen the fibers. (For true precision, but a bit of uncomfortableness, you can wear the sweater while stretching it. This will help mold the shape back to your size and fit.)

5. After the sweater is stretched about 2/3 it’s original size, lay it flat or hang over a chair to dry.

6. Lastly, once the sweater is dry, put on and lightly stretch out one final time.

Voila! Enjoy many more cozy days to come with that sweater!

Want more How To tips? Related on EcoSalon:

Ditch The Washing Machine: How To Hand Wash Clothes

How To Make Pillows: A DIY Pep Talk For The Pillow Lover

How To Declutter Your Desk and Increase Productivity

image: jenny

The post Laundry Tip of a Lifetime: How to Unshrink a Wool Sweater appeared first on EcoSalon.

Doing laundry entails so much. From lugging the clothes to the machine (or worse, to the Laundromat!), to sorting, checking pockets for ink pens and loose change, to pouring in the big goopy laundry liquid. It’s enough to make you dream of living in the future where everyone seems to have the same uniform on day in and day out. Surely they must still do laundry too, though. But I bet it’s a lot easier.

In fact, doing laundry today just got a little futuristic with SmartKlean–the revolutionary Laundry Ball technology that eliminates the need for laundry detergent. They sent us a few to try out here at EcoSalon, and we were pretty impressed. I was particularly wowed at how they handled my most favorite delicate eco-clothes—from Reuse brand skinny jeans to my super light Stewart + Brown tops.

What’s so unique about SmartKlean is that it doesn’t use soap or detergents to clean clothes. How then do they get clean?

We were shocked to find out that laundry detergents don’t use soap either. According to SmartKlean, it’s a common misconception. Detergents use petrochemicals to help boost the water’s cleaning power. And even eco-friendly detergents can contain harsh chemicals. So, what if cleaning laundry could be done another way? SmartKlean uses the principles of bioelectricity and hydrodynamics to do the same thing—but without all the mess and waste of laundry detergent.

SmartKlean uses four types of ceramic beads and magnetic center in the Laundry Ball. Infrared balls radiate negative ions that help the water remove dirt. Alkali balls increase the pH levels to help lift dirt and oil. Antimicrobial balls contain nano-structured silver to kill and remove bacteria. Chlorine removal balls eliminate the chlorine compound in the water to protect the fabrics from oxidation. And magnets make the water molecule clusters smaller, increasing dissolved oxygen and eliminating odors.

And the outer shell also agitates clothes to make them cleaner. The plastic exterior of the laundry ball is composed of environmentally-friendly thermoplastic elastomer free of BPA and PVC. Its shape and weight are designed for agitation in order to beat dirt and grime off clothing during the wash cycle, somewhat similar to the old way of cleaning laundry before washing machines were invented!

I have to admit, we were a bit skeptical at my house, especially for delicate clothes and fabrics…some of which aren’t easily replaced, either. I know it’s probably a bit of an obsession, but I simply could not live without a certain pair of argyle socks and a super comfy pair of yoga pants. But SmartKlean says that this technology can actually extend the life of clothes and offer protection from damage detergents often cause. And wouldn’t you know it, all of our clothes came out completely clean. They even felt lighter and fluffier than with a normal detergent. They smelled fresh—and not in a detergent kind of way like the clothes were being scented. No, they actually smelled fresh. We also put the Laundry Ball to the ultimate test: dirty diapers (with a stain pretreatment). Clean as a baby’s bottom—you know, after.

And speaking of babies, SmartKlean’s Laundry Ball offers another advantage over detergents—no chemicals, no fragrances—and that means no risk for sensitive or allergy-prone skin. That’s a big plus for us. And while we used a non-chlorine bleach for the diapers, we used the SmartKlean non-toxic stain remover to get out some spit-up on a shirt. It worked wonders and with little effort on our part.

The Laundry Ball is also really economical. I was shocked to find out I could do a load of laundry every day of the year using the same SmartKlean ball. Did I mention I have a baby? We do laundry around here almost as often as we change those diapers. SmartKlean says the Laundry Ball will replace 20 to 40 laundry products in one year. And it will help reduce water use, too. Because there are no detergents to rinse off, you can completely eliminate the rinse cycle (if your machine offers that setting) when doing laundry, saving you money on water. You can also shorten your wash cycles as well, which also saves money. You can expect to save 2,400 to 8,000 gallons of water during the lifespan of the Laundry Ball. I didn’t even know I used that much to clean my clothes in the first place! And saving water in general is a really good thing for the planet these days, too.

