Green Briefs - Alternative Fabric Softeners

Reduce your laundry costs by cutting out the liquid fabric softeners and dryer sheets.  Not only are these products harmful to the environment - adding chemicals to the watershed and non-biodegradable waste to the landfills - they can be easily replaced with other methods.

If the weather allows, line-drying your laundry outdoors gets rid of static and helps your clothes smell fresh naturally instead of using synthetic fragrances.

Try putting half a cup of white vinegar in the fabric softener tray of your washer instead of the pink stuff.  Vinegar is a natural fabric softener, and - despite what you might think - won't leave your clothes smelling like pickles!  (Just be sure you don't use bleach at the same time - the combination will produce toxic fumes.)

Fluff your laundry with re-usable dryer balls like the ones found here.  They increase the air flow around your clothes, helping them to dry faster as well.

If none of these solutions appeal to you and you still want to use dryer sheets or fabric softeners, look for biodegradable sheets or plant-based softeners like these and these from Mrs. Meyers.

Green Briefs: Natural Air Cleaners

Some plants are particularly effective at absorbing the chemicals and pollutants found inside our homes and offices.  Clean up your indoor air and brighten your work and living spaces by surrounding yourself with plants such as spider plants, ferns, rubber plants, ivy, or palms.

Green Briefs

Dry cleaners use large amounts of chemical solvents such as tetrachloroethylene, a de-greasing agent that’s a suspected carcinogen, can aggravate respiratory problems, and is harmful to the environment when disposed.  Try hand washing or spot-cleaning your “Dry-Clean Only” clothing, or look for a ‘green’ service.

Green Briefs: Backyard Campfires

Avoid burning trash in your backyard fire pit.  Printed paper, cardboard and plastics release clouds of harmful chemicals when burned, turning your cheerful campfire into a toxic incinerator.  Limit your burn pile to leaves, dry weeds, sticks, and other organic material that might not break down in your compost bin.

Green Briefs: Keeping Cool

Minimize your dependence on energy-hogging air conditioners by tackling heat the natural way first.  Shade sunny windows with heat-blocking drapes or blinds inside, or a trellis and climbing plant on the outside.  Open windows at night and install a fan in the attic to pull cool air into the house and push hot air out through the roof.  And when you do use your A/C, make sure all your ducts are sealed well and only the vents you need are open!