Housecleaning and Laundry

By being aware of how you clean your home and do your laundry, you can lessen the energy impact and avoid harmful chemicals.

Doing laundry

• Air your clothes out instead of washing if they are not soiled.
• Wash lightly soiled laundry at 40°C to reduce energy use, except for towels, bed linen and cotton underwear which should be washed at 60°C. Follow washing instructions.
• Use environmentally friendly detergents marked with Good Environmental Choice, the Nordic Swan or the EU Ecolabel and preferably perfume-free.
• Skip fabric softeners which leave residual chemical elements in your clothes and add unnecessary chemicals to our water purification plants.
• Vinegar is a natural alternative to fabric softener that removes bad odors, softens fabrics and also cleans the machine at the same time.
• Always fill up the washing machine with laundry and wash on a low temperature.
• Regularly wash and air out textiles such as curtains, blankets, and stuffed animals. Textiles easily collect dirt and dust that carry harmful chemicals.
• Wash new clothes and other textiles before using them in order to get rid of chemical residues.

Housecleaning

• Limit your cleaning supplies. Simple products like eco-friendly soap, water, and a microfiber cloth are enough to keep your home clean.
• Avoid chemical products marketed as antibacterial. They may contain environmentally hazardous substances.
• Avoid canned fragrances in the form of scented sprays and toilet blocks to reduce the use of chemicals.
• Don't rinse the dust down the drain; throw it among burnable waste.
• Vacuum clean before wet mopping. That way harmful chemicals not end up in the wastewater.
• Use unscented and eco-labeled soaps and detergents. Many perfumes, including natural fragrances, can be allergy-inducing.
• Avoid scented products. They put an unnecessary burden on indoor environments and the sewage system.
• Place hazardous chemical products up high or in a locked cabinet where children cannot reach them. For safety reasons, also keep the products in their original packaging.