I also really loved how gentle it was on all of our clothes. We don’t believe in fast fashion in this house, so we invest in high quality clothes that we hope will last a long time. Reducing the exposure to detergents (natural or otherwise) and eliminating the extra rinse cycle really adds life to garments. I have a hunch that fashion designers will start recommending SmartKlean Laundry Balls to extend the life of their clothes.

Some technologies can be hard to grasp. I imagine that just 50 years ago, being told we’d someday all be communicating through smart phones linked to an invisible web of information, there would have been plenty of skeptics out there—myself included. And the Laundry Ball concept feels a little similar to me. The only difference here is that I’ve tried it and I know it works. In that sense, it’s not only a miracle laundry product, it’s also kind of a time machine. So, in the future, whether or not we all wear the same uniforms day in and day out, you can bet we’ll be doing laundry a lot differently.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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The post Doing Laundry Just Got a Whole Lot Smarter and a Lot Cleaner appeared first on EcoSalon.

What’s the best way to take care of your clothes? Hand washing! And really, it’s not that difficult, we promise. Here’s an easy play-by-play guide for how to hand wash clothes.

Hand washing your clothes is one way you can make them last (almost) forever. As laundry piles up, it might seem daunting, but making a habit out of it—like brushing your teeth or cooking for yourself— shows the same reflection of care for our clothes. Plus, consumer care accounts for the largest usage of energy in the entire lifecycle of a garment. So by hand washing, can save a ton on your energy and water use by cutting out the washer and dryer.

I use my bathtub for larger loads, but your bathroom sink or a bucket is great for smaller loads. Here’s how to hand wash clothes at home:

1. Separate clothes, just like you would while doing laundry, into whites and colors. Even if you know they won’t bleed, we are out for special attention right? Because you have complete control, I usually go a step further to separate out what is really dirty (aka my fiance’s work clothes) and what might have only a simple stain or smell like body odor.

2. As you are separating color and dirt-level, spray stain remover like Bac-Out Stain Eliminator or Attitude Stain Remover. These are non-toxic and organic!

3. Next make sure your sink or tub is clean. Try one of these 9 great eco cleaners for your home. Fill the space with lukewarm or cool water. As the washing space is filling up, pour in the required amount of hand washing or gentle laundry soap. Ecos, Greener Living Laundry Liquid, and Green Shield are great options, or try making your own.

4. Add garments, one at a time, giving thorough attention to each. Dip and lift the item several times so it’s evenly covered with the soapy water. Gentle rub any stain areas between your hands until the stain is removed. Add more soap if necessary.  Repeat this with each item.

5. Once each piece has received specialized, loving hand-washing attention, you can swish around all the garments together one more time.

6. Next, drain the sink (or tub), allowing dirty water to drain out.

7. Turn on the cold water, fill up the basin part-way, and thoroughly rinse each garment until all the soap is gone (you may have to do a second rinsing to get all the soap out, and remember, soap carries the dirt with it, so getting it all out of fabric is important.

8. Next, carefully wring-dry and set aside. If you are dealing with a very delicate piece, or a knit item, you should like it flat on a clean towel, then roll the towel around the item, then press down gently; water will be squeezed into the towel, but garment’s shape will be held.

9. Success! You’ve hand washed your clothes. Hang them up to dry outside on a clothes line, on a foldable drying rack, or get creative around your house (hang off backs of chairs or on a hangar in an airy spot). For very delicate items, lay to dry on a clean towel, and flip every few hours.

 Photo Credit: Luminitsa

Want more great laundry tips? See also:

Dry Clean Only? An Eco Expert Tells Us Why It’s Safe To Ignore Labels

5 Top Eco-Friendly Cleaning Recipes

 Top 10 Chemical-Free Cleaning Tips

The post Ditch The Washing Machine: How To Hand Wash Clothes appeared first on EcoSalon.

