To make your clothes washing better for the environment, save water, and reduce energy consumption:

• Wash only with cold water.
• To save water, wash only full loads, and don’t use the permanent press cycle on the dryer.
• Dry clothes on a clothes line rather than in the dryer.
• Choose eco-friendly detergent.
• Add a quarter cup of vinegar to the wash to help keep dyes from fading and act as a disinfectant.

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If I told you to take this chemical solvent and rub it all over your skin, and do it every day…well, you’d probably have a few choice words for me. But, truthfully, we all do it every time we put on clean clothes, and it’s high time that our green thinking extends its way into the laundry room. It’s easy to make a few changes like washing only with cold water and drying clothes on the line, but what about the harsh chemical cleaners we use to wash our clothes? There are some eco-friendly options in detergent, although sometimes, you still have to use some pre-treatment for tough stains. Here’s a great tip, try a quarter cup of vinegar in the wash. It helps keep dyes from fading and it makes a great disinfectant for whites, which means no more bleach. And, you won’t smell like vinegar either, but you’ll definitely be feeling greener.