Here’s how to keep white clothing looking its best, and avoid adding to your collection of dull, lacklustre and greying whites.<\/p>\n
Dr Kilah says products using labels such as eco-friendly, earth-friendly, and plant-based can vary a lot and sometimes it’s just a way to market products.<\/p>\n
“A lot of the main ingredients [between regular and eco-detergents] are the same, but it’s often where they’re sourced from or their origin point that seems to be the deciding factor.<\/p>\n
“Many [eco-detergents] will still have gone through that synthesis process to make the actual detergent, but it will have used a plant-based origin, so either a sugar or a fat from a plant.”<\/p>\n
Caroline Beuth is the co-founder of a commercial and domestic laundry service based in Naarm\/Melbourne, and says you would expect detergents advertised as eco-friendly washes to not include harsh bleaches, synthetic fragrances or optical brighteners.<\/p>\n
“[Optical brighteners] sort of trick the eye into making colours look brighter, but they can also build up on clothes and irritate the skin.”<\/p>\n
How effective are they?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ms Beuth says, “you can’t compare them to commercial-grade detergents that aren’t labelled as eco-friendly” but they are perfectly fine for domestic household use.<\/p>\n
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Caroline Beuth is a co-founder of the Laundry Project. (Supplied: Caroline Beuth)<\/p>\n
In instances where there are heavy oils or grease, she recommends adding another product (such as an oxygen bleach) “to give that extra boost”.<\/p>\n
Based on the Sunshine Coast on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara People, Ms Toft also says her service uses eco-friendly products and “gets excellent results for everyday washing”.<\/p>\n
\u00a0“If you’ve got heavily soiled work clothes or set-in stains, you might need to adjust your approach with extra soaking,” she adds.<\/p>\n
Dr Kilah says with other laundry detergents “chemists have been able to tweak the chemistry of the mixture to maximise its effectiveness”.<\/p>\n
But with eco-friendly ones, he says “you can’t necessarily put in as many components” to help you get the best results.<\/p>\n
For example, he’s a “big fan of peroxides” which are often found in regular powdered detergents, because of their antibacterial properties, mild bleaching effect and their ability to keep your washing machine clean.<\/p>\n
Tips for the best results\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ms Beuth says when it comes to eco-friendly laundry washes, it’s even more important not to overload or overstuff the machine.<\/p>\n
“The best way to clean your clothes is to have enough agitation and water flow,” she says.<\/p>\n
“When the machine is going around and you can see your clothes get to the top and then drop, that pounding is also cleaning your clothes.”<\/p>\n
Ms Toft says, “don’t overdose on detergent\u201d and advises pre-treating stains quickly before washing.<\/p>\n
She says to “just stick with detergent” and avoid using a fabric softener, which can “coat the fibres, reducing the item’s absorbency and breathability”.<\/p>\n
Other things to consider\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr Kilah says the product itself is not the only factor that has an environmental impact.<\/p>\n
If that’s a priority, he says it’s worth considering how much product you use, how much water you use and how you dry your clothes.<\/p>\n
There’s also the packaging to consider and “so many of these products come in plastic bottles”.<\/p>\n