Laundry day has never been so environmentally-friendly.

One of the sneaky ways you are putting both the environment and your health at risk can be found in none other than the laundry room. Store-bought products are packed with toxic ingredients – some of which are not even noted on the packaging – that irritate the skin and can lead to diseases such as cancer. These five alternatives cover all your laundry needs without much effort, and they take heed to both your skin’s health and your environmental consciousness.

Stain Remover

There are a lot of natural stain removers to choose from, but I prefer hydrogen peroxide for its accessibility and environmental-friendliness as well as for being a panacea of sorts. Hydrogen peroxide has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-mold, and anti-mildew properties, which makes it a wonderful cleaning agent. In addition to cleaning cuts and wounds, it can be used to remove clothing stains. Simply spray the hydrogen peroxide onto the stain, allow it to sit for 10 minutes, and then throw the clothing into the washer. Prior to washing, it may also help to use a toothbrush to scrub the stain while the hydrogen peroxide is sitting.

Detergent

Adapted from My Healthy Green Family, this detergent recipe mimics the effects of Tide, without the toxic, potentially cancerous ingredients. The soap gets rid of impurities and oils, the washing soda both cleanses and softens, the baking soda removes stains and odors, and the salt prevents fading.

Ingredients:

• 1 bar vegetable-based glycerin soap, grated finely
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup coarse salt

Directions: Grate the bar of soap. It can be scented according to your olfactory preferences, but make sure there are no artificial perfumes. Combine the grated soap with the remaining ingredients and mix until evenly combined. When not using, store in an airtight, glass container. Use in dosages equal to what any regular detergent company recommends.

Softener

Instead of using softener, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle. Baking soda is a natural softener and isn’t less irritable to your skin as are chemical-ridden store-bought brands.

However, if you have the time to put together a more effective and aromatic softener, in a bowl, combine 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup water. Stir until the baking soda is dissolved. Next add 2 cups of white vinegar, but slowly, as the mixture will foam and rise slightly. Once it has settled, add about 15 drops of your favorite essential oils. Mix thoroughly and store in a glass container. Use the same amount you would if adding normal softener to the laundry.

Wrinkle Releaser/Dryer Sheets

To prevent wrinkles, take 1 teaspoon of the extended softener recipe and mix it with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray lightly onto wet clothing, just out of the washer, before putting into the dry cycle or hanging to dry.

Dry-Clean-Only Clothing Deodorizer

To remove the stink from clothes that require dry cleaning only, vodka is a handy tool. Simply spray vodka all around the clothing item and let it hang overnight to dry. Vodka has anti-bacterial properties that get rid of the smell, surprisingly without leaving any vestiges of vodka aroma behind.

Images: Gemtek1, Tim Samoff, Kathie Lapcevik, TPapi, Catzkill, Lordelo

The post 5 Ways to Wash and Freshen Your Clothes Without Chemicals appeared first on EcoSalon.

More than meets the eye.

Aside from the one way we all know vodka can be put to good use, it’s not a completely pointless liquid otherwise. In fact, the alcoholic beverage spreads itself quite thin on the usefulness scale. Vodka’s anti-bacterial properties are what give it such potency in combatting a lot of common ailments and household issues – from earaches to carpet stains. Grab yourself a bottle, or two, and redefine what it means to booze.

Poison Ivy Reliever

Apply vodka to an area affected by poison ivy and it will dry up surrounding skin, getting rid of any oils that are causing the poison ivy to inflame and itch.

Laundry Freshener

Fill a small spray bottle with vodka and lightly spray clothes. The vodka smell goes away when the clothes dry completely. The vodka helps to remove any unwanted odors.

Flower Preserver

Plants produce the ripening gas ethylene, which promotes maturation. Vodka stunts ethylene production and allows for flowers to stay fresher, longer. Spray flower stems with a 2:1 ratio mix of vodka and sugar. Repeat every few days.

Insect Repellent

Keep the insects at bay by squirting some vodka on your skin before going outdoors. Add essential lavender oil. Insects hate the smell of lavender, and you will prefer it to the smell of vodka lingering on your skin. You could also mix vodka into your scented moisturizer.

