Did you know that clothing made from wool doesn't need to be washed AT ALL? It's because wool fibres have a bilateral structure consisting of two chemically different halves winding together and are constantly 'moving' and 'working' against each other. That way, stains and dirt just don't hold on the fibres. Even bad stains like wax (which can totally ruin a garment!) can carefully be beaten out. Also, wool is able to sequester sweat, so it won't ever smell or just be dirty from wearing. I have a lambwool cardigan that I've never washed in my life and it's still in perfect shape! Thought I would share since you didn't talk about wool specifically in this video. :) Love your channel! Keep up the great work!
and wool is temperature regulating. it keeps you warm outdoors but when you go inside where there's heating it doesn't automatically feel stuffy like a similar weight acrylic. Plus more water and wind resistant than other fibers.
I make my own laundry detergent using 2 parts washing soda, 2 parts borax, and 1 part grated bar castile soap.You can add essential oils if desired. It works great in cold water. I add some vinegar into the fabric softener section when I have been around lots of germs because I am a germophobe and it kills bacteria. I will also add a little bit of baking soda into my white load to help keep them white. I have heard vinegar even helps keep colour in your clothes. My clothes definitely have not lost their colour, that is for sure. Both vinegar and baking soda can absorb fragrances which is fantastic for anyone with a fragrance sensitivity. Its definitely a good idea to wash with one of the two of them when bringing home a purchase from a thrift store.
Love the no wash jeans segment. We used to do that back in the 70s when I was in high school - you just didn't want to wash your Levi's! You aired them out every week in the backyard on the clothes lines and they were good to go. I still go months without washing my jeans. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
This video is SO helpful!! I've been worried about my clothes getting worn out faster since I have a capsule wardrobe. I wash my clothes in cold water already. All of these tips are super helpful!! Thanks for the video! :)
About a year ago I use to make my own soap, but I found that investing in high quality, eco-friendly ingredients was becoming more expensive than if I were to purchase a comparable product from a reputable company. I now rotate between a seventh generation and Mrs. Meyers- Im using the Mrs. Meyers lavender laundry detergent; OMG it smells like apple sauce and lavender (which is wonderful). Next I would really like to try soap nuts and a few laundrey powders I have been eyeing on Vitacost. I personally wait a good 3 washes before I launder an item. After every wear I inspect it for any dirt around the hems, stains, or general dinginess, and if it passes I let it air our overnight. The next morning I will steam the "hot spots" usually the armpits and the *ahem* backside of skirts, dresses or slacks to kill off any odor causing bacterial that may be lingering. It seams like a lot of effort but it really isn't because I tend to use my steamer every day to remove any mild creasing from my fabrics- I just kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Another tip I'd have is to use a steamer instead of an iron. I LOVE my steamer and I love how I can control the amount of heat by just moving the steaming head, while killing odor causing bacteria with moist heat. I find my clothes are lasting MUCH longer with this gentler method; I will never go back to ironing clothes
Great tips! Especially about the steamer! I used to have a small travel one but it was pretty cheap and not very good, I'm thinking about getting a better one. What brand of steamer do you have?
+My Green Closet i have a shark. i love it because it was comparably inexpensive, the water holding chamber is large, and it has a colapsable garment rod that holds both the hanger and the steamer head. when i colapse it it takes up about a whopping cubic foot/ft &1/2 of my precious space.i love it
So glad I read the project 333 blog, so that I always find these "hidden" videos :) The jeans experiement is very interesting, but I don´t think that I could do it myself, because I have a little bit of a problem with coming in contact with places/things other people have touched/where they sat etc. If I sit in the bus for example, I think about all the nasty things that might have been on there before and just feel dirty afterwards. I have to get out of these "dirty" clothes as soon as I enter my house... but I will wear them a few times out before I wash them. I know the things are not really that dirty and that it´s just a mental thing, so I´m working on going even longer between washes.
I use white vinegar with a few drops of lavender oil as fabric softner and I love it. It's cheap, natural, eco-friendly and clean your washing machine (very important as I share one machine with 4 other families). For shared machines, my mom told me to always set my first machine on hot (60C) to disinfect the machine (as you never know what the person before you washed... :/ ) and do the rest of the laundry on cold.
Great video! I have made my own soap before, but found that I had to have large quantities of all of the ingredients, and would always end up short of something. I used baking soda, soap flakes and borax. My sister in law, in France, grates her own soap for laundry detergent, but it is time consuming. I use white vinegar all the time as a softener, in the softener cup. I add a few drops of tea tree for stinky kids clothes. Yes salt works, if it is the raw rock salt, not iodized kitchen salt. I buy a new-to-my-stores, enzyme detergent called Persil, but find that I only need 1/2 or less, of the recommended amount. Even with all of those suggestions or precautions, I have found this summer that my 10 item wardrobe is looking a bit shabby. Most of the clothes I will continue to wear through the fall, and maybe as underneath layers in the winter, except for shorts etc, but I expect I will have to reinvest in about half of the items next summer. Which all in all probably only means buying 5 or 6 new items, so I'm not too upset about that. I would like to try to invest in some better quality pieces, but am still worried that with all the wear my clothes get that I will end up with the same problem. I am hoping to try some stronger fibers like hemp, linen or wool. What fibers do you recommend for strongest/longest wear? Thanks
I like using soap nuts instead of detergent. You can get them in your whole food store. They clean clothes perfectly and fabric feels really soft. Since the soap nuts don't smell like detergent and i like my clothes to smell nicely, i add a few drops of organic aromatic oil. The soap nuts are biodegradable and i can really recommend them. x
I make my own laundry detergent and I love it. I tried a million recipes that I read online, and I think most of them were posted by people who don't actually use it at all, because most of the liquid soaps turn solid once fully cooled or don't have any kind of preservative. My solution was to melt a basic natural soap in water and add rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol both preserves and keeps the soap from either turning into a hard lump or separating out into chunks. I also use washing soda or a version of Oxy Clean instead of baking soda, Baking soda is far more abrasive on your clothing and will wear them out faster. Washing soda is basically baking soda that has been heated to a certain temperature. I even figured out a way to scent my clothes with essential oils!
So infomrative! I definitely need to start caring for my clothes properly. I've never used softeners or dryer sheets either and can attest that adding white vinegar does help soften the clothes. :)
+My Green Closet +1 vote for soapnuts! I've been using them for years now and they're fantastic. You can also use them to make a washing detergent for cleaning dishes :}
I make laundry soap with Dr.Bronner's castile liquid soap (3/4 cup) and baking soda (1/2 cup) I dilute the baking soda into warm water (like 2 cups) and then pour it into a 1 gallon glass bottle, then fill the bottle with water leaving enough space for the soap, that's it. For softening I use white vinegar and few drops of essential oil.
