So, I recently purchased a wonderful new washing machine.  Yep, I got a front-loader and it’s amazing.  The machine is so much quieter than my old machine and it uses a lot less water.  I’m in love!  It’s a whole new world coming from a top loader that was 22 years old.  Goodness, was it time or what?  So, after my purchase I was feeling good because I’m going to save money in the long term on water and I’m helping the environment with this purchase.  But, after reading an article from the Portland Tribune on August 12th on washing laundry with cold water, there’s more I can do, or dare I say we all can do!

Journalist Peter Korn asks the question, does cold water actually clean as well as warm or hot (and why does it matter)?  According to U.S. Department of Energy data, “if we all washed our clothes in cold water rather than warm or hot water, we’d save over 50 billion pounds of carbon emissions a year.”  The article also mentions that only “two of 10 people in the U.S. wash all their clothes in cold water.”  A stain test was done at a local laundromat in Portland with Korn and laundry attendant June Sanders.  Sanders tested dirtied towels using both cold and warm water.  She found that with stains like dirt, grass, salsa and lipstick, cold water worked just as well as warm. 

Something else you may want to consider is avoiding laundry detergent with brighteners.  Martin Wolf, a chemist at Seventh Generation (www.seventhgeneration.com) said that brightener detergents “don’t get your clothes cleaner.  They give you the illusion your clothes are cleaner.”  What this means is that “brighteners contain a dye that uses ultraviolet light to make clothing look brighter,” Wolf says, however, “they also evaporate and contribute to air pollution.”  Eek!  It makes you think twice about your next purchase in the laundry aisle, or at least raises awareness about how everyday products like laundry soap (and water temperature choices) can directly impact the environment.  Helping the planet in these seemingly small ways is a bright spot in the otherwise routine task of doing the laundry – at least for me.  Might I add that my amazing new front-loader, while quietly purring in the corner as it washes a load of laundry in cold water, couldn’t agree more!

Nano technology has opened new doors in fashion, giving clothing manufacturers the ability to make stain resistant clothing. Even some of the most well-known brands (Old Navy, Brooks Brothers) and leading designers (Hugo Boss and Tommy) have taken advantage of the technology. But, does it actually keep you stain free? Susan Koeppen of CBS’ The Early Show put some stain resistant clothes to the test.

Test #1: 
Koeppen spilled coffee all over her trenchcoat, and orange juice all over her suit. Both wiped right off without soiling the fabric. PASS

Test #2:
Koeppen smeared mustard, ketchup, chocolate ice cream, juice, paint, pizza grease, yougurt and paint all over the clothes. Most of it wiped away without stains, but some items (namely the mustard and the ketchup) caused stains that couldn’t even come out in the way. FAIL

The verdict is that stain resistant fabric does a great job at repelling liquids, but doesn’t seem to handle heavy dyes or oil-based substances any better than other materials. Still, stain resistant clothing may be worth the extra coin if you’re looking for some relief from everyday stains.

Those of you with baby boys know that changing a diaper can get messy, especially when it comes to those surprise squirts. They make a mess, can stain your clothes and carpet, and, well, your face is just inches away. I think you catch our drift.

Worry no more! We came across a handy little device called the Pee-pee Teepee. They look like little party hats, and they warrant just as much celebration. By containing the pee, you clothes and carpet are safe (of course, the towel beneath your son will still take the hit).

As the website instructs, all you have to do is “place it on the wee-wee” and you’re all set to go. No more errant baby urine!

While perusing YouTube.com for some “green laundry” footage we found a product that is not only green, but will save you some green. Nellie’s Dryer Balls are reusable, non-toxic dryer balls that replace fabric softeners and reduce drying time. This saves time, energy and money. Watch the video:

Back in 2005, two students from the National University of Singapore’s School of Industrial Design, Gabriel Tan and Wendy Chua, developed a washing machine that doesn’t use water or detergent. The Airwash removes stains from clothing in minutes by using negative ions, compressed air and deodorants. It won the ElectroLux Design Lab Award that year because of its potential to replace professional dry-cleaning.

Other upsides of the technology are that is uses very little energy and it provides a laundry solution for places that do no have readily accessible, clean water.

The downsides? It’s 2008. Where’d it go? Until it resurfaces, your best (and undoubtedly less expensive) option to avoid having to bring your non-washables to the dry cleaner is Dry Cleaner’s Secret.

The World’s Largest Laundromat, in Berwyn, Illinois, touts 157 washing machines and 145 dryers, but that’s not all. It’s crowning jewels are the 36 solar hot water panels on its roof that account for 20 percent of its energy needs.

The solar panels save the facility about $2,000 a month by displacing nearly 2 million BTUs of natural gas per day for washing clothes. It’s the largest solar hot water heater in the state of Illinois. Needless to say, it wasn’t cheap. It cost Tom Benson—the owner—$150,000 to install; however, he expects a return on investment in five years, considering how much money the system is saving him on the gas bill.

Designer Jun Kurihara has designed a portable clothes hanger that he claims will be able to freshen your clothes at home or while you are traveling. The unnamed ionic clothes hanger will utilize ion technology to remove odors such as cigarette smoke from your shirts. It’s portable design makes it easy to pack away in your luggage, offering a great way to freshen while away from your local dry cleaner or at-home dry cleaning kit. No word on when or if it will be produced, but rest assured that we will keep you updated!