It’s that time of year when static cling decides to make itself known.  That cute sweater dress that looked so great in the fall is now sticking to you like glue (you don’t want to be seen walking down the street tugging at your dress like Lily Allen) .  While there are many fabric softeners and dryer sheets that advertise themselves as static cling prevention, the majority of these products are filled with chemicals that are not good for you or the planet.  Never fear, though, because there are several ways to get rid of static cling that are easy and chemical free:

1.Air dry your clothes!  Static cling is caused by friction between materials, especially when the materials are dry and there is low humidity, which happens when you machine-dry your clothes in the winter.  Wash  your clothes and then use a drying rack as the easiest way to avoid static cling.

2. If you can’t wait for your clothes to air dry, toss them in the dryer, but take them out before they are 100% dry.  Hang them on a drying rack and that 10% or so of moisture left in the clothes will create some humidity that will prevent static cling.

3. Machine-dry cotton clothes only.  Synthetics like nylon, rayon, and polyester are the culprits of most static cling tragedies.  Learn more tips at the Grinning Planet.

4. This site recommends adding 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup borax to your wash load.

5. They also recommend the “metal hanger trick” for clean clothes:  “Put on the garment. If it is a skirt or dress, simply reach up underneath it with a metal hanger and brush the inside of the garment with it, top to bottom. If it’s pants, elongate the hanger and reach up inside each pant leg, brushing downward.”

6.  Try using natural fabric softeners by companies like Seventh Generation, which uses vegetable-based ingredients instead of chemicals.

How do you avoid or get rid of static cling in the winter?  Share your thoughts in our comments section!

In a previous entry, I discussed the importance of greening your laundry routine and how to choose a chemical- and phosphate- free detergent. I also hinted that we have some recipes to make your own detergent at home. Well, faithful readers, today is your lucky day! Our dear friend Elise over at Portland’s Downtown District has generously shared her recipes for making your own laundry detergent and fabric softener at home.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Ingredients

1 bar of castile soap, grated. Dr. Bronner’s bar soap (available in your grocery store’s “natural” section, Whole Foods, or your local food co-op). You can also use any other all-natural castile soap

1 cup borax (available at Hannaford’s in the laundry section)

1 cup washing soda (also available in the laundry aisle at Hannaford’s. If you absolutely cannot find it, baking soda also works)

1/4 cup oxygen cleaner, such as OxyClean (this is optional–I add separately to the wash if the load needs extra cleaning power)

Essential oils–Again, this is optional, but add until the fragrance level is to your liking! I use tea tree oil and patchouli–you can use anything.

Directions

Grate the soap with a food processor, add the other ingredients, and process to a fine powder. Hand-grating and hand-mixing works fine, too.

Use 1 Tablespoon for a small load and 2 Tablespoons for a large load. I let the water for the machine fill a bit to dissolve the soap before adding clothes. Even in cold water, I’ve never had problems with the soap not dissolving correctly.

Laundry Rinse (aka Fabric Softener)

1 gallon white vinegar

25-30 drops essential oil- optional, but nice for fragrance

Use 1/4 cup in the rinse cycle in place of fabric softener. I don’t like sitting around waiting for the right moment in the rinse cycle, so I use an old Downy ball and throw that in when the wash starts. The agitation during the rinse cycle breaks the ball open and dispenses the vinegar. Your clothes definitely won’t smell like vinegar…the smell completely dissipates when the clothes are dry.

Vinegar gets the extra soap residue out of clothes and reduces static. I hang-dry a lot of my clothing, and using vinegar keeps the clothes soft without using the dryer. Soap residue (usually due to overuse of commercial detergents) makes clothes stiff and is the reason you need toxic fabric softeners in the first place!

Last week I discussed some green alternatives to using chemical- based dry cleaning. While many of us have clothes that need more special care, a large part of our wardrobe consists of cotton, polyester, and blends that can stand the weekly washing. So how can I add some “green” to my regular laundry routine?

Trekking down two flights to the dark basement, I stumble through the dark as I grope for the light switch. Cobwebs brush my face as I turn on the light. It’s just me, my clothes, the washer, and the dryer. Now this is where I’m stuck–do whites go in one wash, colors in another wash? Do I need different water temperatures for different washes? I decided this whole process needed simplification. So whether you brave the depths of your cellar or the local laundromat, I have come up with some laundry tips that not only make this weekly chore less stressful, but will save energy, decrease dependence on chemicals, and have less of an impact on the earth.

Before we begin, it is good to establish a baseline of our green laundry practice. The Sierra Club has a great quiz you can take to determine how “green” your laundry habits are. I scored an 85 (out of 100), so I know there must be some of you out there who can do better than that.

Green Laundry Tips

1. Use cold water

Did you know that 90% of the energy we use when washing our clothes comes from heating the water! No kidding! Unless you have clothes with a really bad stain, you do not need warm or hot water in your wash cycle.

2. Use non-phosphate laundry detergent

I think many of us know that phosphates in laundry detergents cause algae blooms, which have harmful affects on our waterways. Unfortunately, manufacturers are not required by law to disclose their ingredients. There are, however, a number of detergents that have been tested and do not contain chemicals that can harm your health or the environment. Co-op America recommends Ecover, Oxyboost, Sun & Earth, and Seventh Generation. You can also read this great post on Grist.com that reviews the pros and cons of six different laundry detergents.

It is also easy to make your own detergent at home–but we’ll save that for another post!

3. Line Dry!

Now some of you may be saying: in New England?! I know–line drying outside can really only happen for 3 weeks out of the year (do I exaggerate?), but those wooden fold-up drying racks are just as good, especially in the winter. Buy a couple of them and see how much less you use your dryer. Whether you are drying your clothes in the house or outside, line drying saves you money, energy, and a second trip to the basement. And if you have cranky-yankee neighbors who complain about your clothes fluttering in the wind, check out Project Laundry List. They are a non-profit based in New Hampshire with a simple mission: “making air-drying laundry acceptable and desirable as a simple and effective way to save energy.” Their site is packed with great resources and you can also subscribe to their blog.

Worried that you line-drying will give you stiff, uncomfortable clothes? Try adding 1/2 cup vinegar to your wash load to help keep your clothes soft. Learn about this and other tips.

4. Buy Energy Star Washers

If you are considering purchasing a washer, be sure to look for machines with Energy Star label. They use half the energy of standard washers. Dryers, however, do not have this label, as most of them use similar amounts of energy.

Do you have other tips on greening your laundry routine? Do you know of green dry cleaners and laundromats in Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont? We would love to hear about them and share the information with our readers.