Jelly Fish Bite Soother

Much like vodka helps to treat poison ivy on the skin, the liquid also helps to alleviate the pain and itch that come post nasty jelly fish bite. Bring along a 1:1 mixture of vodka and water in a spray bottle to the beach just in case of an attack.

Hair Shiner

Add 1-2 ounces of vodka to your shampoo and watch as your hair emerges from a shower feeling cleaner, silky, and shiny.

Band-Aid Remover

Vodka will help to dissolve the sticky edges of a band-aid and allow for a painless removal. Not that you would, but a few swigs before peeling the adhesive off won’t hurt either.

Computer Screen Cleaner

Using water to clean a computer screen often leaves behind distracting smears. Apply vodka to the screen and wipe away for a seamless and clear complexion.

Eye Glasses Cleaner

It may not be the best idea to carry around a bottle of vodka, but a small spray bottle may be less conspicuous and prove to be very useful. Your glasses will get star treatment on the go.

Air Freshener

Mix equal parts water and vodka in a spray bottle and spray around the house. The vodka dissolves odors and the solution is completely odorless.

Razor Blade Cleanser

Soak razor blades in vodka and dissolve away build-up and buff the razor all in one. This trick will keep your razor blades clean and disinfected whilst extending the lifespan of your razor collection.

Jewelry Cleaner

Let your jewelry sparkle and shine. Soak and lightly scrub them in some vodka to remove any impurities.

Pore Reduction

Lightly soak one side of a cotton ball in vodka and dab your face. The vodkas acts as an astringent, tightening the pores and removing excess oils.

Homemade Mouthwash

Because of vodka’s capacity to fight bacteria and prevent infection, you can gargle it in the A.M. (without swallowing) to clean your mouth. Vodka may not be the first thing you want to taste on a sensitive morning stomach, so dilute it with equal parts water add a few drops of mint oil.

Cold Sore Treatment

Vodka can help to reduce cold sore inflammation and redness by drying the affected area. Dip one end of a Q-tip into vodka and use it to dab sores.

Shower Cleaner

Attack those moldy, dark crevices with a toothbrush and some vodka. Spray vodka onto moldy areas, let sit for 15 minutes, and then scrub away. The vodka kills the mold.

Antiseptic

Vodka is a great disinfectant and antiseptic. Apply to minor cuts and burns to kill bacteria.

Stickiness Remover

Vodka works wonders on removing all that is gooey! From stickers on car surfaces to gum on the bottom of a shoe, a little vodka goes a long way.

Treat Ear Aches

Put a few drops of vodka into your ear. Let the alcohol sit in the ears for a few minutes each and then drain. The vodka kills bacteria that causes pain.

Stain Remover

Vodka effectively gets rid of ink, grass and lipstick stains. Dab stain with vodka and rub the stain away. Add the stained garment to the laundry afterwards for a more thorough clean.

Tooth-Ache Reliever

Gargle vodka without swallowing, unless you want a buzz. The vodka will prevent infection and reduce inflammation and soreness in the mouth.

Foot Odor Cure

For those of you who suffer from foot odor, consider vodka your new best friend. Soak your feet in a shallow bucket of vodka, which will kill bacteria-causing odor. Let your feet dry to get rid of the vodka smell or wash your feet with fragrant soap directly after the treatment.

Fever Alleviation 

Vodka works well as a liniment to reduce a fever, because it evaporates very quickly and can provide a cooling relief. Apply vodka to a soft cloth and place on your chest.

Images: Karola Riegler, Bark, Tasumi1968, Marcus Vegas, Seishin17

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post 20 Unusual Ways to Use Vodka appeared first on EcoSalon.

There are better ways to take care of those delicate garments. Here are nine greener alternatives to dry cleaning.

Part of being a conscious consumer is to know how to properly care for your things. This way, you can ensure that they last longer. When it comes to clothing, you should make a habit of looking at the labels and trying to follow the instructions on them. But what about when they say “dry clean only?”

We all know by now that dry cleaning is not a good thing. Conventional dry cleaning is a highly toxic process. Most dry cleaners use the chemical perchloroethylene (perc), which has been linked to various forms of cancers, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation and reduced fertility. Thankfully there are better ways to take care of those delicate garments.