Paola Muciño this sounds like a great recipe! I was thinking about trying my dr bronners soap but was unsure because of the oil content. But with the baking soda and water, I think it’ll be perfect 👌
Making Laundry Soap is easy! I use a grated bar of zotes or fells Naptha bar to 1 cup of washing soda and borax. To make the soap easier to grate, cut them in chunks and microwave for several minutes (they will puff up and look like foam-ish). Grate them finely (it dissolves better) we use a hand held cheese grater. When you go to wash use about 1/2 a teaspoon a load. When we dry our clothes we use wool dryer balls. We scent them with natural oils. Dryer balls helps dry our clothes faster - I haven't notice the clothes being 'softer'.
I use Nelly's Washing Soda. It is bio-degradable, fragrance free, sls free and septic safe. It is readily available in Canada. I also use white vinegar as our "softener" from time to time. Our clothes are always fresh, clean and I find that they look fresher longer!
I used it all the time when we lived in Canada! It's the best! Unfortunately I don't think it's available in Germany though :( I'll have to bring some back when we go for a visit!
i don't know if you can find the type of washer we have here in southeast asia, but it comes with a laundry drum & centrifuge for spinning water out of clothes. since everything is 'manual', you can bail your grey water to use for other cleaning.
thank you for this video - so helpful! my hubby is into higher end denim and i did some research to buy him a couple of pieces as gifts... i was surprised by the subculture and language around washing and wearing jeans! it's like a whole other world. :)
I was really surprised by it too! It's pretty amazing some of the things people do like ocean-washing their jeans. I find it really interesting to look at super worn in jeans and the unique wear patterns.
also, concerning the jeans - no need to wash them unless you regularly go commando. if you are not wearing anything between your body and your jeans the naural bacteria can eat away at your denim over time. I found about once per month or so works for me and my partner :)
Now I'm curious about the no - wash jean experiment. I've heared about it before but never got around to looking further into it, so thanks for bringing it up! :) Also, I've made the same experience with my jeans not reeking of smoke anymore after having them hung on a drying rack on the balcony for two days.
If you want to get smells (such as smoke or restaurant odour) out of woolen clothes, just hang them in the bathroom when you take a hot shower or bath - the water that is evaporating through the wool takes the odour off. I am using baking soda for whites regularly and it works well and also helps when the machine gets smelly after a while (I also use it for toilet, carpet and kitchen cleaning).
if you use wool balls in ur dryer, you can diy the wool balls, and you can use a couple drops of ur fav essential oils.... wool balls work better than fabric softer but more importantly they cut ur drying time down! hope that helps you.
How do you like these? I ordered some, should be delivered today! I'm excited about the idea and haven't used dryer sheets regularly for quite some time because of the chemicals.
Cedar for storage: I've recently heard (from a master wood-worker, who has a degree in microbiology) that cedar only got its reputation for helping against clothing bugs from how well it ages, how little it warps, and how well it can be used make tightly-sealed boxes or trunks (that are still much better than storing clothes in plastic!) that can continue to keep out bugs for ages, and that its presence in unsealed containers or closets doesn't actually help any. I am also dubious about lavender, which is often used in sachets (from the French, literally: small bags) to add a nice smell to underwear drawers. I do know that the freshness/pungency of its smell can be used to determine, somewhat, either how well a box or drawer has been sealed (retaining its lavender scent) or how recently the clothes in it (or, at least, the lavender in it) has been refreshed (or if it's been sitting, untouched, for years). Similarly, I'd be curious about the possibilities of citrus-peel (or possibly even just zest, or even essential oils) to prevent "closet wear" and other deterioration of clothes during storage. I'd be delighted to hear any further info on this subject: cedar, lavender, and other possible clothing-eating-vermin deterrents!
I use Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap - according to the directions on the bottle ... for all of my clothing. Try Almond. It does not leave a perfume-ish smell on the clothes. The directions (on the bottle) for laundry suggest adding Baking Soda to the Rinse cycle since Castile soap can linger on the fabric. Occasionally, when I did that, I would end up with some white streaks on my clothes. So I add the baking soda with the liquid Castile soap in the beginning. it works well for me. - On the occasion that my clothes might look better from a dose of non-chlorine bleach, I simply add about 1/4 cup of Borax instead of the baking soda. - I wash all of my non-delicate clothing in one wash, cold water, delicate cycle. Gentle dry on all except semi-delicates like some blouses and things that I want to be careful not to shrink. - The second load is underwear and delicates like more expensive blouses. If it's not convenient for me to hand-wash them in a sink with cold water and a little bit of Dr. Bronner's, I do them on hand-wash cycle in the machine. - I hang all underwear, delicates, and things that I don't put in the dryer. Each one goes on a hanger until dry. => My clothing does last a lot longer.
Not overfilling your washer is a big one! And it seems the manufacturers' recommendations encourage it. I tend to check for room to assess water level. I also leave things for an extended soak to ensure all the crud gets loosened before agitation, especially since I started running everything on delicate. I've gotten my laundry to one load a week. I alternate two pairs of jeans, and 3 shirts throughout the week, and by then end of that everything's been with at least twice and definitely needs to be washed. I'm not sure I could even get the no-wash jeans thing to work.... my jeans smell Funky by the end of the week and I end up having to wash them to get them back to shape so they fit right again anyway. I alternate what pair of jeans I wear to they wear evenly though, like rotating the tires on your car. :) I also keep cutting down what goes in the dryer. At this point it's only things I need to reshrink. If there's a way to do that with hang drying I'd love to know about it because I hate abusing my fibers!
Update for honesty's sake... After watching this I now am only drying my towels and bedding I don't have room too hang dry. Stiff towels are the absolute worst. But 20 min of air tumbling ever couple weeks is much better than a full hour with heat every week. And I've indeed had no issues with my jeans fitting oddly. :)
I love getting new jeans. But I always wash them after like 2 wears. I had no idea you could not wash them for a year! My mom would kill me but I'd like to give it a try. Thanks! :)
I have a half gallon jar of vinegar that I put citrus rinds in that I use through the day to have a rotating version of bleach/fabric softener. It is infused very quickly.
