Housecleaning and Laundry

There is a lot you can do to save energy when cleaning your home. Here are some concrete tips.

Doing laundry

• Choose the right amount of laundry detergent. In Stockholm, the water is soft, and the lowest recommended dose is enough.
• Use unscented detergent. Perfumes can be allergy-inducing.
• Skip fabric softeners which leave residual chemical elements in your clothes and add unnecessary chemicals to our water purification plants.
• Vinegar is a natural complement - it removes bad smells, makes textiles softer and also cleans the machine at the same time.
• Always fill up the washing machine with laundry and wash on a low temperature.
• Air your clothes out instead of washing if they are not soiled.
• Air dry instead of tumble dry – the clothes last longer, and you will save energy.
• Regularly wash and air out textiles such as curtains, blankets, and stuffed animals. Textiles easily collect dirt and dust that carry harmful chemicals.
• Tumble dryers use half the amount of energy compared to drying cabinets.
• Wash new clothes and other textiles before using them in order to get rid of chemical residues. Nonylphenolethoxylate, NPE, is an example of a substance that can be found in new textiles. 

Housecleaning

Chemicals accumulate in dust, especially in the vicinity of electronics which emit Brominated flame retardants and Phthalates.

• Don't rinse the dust down the drain; throw it among burnable waste.
• Vacuum clean before wet mopping. That way harmful chemicals end up in the district heating plant instead of the wastewater treatment plant.
• Use unscented and eco-labeled soaps and detergents. Many perfumes, including natural fragrances, can be allergy-inducing.
• Use a low dose of cleaning products; it will suffice since the water in Stockholm is soft.
• Avoid scented products. They put an unnecessary burden on indoor environments and the sewage system.

Wash yourself properly

• Wash your hands regularly. Chemicals, which can be found in various products and even in dust, often stick to your hands.
• Choose eco-labeled soap and other hygiene products.