Soak in Sola by Amy Butler is a biodegradable, phosphate-free, rinse-free fabric wash made in collaboration with Soak. Soak’s fiber-friendly cleanser is designed for the most delicate hand-washables, including quilts, knits, cross-stitch, and lingerie.  The no-rinse solution has even been used for pets and stuffed animals.  This limited edition version is scented with Amy’s signature fragrance called Sola.  They say Sola is a soft comforting fragrance like an evening walk through the garden.  The bottle is simple and beautiful.

“Do laundry”… what does that mean to most of us?  It means carting a large pile of clothes in a bin or basket to one’s home washer and dryer, or if you’re one of the many unfortunate bunch like me, you cart it to a nearby laundromat’s washer and dryer.  I’ve only “done laundry” once since moving into my new apartment, and as I don’t own a car–you guessed it–I packed my clothes into a massive backpack and pedaled it across my neighborhood to the laundromat, swaying all the way.  Obviously not an impossible scenario, but surely an uncomfortable one!

But as with so many other things about living a modern American lifestyle, my conscience shouts louder and louder each time I subscribe to certain activities that I know to be environmentally harmful.  The toxic chemicals in many common soaps aside, purely the use of electricity (when knowingly powered by coal plants, as is true for my region) is a harmful act.  I don’t like living with the idea that I must contribute to environmental devastation each time I want to wear fresh-smelling, tidy clothing!  Not washing clothes at all, ever (as many of my “crust-punk” friends do) is not a reasonable option for most of us.

The clock was ticking. I had only an hour or two to make my decision, before I had to leave for work.

Today was the periodically dreaded day when my laundry bin reached critical mass, and I realized I needed to do laundry.

Do I take it to a laundromat, dump it into appliances, and read a book while my clothes become easy-breezy clean?  The consequences of that are: energy use, travel energy, and cost!  Washing and drying clothes at a laundromat can cost up to $5 a load!

But what if we could re-invent our notion of what “doing laundry” means?  Forget “high-efficiency” washer and dryer appliances that, while an improvement in terms of water and energy use, still perpetuate widespread and probably-ultimately unsustainable practices.  Where can the energy–and water–come from that would be sustainably sourced?

Your hands.  And your sink.  (And for clothes-drying?  The air.)

It’s such a simple solution that I might almost have missed it!

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There are alternatives out there. Wet cleaning technology was introduced in the mid 1990’s and doesn’t require any solvents. It is garment specific, and uses soap and water in “smart” washers and dryers to clean clothes, which are then finished, or pressed accordingly. Some garments are also handwashed depending on the fabric.

Other than wet cleaning there’s liquid carbon dioxide, which uses captured CO2 in the cleaning process and is a lot less toxic than conventional dry cleaning. A Consumer Reports comparison found the CO2 cleaning method achieved better results than wet cleaning or conventional dry cleaning.

However, when taking something to a professional cleaner, always ask if you’re unsure if their method is safe for your garment. And while there are an increasing number of green cleaners popping up, they aren’t available everywhere just yet.

You can avoid the cleaners altogether and hand wash your garments at home. While the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Care Labeling Rule insists that ‘”Dryclean Only’ is a warning that the garment cannot be washed,” depending on the fabric, you can wash some garments labeled as such. The FTC’s Care Labeling Rule also says that clothing only has to carry a washing instruction or drycleaning instruction - even if both are acceptable for that garment.

When washing garments home, hand wash using a mild detergent and cold water. Don’t wring or twist the fabric and lay it flat to dry. Keep in mind that not all “dry clean only” garments can be washed. If you’re unsure if it’s best to take it to a cleaner.

Amy says: I’m still waiting for a green cleaner to pop up in my neighborhood…

For more on garment labeling and tips for washing at home:
Federal Trade Commission - Care Labeling Rule

Care 2 living - Wet Clean Wool Silk and Rayon

The Dollar Stretcher - Save Money on Dry Cleaning

For more on dry cleaners and the alternatives:
National Geographic - The Green Guide

Green Options: California Bans Toxic Dry Cleaning Chemical

Children’s Health Environmental Coalition

TreeHugger

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