I'd recommend you Bea Johnson's "Zero waste" for all things DIY and living more eco-friendly :) lovely video! so many useful tips! Agree on washing less often, I rarely wash my jeans and try to wear t-shirts twice before washing. Can't recommend putting Jeans in the freezer enough! I had to stop this due to my flatmate being grossed out by it but would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have those issues :) it removes the smell, shrinks them a bit (they sit like they have been washed) and they look fab! thank you so much for uploading this, was excitingly awaiting it :)
A hint for achieving beautiful soft fluffy towels without using fabric softener that my mum taught me... Air dry your towels first. Usually after air drying they get that kind of slight "cardboardy" feel to them which is awful to rub against your skin! Before folding and putting them away, put them in a hot dryer for 5 minutes only (10 max). Soft as a fluffy teddy bear every time!
I have an old wash machine and no budget for a new one yet, so theres occasionally some weird smells. I have been using baking soda with most loads especially towels. It really helps keep the items fresher longer. So excited for your fall capsule video. I am starting to put mine together and assessing how my summer one went. I only wore about 15 of my 30+ pieces. That's amazing! I am definitely going to stick with capsule wardrobes for the rest of my life. Thanks for the inspiration and great videos!
Try vinegar. 1/2 a cup during the final rinse. It is a natural deodorizer and fabric softener. It should help the smell. You should also wash your machine. Research it, there are some easy diy methods.
Hand wash definitely keeps your clothes for a really long time my mom doesnt like washing going out clothes in a washing machine. This makes clothes stay for a very long time even if it's not a good quality clothes.
I would totally recommend using some kind of softener, it is actually good for the fibers of your clothes, since it's like a lubricant that prevents them to tear or rip. If you're allergic to life, like me, you can use a low perfume softener. Usually the chemicals in softeners are biodegradable so as long as you use the recommended amount (or less!) it shouldn't build up. Good luck! :)
Sure, it is known that some quaternary ammonium salts popular in the past can cause dermatitis or skin irritation in general, but it is precisely because of this that people look up for alternatives. Monoesterquats and triesterquats are good alternatives since they're readily biodegradable. Also, keep in mind that you're not using the pure substance directlty on your skin, eyes or inside your body in any form, because fabric softeners are aprox. 80% water, and you only use like half a cup with every laundry so the actual concentration you're exposed to is very small.
You can check this (please don't be afraid of long chemistry names, the more we know and understand, the more we're prepared to take care of ourselves, long names do not necessarily mean harmful): www.google.com/patents/WO2014092692A1?cl=en hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=16030592 whatsinproducts.com/brands/show_msds/1/8241 hope it helps! :)
Thanks for the links! Although I must admit they're pretty overwhelming to read through. I'm curious if you have any research or studies about it improving the long-term wear of clothing? It just seems to me like it's not worth adding extra chemicals to my clothes (and the environment), especially given the potential negative side effects like discolouration/stains, irritation, reducing moisture absorption/wicking properties, and it just generally seems to be best to avoid synthetic fragrances. Also maybe I'm wrong, but aren't a lot of the ingredients derived from petrochemicals? I'm interested to learn more about this though because everything I've read and been taught so far it that fabric softener is unnecessary and can be bad for your clothes, you, and the environment.
+My Green Closet oh god I'm so sorry, I thought I had already responded!! :( it's a very interesting topic for me as well!! you mentioned important points, such as petrochemical materials (you can see in the first link that some quats prices depend on oil prices, I think in [00004]), but there are also cleaner, greener chemical pathways to get the substances (look for Haber-Bosch reaction :) it's the first green industrial reaction, I love it ha ha ), so we as consumers should demand for those kind of industrial processes. Ughhh should I make a video? :@ there is so much to talk of :) I'll share more info tomorrow about the lubricant and safety aspects :)
What exactly do you mean with cold water? 30°celcius? I handwash a lot of my clothes, even if the tag says I can wash it in the machine. Drying the clothes flat on a towel is a really good tip!
I wear things like jeans and cardigans multiple times before I wash them, but I find my jeans start to stretch out after a few wears and I need to wash them to get them to fit more snugly again so they aren't falling down all the time.
I had a lot of jeans that stretched out all the time too. :( If the fabric is thinner it stretches out more easily and is hard to avoid, I used to wash my jeans in hotter water to 'shrink' them which I learned is not good especially with tight jeans as there is likely elastic/spandex mixed in and the heat damages the fibres actually making it stretch out faster. Also when I bought this pair of jeans, I knew I didn't want to wash them for a while so I purposely bought them slightly too tight in the waist so that when they stretched out a little they would be comfortable, and that worked out really well.
Great tips Verena! I've been using Dr. Bronner's all-natural, fair trade, vegan liquid peppermint soap and it works great for my clothes. I recently cleaned my washing machine (after 3 years!) by running it on the highest temperature cycle with just some baking soda and a few drops of tea tree oil in the drum. There were still a ton of soap suds in there from previous washes! I avoided doing this in the past to save electricity and water, but now I think once or twice a year is probably good for the machine and the clothes as well. How often do you clean yours? By the way, still waiting for you to visit Frankfurt! Any plans to visit soon? I went to that eco store you recommended - Organicc -yesterday and loved it - the selection is well-curated (at least to my personal taste!) and I found some pieces which I will probably wear a ton. Got yoga pants from Mandala (sooooo comfy!!!) and Armed Angels tops. Couldn't afford to buy every single piece I wanted, though! Looking forward to your thrifting tips :)
I've never tried using Dr. Bronner's in the washing machine! Good idea :) I think cleaning the machine 1-2 times a year works well for regular laundry, I used to clean ours more but we also shared it with 2 guys who worked in construction and always had really dirty and sandy clothes. Unfortunately I don't have plans to visit Frankfurt, but I hope to soon! Really great to hear that you liked Organicc and that you found some clothes there!!
Hi! I use softener but I just switched from generic ones to a mineral powder, which works mechanically instead of leaving residues on the fabric. For anyone interested, it's an Italian product by eco-brand Tea Natura - Folia also makes one. I don't know if this kind of thing can be found abroad.
Thank you for this great video! I was worrying that I would have to throw out my black jeans that I wear all the time, but will now re-dye them. Is there a brand of fabric dye that you recommend? Perhaps something that is more green than a typical one that would be sold at a craft store. Thanks. I am going to try the no-wash experiment as well.
I find making liquid laundry soap better for cold water washing: 6 cups warm water in a saucepan over medium heat, grate in 1/4 bar fels naptha and add 1/4 cup each borax and washing soda. Pour into a 2 1/2 gallon container and add 1 gallon plus 10 cups of water and stir. Let sit overnight. Use 1-2 T per load.
