Laundry Day

I've been doing laundry for as long as I can remember. I know I was about two when my mom taught me to fold towels and washcloths and I think I was about 6 when I started ironing pillowcases. I was born at the end of the age when everything, including all sheets and pillowcases were ironed. I also remember that my very frugal mother went right out when perma press fabrics hit the stores in the mid sixties and bought all new sheets so she would never have to iron another sheet again.

I also remember finding glasses and towels in my grandmothers new boxes of laundry detergent. I guess she would let me be the one to open them and remove the "prize". Although I remember the smell of different detergents like Tide, All and Era I don't remember them being near as strong scent wise as they are now. In fact one of my big gripes is how pervasive the smell of detergent and fabric softeners is. Maybe the American public has accepted the idea that personal scent should come from whatever detergent or "flavor" of softener is used. These detergents and softeners are made using petroleum products and synthetic fragrances which can be irritating to the skin and can also cause people with chemical sensitivities to have headaches and other symptoms, some of which can be quite serious.

I prefer to use vegetable based detergents and have found several that do a good job. Charlie's Soap is one of my favorites http://www.charliesoap.com/ . Seventh Generation and method are two other companies that make plant based detergents as does Cirta-Solv http://www.citra-solv.com/pplaundry.shtml. Some of these detergents have a scent but it is very light and is made with essential oils. Charlie's has no scent.

I also use oxygen bleach instead of chlorine. Chlorine is harsh on clothing, people and the environment. I use pretreating sprays to help break up greasy or set stains. You can make your own pretreating spray with 2 tablespoons of citra-solve or castile soap and 1 tablespoon vinegar in 1 cup of water - mix in a spray bottle and shake before each use.

Wash anything that you think might have had a sugar based substance in cold water to avoid setting a sugar stain (those ugly yellow stains). In fact wash almost everything except diapers, sheets and pillowcases in cold water unless they are excessively dirty w/ grease. Cold water washing will help extend the life of clothing by protecting colors and will help you save on energy costs.

If you are having problems with static cling there are plant based softeners and dryer sheets on the market. Be aware that softeners keep towels or work out clothing from being as absorbent as they can be.