1. CO2 Dry Cleaning
In recent years, eco-friendly dry cleaners have started to pop up in major cities. This may be a good option for those favorite pieces you just don’t want to experiment on. Look for cleaners that uses liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) instead of that toxic perc. Type in your zip on NoDryClean.com and you can find one near you. An added advantage is that the CO₂ that’s used is captured as a byproduct of existing industrial processes, which decreases the amount of this greenhouse gas going into the environment.

2. Wash Cold
Many clothes that are labeled “dry clean only” really aren’t, retailers just lazily label them that way. Some synthetic textiles like rayon and acetate, as well as knits like wool and cashmere should never be washed, but otherwise it’s almost always safe to run them on the cold, delicate cycle in the washing machine. About 90% of the energy required to do a load of laundry comes from heating the water up, so washing cold helps you tread lighter on the earth too. Just pre-treat stains with a good (eco-friendly) spot remover.

3. Hand Wash
Sometimes, the answer can be just as simple as getting your hands a bit dirty (and wet). Hand washing is often the best way to clean delicate knits made from wool and cashmere, but works for just about anything. Just fill any water-tight receptacle with water, place dirty clothes in the water until they are saturated and use friction to remove dirt from the clothes. An added bonus is that you burn calories while doing this while eliminating the energy usage associated with washing machines.

4. Wonder Wash
This clever thing uses a patented pressure system that forces detergent into the fabric at high speed for a fast, efficient, economic and very easy way to gently wash your clothes. In just a few minutes you can clean up to a five pound load. When I lived in a building without access to laundry facilities I used mine all the time. The Wonder Wash uses a lot less water, and is ideal with delicates like woolens, silks, knits and cashmere garments.

5. Soap Nuts
Soap nuts are made from wild-harvested dried berries which contain saponin, a natural cleaner that has been used for laundry for hundreds of years. It works as a surfactant, breaking the surface tension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your clothing, lifting stains from the fabric and leaving dirt suspended in the water that is rinsed away. Soap Nuts are gentle on both clothes and skin, making them ideal for those with sensitive skin, eczema, allergies and psoriasis. But don’t expect these shells to foam up like commercial soaps, which have artificial foaming agents. Foam simply does not represent cleaning power.

6. Non-detergent Laundry Ball
These laundry balls by SmartKlean naturally maintain the softness, elasticity and color of fabrics. It’s much gentler on your clothes and will make them last longer. The ball, which washes 365 loads without soap or detergent, contains active components derived from earth minerals and leaves zero residues behind. It’s ideal for sensitive skin (and delicate clothes) and helps conserve both water and energy.

7. Remove Stains with Pantry Staples
To remove tough stains like coffee, grass or wine, a few basic items that you already have in your pantry can do the trick. Sprinkle salt or baking soda on fresh stains to absorb as much of it as possible. Then apply vinegar. On more stubborn stains, make a paste made of vinegar and baking soda and rub in into the fabric like you would any stain remover. To remove those pesky yellow underarm stains, soak the garment in white vinegar for at least 10 minutes before washing.

8. Wool Dryer Balls
To dry clothes more gently, toss those toxic dryer sheets and try these reusable, handmade, wool dryer BaaLLs that kill static and soften clothes without the toxins. Made (in the U.S.) from 100% certified organic wool, they reduce drying time by 40% for a full load, saving you money and energy, and softens, and reduces static cling on clothes without using any chemicals or leaving any residue.

9. Use Better Detergent
Most conventional laundry detergents contain surfactants like nonylphenol ethoxylate, which are known hormone disrupters and can pollute our waterways, and artificial fragrances, which can be among the most toxic components of any home or personal care product. Brands like Ecos, Seventh Generation, Ecover, Method, Berryplus and Biokleen offer eco-friendly laundry detergents, some even biodegradable, that clean without toxic ingredients.

Image: lisalaible

The post 9 Ways to Wash Your Delicates Without Dry Cleaning appeared first on EcoSalon.

From debugging the grill of your car to cleaning pots and pans, there’s more than one way to use a dryer sheet. 