I have a question about jean wears, I have a Levi's dark washed slim pair of jeans since about 2 years and at the level of the knees, the colour faded quite a bit and becomes whiter and whiter just at these areas. So do you have a natural way to giving it back it's original colour? Livi's are supposed to be super long lasting good quality enven if it is not the most sustainable production so I am surprised with this discoloration thing.
All cotton will fade over time, especially the more it's washed (and the hotter the water) and in areas where there is rubbing/more pressure like knees. It's fairly easy to re-dye clothing though! You can buy fabric dye in most sewing or craft shops. The only natural option is natural indigo but it takes some practice and training to use, I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner dyer.
@@MyGreenCloset Thank you for your answer, it's super helpful! I will go check it out and try te dye it. Endeed, I never dyed anything so i will take it one step at the time. Tank you for the advice :)
How many times a week/year do you suppose you wore these jeans? Are they a heavy, not much stretch, Jean? Still looking for the elusive jeans that don't look gnarly after 3 weeks with no wash.
Hm it's kinda hard to say, I probably wore them 2-4 times a week in the fall/winter, a bit less in the spring and then they weren't in my summer capsule. They're on the heavier side which I think is what makes the big difference with the knees not stretching out so much. They also aren't super skinny which helps. If you want a pair of jeans that you don't want to wash I'd recommend looking for 'raw' or 'dry' denim- those jeans are designed with the intention of being worn for months/years before washing.
I do almost all of this already, but I have some questions about not washing your jeans. I live in my jeans but have recently gotten a couple more pairs so I can rotate them out throughout the week and let them air out between times. How many pairs of jeans do you own and how many days a week do you wear your jeans? Like, are you wearing them every-other day? Every two to three days? About how many times would you estimate you'd worn them in that year without washing? Also, does airing out work with other items, like lightly worn sweat pants or tshirts? If I could get my weekly laundry down to underwear that would be amazing! :D But I want to be sure it's feasible. Thanks. Your channel is so helpful!
I own 2 pairs of jeans, and I guess I'll typically wear a pair 3-4 times a week, but less in the summer. I have no idea how many total times I wore them that year, but it was quite a lot since the other pair of jeans I had at that time I didn't like wearing. I would occasionally air them out on the balcony in the winter and that was great. But I also don't think I included them in my summer capsule. You can definitely do this with other clothes! As long as you haven't been sweating in them most things can be worn at least twice and over-layers like cardigans, jackets, etc. can often be worn quite a few times. My big wool sweaters I'll usually only wash once maybe twice a season. I also wear a cami under some clothes which helps to keep them cleaner. It does depend on the fabric though, synthetics tend to get smelly much faster and wool for example can have anti-bacterial properties. I hope that helps? I think ultimately though it's just about trying it out and seeing how and what works best for you. :)
My Green Closet Very helpful. Thank you. One other question, after airing out, I assume one just folds the jeans and stores them as normal? I keep wondering if bunching the material together would allow bacteria a habitable environment...?
If you can I think it's better to not bunch them up- hanging them on a hanger is good. We currently have a wooden ladder where we hang the clothes that have been worn and it works really well.
Some very smart tips. I guess that's why prisoners were one of the first to wear jeans. If you hang clothing out side inside out the bad smells will go. At times it may need to be hung out side twice if smell is very heavy.
Here are a few, mostly related to the chemicals in dryer sheets: www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/11/dont-get-slimed-skip-fabric-softener life.gaiam.com/article/dryer-sheets-or-fabric-softener-which-greener household-tips.thefuntimesguide.com/2011/07/fabric-softener.php Also if you search anything about how to clean synthetic/athletic clothing it will almost always recommend avoiding fabric softeners/dryer sheets because of the residue build-up.
add salt - arguably good, but hardens the fabric and is too aggressive for soft fabric. salt can also bleach ('eats' the colour). add baking soda - yes! JEANS - I turn them inside out, BRUSH them, spray with white VINEGAR and STEAM them. job done!
"Pretty bad chemicals to have on your skin/breath" I think this needs a citation. It's very dubious that something which wasn't safety tested sufficiently would make it into such a non-critical product.
all my clothes are black and they all fade fast :c I want black clothes not grey. I live with my mom and I'm not the one who buys the soap so I don't have control over that aspect
it's good to wash our clothes not that often but not washing jeans for that much time it may bea bit extreme,jeans tendto retain bacteria [just like other clothes] and in time that can be very unpleasant for the skin. i guess
I love your video). But there's one thing about white cloths: DON'T dry white cotton in the sunshine! Sun will not brighten it, but give a yellowish tone and more worn out look. Hope it's helpful)
Did you know that clothing made from wool doesn't need to be washed AT ALL? It's because wool fibres have a bilateral structure consisting of two chemically different halves winding together and are constantly 'moving' and 'working' against each other. That way, stains and dirt just don't hold on the fibres. Even bad stains like wax (which can totally ruin a garment!) can carefully be beaten out.
Also, wool is able to sequester sweat, so it won't ever smell or just be dirty from wearing.
I have a lambwool cardigan that I've never washed in my life and it's still in perfect shape!
Thought I would share since you didn't talk about wool specifically in this video. :)
Love your channel! Keep up the great work!
and wool is temperature regulating. it keeps you warm outdoors but when you go inside where there's heating it doesn't automatically feel stuffy like a similar weight acrylic. Plus more water and wind resistant than other fibers.
De Bone i
I make my own laundry detergent using 2 parts washing soda, 2 parts borax, and 1 part grated bar castile soap.You can add essential oils if desired. It works great in cold water. I add some vinegar into the fabric softener section when I have been around lots of germs because I am a germophobe and it kills bacteria. I will also add a little bit of baking soda into my white load to help keep them white. I have heard vinegar even helps keep colour in your clothes. My clothes definitely have not lost their colour, that is for sure. Both vinegar and baking soda can absorb fragrances which is fantastic for anyone with a fragrance sensitivity. Its definitely a good idea to wash with one of the two of them when bringing home a purchase from a thrift store.
Love the no wash jeans segment. We used to do that back in the 70s when I was in high school - you just didn't want to wash your Levi's! You aired them out every week in the backyard on the clothes lines and they were good to go. I still go months without washing my jeans. I enjoy your videos. Thank you.
This video is SO helpful!! I've been worried about my clothes getting worn out faster since I have a capsule wardrobe. I wash my clothes in cold water already. All of these tips are super helpful!! Thanks for the video! :)
Thanks! That's great to hear! :D
About a year ago I use to make my own soap, but I found that investing in high quality, eco-friendly ingredients was becoming more expensive than if I were to purchase a comparable product from a reputable company. I now rotate between a seventh generation and Mrs. Meyers- Im using the Mrs. Meyers lavender laundry detergent; OMG it smells like apple sauce and lavender (which is wonderful). Next I would really like to try soap nuts and a few laundrey powders I have been eyeing on Vitacost.
