Washing with laundry strips is increasingly popular and our followers and readers are also very fond of it. No more lugging around heavy bottles and less plastic waste, that sounds good right? But what's the best way to use them? We share two smart tips that will help you get the most out of those handy laundry strips!
Sustainable trend: washing your clothes with laundry strips
Laundry strips, also known as detergent wipes, are the latest trend in laundry detergent land. We previously wrote extensively about wax strips. These handy, scented sheets contain just enough detergent for one load of laundry. They promise a brilliantly clean wash and leave less soap residue in your machine. Plus, they come in small cardboard boxes, eliminating the need for large plastic bottles. An added advantage: laundry strips are super light and take up less space during transport, making them less of a burden on the environment. And let's face it: no one is going to miss lugging around detergent bottles, which also often consist of at least 90% of water, right? Those laundry strips sound great, but how do you really get the most out of your laundry strips?
Here's how to make the most of your wax strips
How hard can it be: you grab a laundry strip and put it in the drum. True, this definitely works. But as experienced laundry strip users, we have a few more sophisticated tricks to get more out of that more durable wash of yours. For instance, you can tear most wax strips in half by following the serrated edge, and otherwise just cut it with scissors. Because half a sheet is often more than enough to get an ordinary wash that isn't too dirty clean. You'll use less and your stock of wipes will last twice as long. Also nice for your wallet, because those strips are not necessarily the cheapest option, but by cutting them in half they do compete again in the budgetranking.
Laundry strip shopping tips
Laundry strips come in all kinds of bigger and smaller brands. Well-known wax strips with an eco-friendly mission are: Brauzz, Yokuu, The Good Brand, Eco-Max, OceanSaver, True Earth, HappySoaps, Zense, British and Cosmeau.
Where do you put your laundry strip?
Another handy tip we received from wax strip manufacturer YOKUU got: put your laundry strip in the soap dish of your washing machine instead of directly in the drum. Although they are designed to dissolve easily, with a full drum or fluffy clothes, this can sometimes go wrong. By placing the strip in the soap dish, you can be sure that the water will fully dissolve it before it enters the drum. This will prevent residues and keep your clothes fresh and clean. So to sum up: laundry strips are definitely handy and fit well into a greener lifestyle, but also remember: no matter how diligently you use them, the biggest gains come from washing less often, washing colder and using your eco programme. You can read more about sustainable washing in this article! Good luck with laundry, it remains an irritating household chore until everything is nice and clean in your closet again.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
