Here’s Why Drying Your Laundry Outside Is a Must

Although the British climate doesn’t always provide perfect drying weather, when the sun does come out, there is something very rewarding about drying your laundry outside in the warm sun. If you’re lucky enough to have a clothesline in your garden or even a clothes horse on your balcony, you know there’s something special about harnessing a summer breeze to make your clothes smell even fresher. Outdoor drying is far better for the environment, it will save you money on your energy bill, plus, it can help you unwind and reconnect with nature as part of a new meditative routine.

Capture the smell of nature

The fresh outdoor smell of line-dried laundry is impossible to imitate – indeed clean sheets freshly dry from the clothesline is a comfort that some say helps improve sleep quality. Using plant-based laundry detergents like Eco-Max Laundry Liquids can help you capture that fresh outdoor smell by removing harsh-smelling and residue causing ingredients from your laundry day. Choose the fragrance-free variety for the shortest ingredient list, or if you like a light scent, Eco-Max’s Laundry Liquids are naturally scented with the purest essential oil extracts so washed clothes don’t smell like synthetic perfumes.

Cut back on energy use

We’re all taking steps to create a more sustainable home and outdoor drying can help with that, too. By using the wind and sun to take on the task, instead of your tumble dryer, you’re reducing electricity consumption which can help your household save on energy costs. Choosing the right products for your laundry routine can also help you support energy sustainability. Responsible brands like Eco-Max make their laundry detergents using green electricity from renewable sources, and develop low-foaming formulas to support the use of high efficiency water-saving washers.

Brighten ‘whites’ naturally

Keeping white fabrics their whitest is a challenge, so why not let the sun give you a helping hand? Dry outside and use the sun’s powerful rays to brighten your whites and linens. It’s one way to avoid using chlorine bleach or resorting to purchasing laundry detergents with whitening chemicals like optical brighteners. Avoid leaving coloured fabrics in direct sun light for too long, though, as too much direct sunlight can lead to colour fading.

A mindful moment or two

If the reason you’re avoiding outdoor drying is because it sounds like just another household chore, it’s time to rethink. Use this simple task to slow you down from a busy lifestyle and reconnect with nature. Make it a mindful moment. Slow down your breathing, take in the fresh air and sounds around you, and soak in every second of this peaceful time-out.

Can’t line dry? No problem

We can’t always line dry our laundry, but you can still make simple tweaks to your routine to get some of the benefits. Here’s a few ways to create a more sustainable home and to save money while you do it:

• Use concentrated laundry detergents, like Eco-Max Laundry Liquids that use just 30 mL per load. Concentrated products use less packaging and have smaller carbon footprints, because they can be shipped using less space and fuel. Cost per wash is usually cheaper, too.
• Wash with cold water. A large part of the energy associated with doing laundry is spent just heating up the water. Eco-Max Laundry Liquids work well in all water temperatures.
• Wash full loads, but don’t overload. Overfilling your machine might lead to less clean clothes, which just means expending more energy to wash them again.
• Think about wearing clothes more than once; most of them aren’t dirty after one use and washing more than needed can reduce the lifetime of your fabrics, leading to more costs.
• Avoid ironing if you can. Instead, carefully hang clothing items on hangers and let gravity do the work, saving you time and cutting back on electricity use.
• Make a simple hanging rail from wooden dowel and hang coat hangers from it.

While laundry is a fact of life, there are many ways to make it more eco-friendly, and less of a chore, while saving money and connecting you with nature.