I personally wait a good 3 washes before I launder an item. After every wear I inspect it for any dirt around the hems, stains, or general dinginess, and if it passes I let it air our overnight. The next morning I will steam the "hot spots" usually the armpits and the *ahem* backside of skirts, dresses or slacks to kill off any odor causing bacterial that may be lingering. It seams like a lot of effort but it really isn't because I tend to use my steamer every day to remove any mild creasing from my fabrics- I just kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
Another tip I'd have is to use a steamer instead of an iron. I LOVE my steamer and I love how I can control the amount of heat by just moving the steaming head, while killing odor causing bacteria with moist heat. I find my clothes are lasting MUCH longer with this gentler method; I will never go back to ironing clothes
Great tips! Especially about the steamer! I used to have a small travel one but it was pretty cheap and not very good, I'm thinking about getting a better one. What brand of steamer do you have?
+My Green Closet i have a shark. i love it because it was comparably inexpensive, the water holding chamber is large, and it has a colapsable garment rod that holds both the hanger and the steamer head. when i colapse it it takes up about a whopping cubic foot/ft &1/2 of my precious space.i love it
So glad I read the project 333 blog, so that I always find these "hidden" videos :)
The jeans experiement is very interesting, but I don´t think that I could do it myself, because I have a little bit of a problem with coming in contact with places/things other people have touched/where they sat etc. If I sit in the bus for example, I think about all the nasty things that might have been on there before and just feel dirty afterwards. I have to get out of these "dirty" clothes as soon as I enter my house... but I will wear them a few times out before I wash them. I know the things are not really that dirty and that it´s just a mental thing, so I´m working on going even longer between washes.
Yes! I am the same way! Public pants are dirty.
I use white vinegar with a few drops of lavender oil as fabric softner and I love it. It's cheap, natural, eco-friendly and clean your washing machine (very important as I share one machine with 4 other families).
For shared machines, my mom told me to always set my first machine on hot (60C) to disinfect the machine (as you never know what the person before you washed... :/ ) and do the rest of the laundry on cold.
Great video! I have made my own soap before, but found that I had to have large quantities of all of the ingredients, and would always end up short of something. I used baking soda, soap flakes and borax. My sister in law, in France, grates her own soap for laundry detergent, but it is time consuming. I use white vinegar all the time as a softener, in the softener cup. I add a few drops of tea tree for stinky kids clothes. Yes salt works, if it is the raw rock salt, not iodized kitchen salt. I buy a new-to-my-stores, enzyme detergent called Persil, but find that I only need 1/2 or less, of the recommended amount. Even with all of those suggestions or precautions, I have found this summer that my 10 item wardrobe is looking a bit shabby. Most of the clothes I will continue to wear through the fall, and maybe as underneath layers in the winter, except for shorts etc, but I expect I will have to reinvest in about half of the items next summer. Which all in all probably only means buying 5 or 6 new items, so I'm not too upset about that. I would like to try to invest in some better quality pieces, but am still worried that with all the wear my clothes get that I will end up with the same problem. I am hoping to try some stronger fibers like hemp, linen or wool. What fibers do you recommend for strongest/longest wear? Thanks
I like using soap nuts instead of detergent. You can get them in your whole food store. They clean clothes perfectly and fabric feels really soft. Since the soap nuts don't smell like detergent and i like my clothes to smell nicely, i add a few drops of organic aromatic oil. The soap nuts are biodegradable and i can really recommend them. x
Thanks! They sound really interesting, I'll have to try them.
I make my own laundry detergent and I love it. I tried a million recipes that I read online, and I think most of them were posted by people who don't actually use it at all, because most of the liquid soaps turn solid once fully cooled or don't have any kind of preservative. My solution was to melt a basic natural soap in water and add rubbing alcohol. The rubbing alcohol both preserves and keeps the soap from either turning into a hard lump or separating out into chunks. I also use washing soda or a version of Oxy Clean instead of baking soda, Baking soda is far more abrasive on your clothing and will wear them out faster. Washing soda is basically baking soda that has been heated to a certain temperature. I even figured out a way to scent my clothes with essential oils!
Thanks so much for the tips and info, I'll definitely try that! :) Also great point about baking soda being abrasive.
So infomrative! I definitely need to start caring for my clothes properly. I've never used softeners or dryer sheets either and can attest that adding white vinegar does help soften the clothes. :)
Samantha Lindsey what is white vineger ? Wine vineger or something else ?
I love Soapnuts for washing my clothes. works great and they can be composted after so are much more environmentally friendly
I really want to try them!
+My Green Closet +1 vote for soapnuts! I've been using them for years now and they're fantastic. You can also use them to make a washing detergent for cleaning dishes :}
I make laundry soap with Dr.Bronner's castile liquid soap (3/4 cup) and baking soda (1/2 cup) I dilute the baking soda into warm water (like 2 cups) and then pour it into a 1 gallon glass bottle, then fill the bottle with water leaving enough space for the soap, that's it. For softening I use white vinegar and few drops of essential oil.
Paola Muciño this sounds like a great recipe! I was thinking about trying my dr bronners soap but was unsure because of the oil content. But with the baking soda and water, I think it’ll be perfect 👌
Making Laundry Soap is easy! I use a grated bar of zotes or fells Naptha bar to 1 cup of washing soda and borax. To make the soap easier to grate, cut them in chunks and microwave for several minutes (they will puff up and look like foam-ish). Grate them finely (it dissolves better) we use a hand held cheese grater. When you go to wash use about 1/2 a teaspoon a load.
When we dry our clothes we use wool dryer balls. We scent them with natural oils. Dryer balls helps dry our clothes faster - I haven't notice the clothes being 'softer'.
Thanks for the info! I'm excited to try some DIY detergents :)
I use Nelly's Washing Soda. It is bio-degradable, fragrance free, sls free and septic safe. It is readily available in Canada. I also use white vinegar as our "softener" from time to time. Our clothes are always fresh, clean and I find that they look fresher longer!
I used it all the time when we lived in Canada! It's the best!