You’ve probably heard the tip about putting dryer sheets in your vacuum or bottom of the trash can to keep things smelling fresh. You haven’t? Well, it’s true. And here are ten additional ways of fluffing up your abode with downy freshness (we always suggest using non-toxic dryer sheets!)

1. Dusting
Use dryer sheets to dust blinds, fans or almost any surface. The anti static properties in the sheets will help repel the dust. They are easy to hold and you can dust your laundry room after folding the clothes. Don’t forget to dust the TV and reduce static on the screen.

2. Reduce Static Cling
Rub on your dress or stockings to keep your dress from riding up. You can also use them on your computer and TV screen. Even rub on your hair to prevent ecstatic flyaways.

3. Pets
Rub a sheet on your wet dog to take away the “wet rug” smell after a swim or bath. Towel him or her dry first. You can remove pet hair from your clothes and furniture with them as well.

4. Freshen Gym Accessories
Keep them in your gym bag, boxing gloves or shoes to keep away mold and stinky funk.

5. Cars.
De-bug or de-sap your car with dryer sheets. Wet down your car and rub with the sheets to remove bug guts on the windshield or the front grill. It works like a charm on tree sap, too. While you’re at it, toss one into the trunk to freshen things up in there.

6. Easy Clean Up
Clean paint brushes by soaking in warm water with a dryer sheet. Works on pots and pans with burnt on food, too. Use the same method.

7. De-Squeak Your Shoes
Rub on the bottom of rubber soled shoes to keep them from squeaking on cement floors.

8. On the Road
Place between your packed clothes to get rid of that musty luggage smell. Keep in your suitcase and camping gear when stored, too. Put them in the air conditioner vent in your hotel room to take away mildew odors.

9. Crafts
Run a sheet over your thread while sewing. The thread won’t tangle as easily. They can add structure to appliqué and quilting projects, too.

10. Insect Repellant
Tuck them in your socks or belt to keep away the bugs. You might look ridiculous but it works in a pinch.

Bonus Sheets!
Wipe scissor blades with a sheet to help them cut smoother lines. Use dryer sheets to polish your glasses, though not recommended for plastic lenses.

Image: This Week for Dinner

The post 10 Ways to Use a Dryer Sheet appeared first on EcoSalon.

One smiley face equals faster drying time and less energy use. Plus, they’re really cute.  

Hand-felted, artisan-crafted, wool dryer balls might not sound exciting, but once you see your energy savings you’ll be wearing a grin as wide as the one on the left. A wool dryer ball works the same as a dryer sheet, in principle. It separates the clothes and promotes the circulation of warm, dry air. The main difference is that these are chemical and odor free. They’ll also shorten your drying time by up to 20-25% and give your laundry a nice fluff.

Balls are sold as a set of 4 for $34.95. From Greenfeet.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

The post Lustables: Handmade Felted Wool Dryer Balls appeared first on EcoSalon.

Drying For Freedom is a documentary about the very real repercussions of owning a clothesline.

Do you dare to use a clothesline? You represent a dying breed and quite possibly, a hindrance to progress.

Steven Lake, the director of Drying For Freedom, a film exploring a “new eco battlefield where communities and individuals are banned from drying their clothes naturally outdoors,” says his journey into the wild world of dirty clothes has proven to be a wash when it comes to understanding why people disapprove. Blame it on corporate America selling the dream of electric bliss with the Reagan family as poster children to post-World War II America, creating electric consumption with total disregard for the future carbon impact on the planet.

Whoever kicked it off, it’s become a U.S. born and bred disease that is crossing oceans and infecting underdeveloped countries who aren’t used to laundry convenience.

Lake says it all started when he first Googled the word ‘laundry,’ and learned from Wikipedia that clotheslines are banned in some countries. He was hooked.

“This especially interested me about a place like North America, and seemed a real contradiction about Americans and how much they’ve paid and fought for the price of freedom and that they’ve seemingly and willingly given it up by restricting themselves in their own homes,” says Lake, who seeks to understand how a simple single act which cuts carbon emissions and reduces energy bills could be frowned upon in a time of acute environmental awareness and a return to economic frugality.

Traveling the globe, talking to homeowners, neighborhood associations, appliance dealers, police and environmental advocates, Lake sought to find out why laundry hung out to dry is grounds for prosecution, fines and in one instance in Alabama, murder.