Unfortunately I don't think it's available in Germany though :( I'll have to bring some back when we go for a visit!
i don't know if you can find the type of washer we have here in southeast asia, but it comes with a laundry drum & centrifuge for spinning water out of clothes. since everything is 'manual', you can bail your grey water to use for other cleaning.
thank you for this video - so helpful! my hubby is into higher end denim and i did some research to buy him a couple of pieces as gifts... i was surprised by the subculture and language around washing and wearing jeans! it's like a whole other world. :)
I was really surprised by it too! It's pretty amazing some of the things people do like ocean-washing their jeans. I find it really interesting to look at super worn in jeans and the unique wear patterns.
also, concerning the jeans - no need to wash them unless you regularly go commando. if you are not wearing anything between your body and your jeans the naural bacteria can eat away at your denim over time. I found about once per month or so works for me and my partner :)
Now I'm curious about the no - wash jean experiment. I've heared about it before but never got around to looking further into it, so thanks for bringing it up! :) Also, I've made the same experience with my jeans not reeking of smoke anymore after having them hung on a drying rack on the balcony for two days.
If you want to get smells (such as smoke or restaurant odour) out of woolen clothes, just hang them in the bathroom when you take a hot shower or bath - the water that is evaporating through the wool takes the odour off. I am using baking soda for whites regularly and it works well and also helps when the machine gets smelly after a while (I also use it for toilet, carpet and kitchen cleaning).
Really great tip! I also like to hang items in the bathroom when showering to help get rid of small wrinkles.
if you use wool balls in ur dryer, you can diy the wool balls, and you can use a couple drops of ur fav essential oils.... wool balls work better than fabric softer but more importantly they cut ur drying time down! hope that helps you.
How do you like these? I ordered some, should be delivered today! I'm excited about the idea and haven't used dryer sheets regularly for quite some time because of the chemicals.
+Clearing Clutter for Clarity I love mine!
Jennifer Logan-Lorenz Great! I'm excited to try mine...they were just delivered. :)
Cedar for storage: I've recently heard (from a master wood-worker, who has a degree in microbiology) that cedar only got its reputation for helping against clothing bugs from how well it ages, how little it warps, and how well it can be used make tightly-sealed boxes or trunks (that are still much better than storing clothes in plastic!) that can continue to keep out bugs for ages, and that its presence in unsealed containers or closets doesn't actually help any.
I am also dubious about lavender, which is often used in sachets (from the French, literally: small bags) to add a nice smell to underwear drawers. I do know that the freshness/pungency of its smell can be used to determine, somewhat, either how well a box or drawer has been sealed (retaining its lavender scent) or how recently the clothes in it (or, at least, the lavender in it) has been refreshed (or if it's been sitting, untouched, for years). Similarly, I'd be curious about the possibilities of citrus-peel (or possibly even just zest, or even essential oils) to prevent "closet wear" and other deterioration of clothes during storage.
I'd be delighted to hear any further info on this subject: cedar, lavender, and other possible clothing-eating-vermin deterrents!
I use Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Soap - according to the directions on the bottle ... for all of my clothing. Try Almond. It does not leave a perfume-ish smell on the clothes.
The directions (on the bottle) for laundry suggest adding Baking Soda to the Rinse cycle since Castile soap can linger on the fabric. Occasionally, when I did that, I would end up with some white streaks on my clothes. So I add the baking soda with the liquid Castile soap in the beginning. it works well for me.
- On the occasion that my clothes might look better from a dose of non-chlorine bleach, I simply add about 1/4 cup of Borax instead of the baking soda.
- I wash all of my non-delicate clothing in one wash, cold water, delicate cycle. Gentle dry on all except semi-delicates like some blouses and things that I want to be careful not to shrink.
- The second load is underwear and delicates like more expensive blouses. If it's not convenient for me to hand-wash them in a sink with cold water and a little bit of Dr. Bronner's, I do them on hand-wash cycle in the machine.
- I hang all underwear, delicates, and things that I don't put in the dryer. Each one goes on a hanger until dry.
=> My clothing does last a lot longer.
Not overfilling your washer is a big one! And it seems the manufacturers' recommendations encourage it. I tend to check for room to assess water level.
I also leave things for an extended soak to ensure all the crud gets loosened before agitation, especially since I started running everything on delicate.
I've gotten my laundry to one load a week. I alternate two pairs of jeans, and 3 shirts throughout the week, and by then end of that everything's been with at least twice and definitely needs to be washed. I'm not sure I could even get the no-wash jeans thing to work.... my jeans smell Funky by the end of the week and I end up having to wash them to get them back to shape so they fit right again anyway. I alternate what pair of jeans I wear to they wear evenly though, like rotating the tires on your car. :)
I also keep cutting down what goes in the dryer. At this point it's only things I need to reshrink. If there's a way to do that with hang drying I'd love to know about it because I hate abusing my fibers!
Update for honesty's sake... After watching this I now am only drying my towels and bedding I don't have room too hang dry. Stiff towels are the absolute worst. But 20 min of air tumbling ever couple weeks is much better than a full hour with heat every week. And I've indeed had no issues with my jeans fitting oddly. :)
@@syddlinden8966 After your towels get dry on the line, just put them in the dryer for 5 minutes. See if that makes them soft.
I love getting new jeans. But I always wash them after like 2 wears. I had no idea you could not wash them for a year! My mom would kill me but I'd like to give it a try. Thanks! :)
I have a half gallon jar of vinegar that I put citrus rinds in that I use through the day to have a rotating version of bleach/fabric softener. It is infused very quickly.
I'd recommend you Bea Johnson's "Zero waste" for all things DIY and living more eco-friendly :) lovely video! so many useful tips! Agree on washing less often, I rarely wash my jeans and try to wear t-shirts twice before washing. Can't recommend putting Jeans in the freezer enough! I had to stop this due to my flatmate being grossed out by it but would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have those issues :) it removes the smell, shrinks them a bit (they sit like they have been washed) and they look fab! thank you so much for uploading this, was excitingly awaiting it :)
Thanks so much!! I've been meaning to read her Zero Waste Home book :)
A hint for achieving beautiful soft fluffy towels without using fabric softener that my mum taught me... Air dry your towels first. Usually after air drying they get that kind of slight "cardboardy" feel to them which is awful to rub against your skin! Before folding and putting them away, put them in a hot dryer for 5 minutes only (10 max). Soft as a fluffy teddy bear every time!
I have an old wash machine and no budget for a new one yet, so theres occasionally some weird smells. I have been using baking soda with most loads especially towels. It really helps keep the items fresher longer. So excited for your fall capsule video. I am starting to put mine together and assessing how my summer one went. I only wore about 15 of my 30+ pieces. That's amazing! I am definitely going to stick with capsule wardrobes for the rest of my life. Thanks for the inspiration and great videos!
That's really amazing that you only actually wore half your capsule! Happy to hear you enjoyed the experience :)
Try vinegar. 1/2 a cup during the final rinse. It is a natural deodorizer and fabric softener. It should help the smell. You should also wash your machine. Research it, there are some easy diy methods.
Hand wash definitely keeps your clothes for a really long time my mom doesnt like washing going out clothes in a washing machine. This makes clothes stay for a very long time even if it's not a good quality clothes.
My jeans always smell like vag after I wear them.... I have to wash them every time. No idea how you do this.
Put a lining pad inside your pants :)
I would totally recommend using some kind of softener, it is actually good for the fibers of your clothes, since it's like a lubricant that prevents them to tear or rip. If you're allergic to life, like me, you can use a low perfume softener. Usually the chemicals in softeners are biodegradable so as long as you use the recommended amount (or less!) it shouldn't build up. Good luck! :)
Do you have more info about that? Everything I've read about commercial fabric softeners is pretty negative.
Sure, it is known that some quaternary ammonium salts popular in the past can cause dermatitis or skin irritation in general, but it is precisely because of this that people look up for alternatives. Monoesterquats and triesterquats are good alternatives since they're readily biodegradable. Also, keep in mind that you're not using the pure substance directlty on your skin, eyes or inside your body in any form, because fabric softeners are aprox. 80% water, and you only use like half a cup with every laundry so the actual concentration you're exposed to is very small.
You can check this (please don't be afraid of long chemistry names, the more we know and understand, the more we're prepared to take care of ourselves, long names do not necessarily mean harmful):
www.google.com/patents/WO2014092692A1?cl=en
hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=16030592
whatsinproducts.com/brands/show_msds/1/8241
hope it helps! :)
Thanks for the links! Although I must admit they're pretty overwhelming to read through. I'm curious if you have any research or studies about it improving the long-term wear of clothing?
It just seems to me like it's not worth adding extra chemicals to my clothes (and the environment), especially given the potential negative side effects like discolouration/stains, irritation, reducing moisture absorption/wicking properties, and it just generally seems to be best to avoid synthetic fragrances. Also maybe I'm wrong, but aren't a lot of the ingredients derived from petrochemicals?
I'm interested to learn more about this though because everything I've read and been taught so far it that fabric softener is unnecessary and can be bad for your clothes, you, and the environment.
+My Green Closet oh god I'm so sorry, I thought I had already responded!! :( it's a very interesting topic for me as well!! you mentioned important points, such as petrochemical materials (you can see in the first link that some quats prices depend on oil prices, I think in [00004]), but there are also cleaner, greener chemical pathways to get the substances (look for Haber-Bosch reaction :) it's the first green industrial reaction, I love it ha ha ), so we as consumers should demand for those kind of industrial processes.
Ughhh should I make a video? :@ there is so much to talk of :) I'll share more info tomorrow about the lubricant and safety aspects :)
What exactly do you mean with cold water? 30°celcius? I handwash a lot of my clothes, even if the tag says I can wash it in the machine. Drying the clothes flat on a towel is a really good tip!
I wear things like jeans and cardigans multiple times before I wash them, but I find my jeans start to stretch out after a few wears and I need to wash them to get them to fit more snugly again so they aren't falling down all the time.
I had a lot of jeans that stretched out all the time too. :(
If the fabric is thinner it stretches out more easily and is hard to avoid, I used to wash my jeans in hotter water to 'shrink' them which I learned is not good especially with tight jeans as there is likely elastic/spandex mixed in and the heat damages the fibres actually making it stretch out faster. Also when I bought this pair of jeans, I knew I didn't want to wash them for a while so I purposely bought them slightly too tight in the waist so that when they stretched out a little they would be comfortable, and that worked out really well.
Great tips Verena! I've been using Dr. Bronner's all-natural, fair trade, vegan liquid peppermint soap and it works great for my clothes. I recently cleaned my washing machine (after 3 years!) by running it on the highest temperature cycle with just some baking soda and a few drops of tea tree oil in the drum. There were still a ton of soap suds in there from previous washes! I avoided doing this in the past to save electricity and water, but now I think once or twice a year is probably good for the machine and the clothes as well. How often do you clean yours?
By the way, still waiting for you to visit Frankfurt! Any plans to visit soon? I went to that eco store you recommended - Organicc -yesterday and loved it - the selection is well-curated (at least to my personal taste!) and I found some pieces which I will probably wear a ton. Got yoga pants from Mandala (sooooo comfy!!!) and Armed Angels tops. Couldn't afford to buy every single piece I wanted, though! Looking forward to your thrifting tips :)
I've never tried using Dr. Bronner's in the washing machine! Good idea :)
I think cleaning the machine 1-2 times a year works well for regular laundry, I used to clean ours more but we also shared it with 2 guys who worked in construction and always had really dirty and sandy clothes.
Unfortunately I don't have plans to visit Frankfurt, but I hope to soon! Really great to hear that you liked Organicc and that you found some clothes there!!
soap nuts are the best!
Great video with loads of excellent tips - thanks! I use 100g savon de Marseille melted into 1 litre of water. It works a treat!
(For homemade detergent)
Veggie Magnifique i
This was very helpful! I always leave your channel feeling inspired. This was added to my favorites.
Thank you so much Patricia!!
Hi! I use softener but I just switched from generic ones to a mineral powder, which works mechanically instead of leaving residues on the fabric. For anyone interested, it's an Italian product by eco-brand Tea Natura - Folia also makes one. I don't know if this kind of thing can be found abroad.
Thanks for this video. It's info-packed!
What are the best, non toxic, hangers for mt natural fiber clothes?
I can't go very long without washing jeans. They stretch out after a few times wearing them and I have to wash them to bring the shape back.
The quality of the product is important.
Thank you for this great video! I was worrying that I would have to throw out my black jeans that I wear all the time, but will now re-dye them. Is there a brand of fabric dye that you recommend? Perhaps something that is more green than a typical one that would be sold at a craft store. Thanks. I am going to try the no-wash experiment as well.
Thank you! I'll take some before and after photos.
Thanks for the great video and advice, as always! I look forward to your fall wardrobe :)
Vinager is a good softer but leaves smell, even when drying in the sun.
Thanks for this video. Very helpful tips!
Thank you for this video! Love to see that you realy love your clothes and you are taking so good care off them;)
+maiiamiii hi, you should try rotating them so you where one pair less often
I find making liquid laundry soap better for cold water washing: 6 cups warm water in a saucepan over medium heat, grate in 1/4 bar fels naptha and add 1/4 cup each borax and washing soda. Pour into a 2 1/2 gallon container and add 1 gallon plus 10 cups of water and stir. Let sit overnight. Use 1-2 T per load.