Drying For Freedom Director, Steven Lake

“That people didn’t have the desire and sometimes the right to be environmentally friendly was unsettling,” says Lake, giving the example of the state of California with 300+ sunny days and so few people hanging clothes out to dry as an example.

“It’s these little things that will save us and add up.”

According to The Guardian, by washing and drying a load every two days, an average individual creates around 440kg of CO2 each year (roughly 970 pounds), which is the equivalent to flying from London to Glasgow and back with 15-mile taxi rides to and from the airports.

“Part of the problem is that tumble dryers (like dishwashers and washing machines) generally use electricity to generate their heat. This is typically more than twice as carbon-intensive as creating heat from gas – for the simple reason that, in the case of electricity, most of the energy in the fuel gets wasted up the cooling tower of a power plant, with yet more getting lost in transmission to the home,” reports The Guardian.

With the ability to hang a rope between two trees, not only could the typical homeowner save money, they could greatly shrink their carbon footprint. But sometimes that simple gesture of putting up a clothesline isn’t up to the homeowner.

In the case of the murder in Alabama, Lake says “One man had a clothesline and the other man pulled it down, the man put it up and the man who had the clothesline shot the man who kept pulling it down.”

While Lake agrees the deeply troubled neighbor took matters unquestionably further than most of the stories he documented, it still brings to light the question of why people see clotheslines in such a negative way. What do clotheslines connote culturally for Americans, as well as other cultures?

“If you have a clothesline, it means you are either anti-progress or you just can’t afford it and that means you are the worst kind of person because it looks very ‘ghetto,'” says Lake. In the documentary, a member of a homeowner’s association calls it the same and even his association members are taken aback. In status-conscious American culture, an environmentally, economically sensible and simple act takes on shades of class divide.

AlterNet reports that 57 million Americans – approaching one person out of five – live in homes regulated by homeowner associations (HOAs). Many of these private associations hold sway not only in exclusive neighborhoods but in many more modest neighborhoods like condominium complexes.

“They have sweeping powers to enforce so-called restrictive covenants, which can control almost any aspect of the property, from the size of the house or garage down to details like changes in paint color or placement of basketball hoops. When a house is sold, the covenant goes with it,” reports AlterNet.

Often, these “covenants” include the clothesline ban and leave no wiggle room for exception.

Many have felt the law tightening too quickly with urban sprawl encroaching on older neighborhoods bereft of any stringent clothesline laws. In rebellion, some homeowners have become inspiring clothesline activists, which Lake documents in his film through inspirational tales like Clotheslines For Change.

Clotheslines For Change reports that as of 2009, “passage of ‘right to dry’ legislation in Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, and Vermont, together with legislative efforts on this front in Connecticut, Oregon, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Nebraska, and New Hampshire, were largely attributed to Project Laundry List’s ongoing efforts.” Since the 1970s, Florida has also had a solar rights law that protects most property-owners from the intrusions of community associations.

Drying For Freedom Director, Steven Lake

But because diseases are contagious and homeowners are many, I asked Lake whether he thinks he can really throw a curve ball into the face of change when it comes to inspiring people to put out a clothesline and save energy.

There are a few things to take into consideration, says Lake. One is that the U.S. has sent a very powerful message to the world that we should make life more convenient and thus use more energy which is “infectiously moving on into other cultures and exporting bad habits.”

“We can also send a message out to the U.S. exporting culture which is targeting India and China not to do as we do,” says Lake, “and because we have such an infinite source of credit through borrowing and loans we can’t quite judge the value of not paying for electricity that powers our dryers and I’m not sure we will have this awareness about many parts of our lives without something terribly drastic happening.”

On the Drying For Freedom site, Lake writes: “This is an environmental documentary, but it’s also about characters; the people involved in this fight, for and against it. It’s the passion behind these individuals that drives us to tell this story. Whether you agree with them or not, everyone believes they are right and that is strength of belief which is often hard to find in people these days it’s hard to explain to people why on earth we would be making a documentary all about clotheslines! There are times I’ve doubted it myself, but I always remember why our team got so involved in the first place. It’s different and it matters to us.”

Image: This Tiny House, Drying For Freedom

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