Thanks for sharing your recipe! :)
What kind of jeans are those? They held up really well. I usually have issue with jeans loosening up too much after lots of use.
I have a question about jean wears, I have a Levi's dark washed slim pair of jeans since about 2 years and at the level of the knees, the colour faded quite a bit and becomes whiter and whiter just at these areas. So do you have a natural way to giving it back it's original colour? Livi's are supposed to be super long lasting good quality enven if it is not the most sustainable production so I am surprised with this discoloration thing.
All cotton will fade over time, especially the more it's washed (and the hotter the water) and in areas where there is rubbing/more pressure like knees. It's fairly easy to re-dye clothing though! You can buy fabric dye in most sewing or craft shops. The only natural option is natural indigo but it takes some practice and training to use, I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner dyer.
@@MyGreenCloset Thank you for your answer, it's super helpful! I will go check it out and try te dye it. Endeed, I never dyed anything so i will take it one step at the time. Tank you for the advice :)
How many times a week/year do you suppose you wore these jeans? Are they a heavy, not much stretch, Jean? Still looking for the elusive jeans that don't look gnarly after 3 weeks with no wash.
Hm it's kinda hard to say, I probably wore them 2-4 times a week in the fall/winter, a bit less in the spring and then they weren't in my summer capsule. They're on the heavier side which I think is what makes the big difference with the knees not stretching out so much. They also aren't super skinny which helps.
If you want a pair of jeans that you don't want to wash I'd recommend looking for 'raw' or 'dry' denim- those jeans are designed with the intention of being worn for months/years before washing.
it's naked and famous jeans, are you canadian?
by the way where do you buy cedar and lavender? i need some in my wardrobe.
Where did you get the jeans from?
They're the stretch selvage from Naked & Famous Denim
Did you buy the women collection or the mens?
I use dryer sheets to get rid of the static cling. What else can be used for that?
Wool dryer balls can help, not over-drying your clothes or air drying your clothes, and keeping synthetics and natural fibres separate.
What are the brand of jeans you demonstrated in this video?
great video, very informative , thank you!
I'm unbelievably messy. What do you do when you get a spot of food or mud on your jeans. Do you spot wash or are you just that neat? :)
I'll spot wash. I also change into something I don't care about as much if I'm doing something that's likely to get messy.
use soap nuts as detergent ❤
Erin, Greetings, I would like to see you do a book review, perhaps, "Overdressed." Many thanks!
I talk about Overdressed in this video ua-cam.com/video/ihKA7nUzQI8/v-deo.html :)
Melissa Alexandria recommended you and I must say I have subscribed :)
Thank you! Welcome to my channel :)
I do almost all of this already, but I have some questions about not washing your jeans. I live in my jeans but have recently gotten a couple more pairs so I can rotate them out throughout the week and let them air out between times.
How many pairs of jeans do you own and how many days a week do you wear your jeans? Like, are you wearing them every-other day? Every two to three days? About how many times would you estimate you'd worn them in that year without washing?
Also, does airing out work with other items, like lightly worn sweat pants or tshirts? If I could get my weekly laundry down to underwear that would be amazing! :D But I want to be sure it's feasible.
Thanks. Your channel is so helpful!
I own 2 pairs of jeans, and I guess I'll typically wear a pair 3-4 times a week, but less in the summer. I have no idea how many total times I wore them that year, but it was quite a lot since the other pair of jeans I had at that time I didn't like wearing. I would occasionally air them out on the balcony in the winter and that was great. But I also don't think I included them in my summer capsule.
You can definitely do this with other clothes! As long as you haven't been sweating in them most things can be worn at least twice and over-layers like cardigans, jackets, etc. can often be worn quite a few times. My big wool sweaters I'll usually only wash once maybe twice a season. I also wear a cami under some clothes which helps to keep them cleaner. It does depend on the fabric though, synthetics tend to get smelly much faster and wool for example can have anti-bacterial properties.
I hope that helps? I think ultimately though it's just about trying it out and seeing how and what works best for you. :)
My Green Closet Very helpful. Thank you.
One other question, after airing out, I assume one just folds the jeans and stores them as normal? I keep wondering if bunching the material together would allow bacteria a habitable environment...?
If you can I think it's better to not bunch them up- hanging them on a hanger is good. We currently have a wooden ladder where we hang the clothes that have been worn and it works really well.
Some very smart tips.
I guess that's why prisoners were one of the first to wear jeans.
If you hang clothing out side inside out the bad smells will go. At times it may need to be hung out side twice if smell is very heavy.
Great information!
Do you happen to have a cite for the info about dryer sheets? I think they're gross but haven't been able to convince the other half :(
Here are a few, mostly related to the chemicals in dryer sheets:
www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2011/11/dont-get-slimed-skip-fabric-softener
life.gaiam.com/article/dryer-sheets-or-fabric-softener-which-greener
household-tips.thefuntimesguide.com/2011/07/fabric-softener.php
Also if you search anything about how to clean synthetic/athletic clothing it will almost always recommend avoiding fabric softeners/dryer sheets because of the residue build-up.
Great ideas!
add salt - arguably good, but hardens the fabric and is too aggressive for soft fabric. salt can also bleach ('eats' the colour). add baking soda - yes!
JEANS - I turn them inside out, BRUSH them, spray with white VINEGAR and STEAM them. job done!
great info
Naked and Famous jeans, nice choice
"Pretty bad chemicals to have on your skin/breath" I think this needs a citation. It's very dubious that something which wasn't safety tested sufficiently would make it into such a non-critical product.
all my clothes are black and they all fade fast :c I want black clothes not grey. I live with my mom and I'm not the one who buys the soap so I don't have control over that aspect
it's good to wash our clothes not that often but not washing jeans for that much time it may bea bit extreme,jeans tendto retain bacteria [just like other clothes] and in time that can be very unpleasant for the skin. i guess
It seemed ok... I didn't experience any issues. I know some people put their jeans in the freezer though to kill bacteria.
i'll try it
How do you dry your jeans?
Always air dry, a dryer really damages any spandex/elastane
borax is a good water softener that should be safe for most, if not all, clothes
You should put clothes in freezer
I love your video). But there's one thing about white cloths: DON'T dry white cotton in the sunshine! Sun will not brighten it, but give a yellowish tone and more worn out look. Hope it's helpful)
tip..half cup baking soda and a capfull of fab softener..detergent DAMAGE THE CRAP OUT OF JEANS especially...