Why Laundry Detergent Sheets Are the Best Choice for a Zero Waste Laundry Routine

Why Is Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Important

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900 million plastic jugs of laundry detergent are thrown away each year (just in the United States)!

Most of these jugs are made from HDPE plastic (High Density Polyethylene), a type of plastic that can be easily continuously recycled. Yet only 30% of those 900 million jugs actually end up as new products.

The rest end up:

• In landfills where they’ll remain for hundreds of years
• In an incinerator that creates toxic emissions
• Or in the ocean where it gets eaten or breaks down into smaller microplastic pieces that will also get eaten.

With our zero waste laundry detergent sheets you can forget wishcycling or worrying where your laundry containers will end up.

Choose Zero Waste Laundry Detergent For Your Health

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Conventional laundry detergents are full of stuff (obviously). But not the good stuff.

In a study done by the University of Washington around 6 of the top selling laundry products and air fresheners found that each product contained at least one chemical federally defined as hazardous or toxic. None of those chemicals were listed on the product labels.

Some of the almost 100 volatile chemicals found included:

• Acetone
• Limonene
• Acetaldehyde
• Chloromethane
• 1,4 Dioxide

Not only do we end up breathing these chemicals and letting them come into contact with our skin, ultimately they’ll also end up in our waterways.

Choose Zero Waste Laundry Detergent For The Planet

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When your detergent (and all wastewater) is done doing its thing, it dips out through the pipes and goes into the sewage systems where it meets more wastewater from other homes and businesses.

Together it heads to a wastewater treatment facility where it goes through two levels of treatment before being dispersed back into the environment in lakes, rivers, streams, etc.

But despite those two levels of treatment, chemical compounds, toxic substances, and even microplastics are becoming increasingly difficult to treat.

This creates excess harm to the environment such as:

• Fish and marine life suffocate due to depleted oxygen.
• Excessive nutrients lead to high plant growth which alters the habitat and kills organisms.
• Some chemicals are straight up toxic to animals.
• Pathogens can pollute entire bodies of water making beaches unusable, water undrinkable, and fish uneatable.

While new types of purification and treatment are constantly evolving, we can help this process along by choosing products that don't leave behind particles that are difficult to treat.

What Are Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Sheets

Zero Waste Laundry Detergent sheets simplify any laundry routine!

Laundry sheets are dehydrated, concentrated sheets that replace liquid, powdered, and pod detergents. And while they can’t load the washer for you yet, they can prevent the overuse of detergent, help you use less plastic, and save you precious time!

ZWS Essentials Laundry Sheets are just as effective as leading eco-friendly detergents thanks to the plant-based cleaning power of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (a plant-derived cleaning agent).

Because the sheets don’t use water, there is no need for added preservatives. This allows the sheets to contain only the essential ingredients which are gentler for humans and the planet.

Our sheets are vegan, cruelty-free, and 100% plant based. They’re also free from palm oil, parabens, phthalates, phosphates, and synthetic fragrances.

With each box weighing only 4 oz (125g) they’re lightweight, easy to store, completely zero waste and using one sheet per load means you’ll always use the correct amount of detergent for your load size!

PVOH/PVA

An important note about PVA, (Polyvinyl Alcohol) a water-soluble synthetic polymer. Without PVA detergent pods and sheets wouldn’t be possible, but it is a complicated and controversial topic as technically it is a type of plastic.

PVA is FDA approved for cleaning products, food packaging, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

• It is safe for typical daily exposure.
• It can be completely broken down by water treatment facilities.
• It is used in food packaging and as capsules for dietary supplements.

So while it is technically a plastic, it is biodegradable, dissolvable, and one of the best options we have available to us now!

Why Make The Switch To Zero Waste Laundry Detergent Sheets

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Easy to store? Check

Easy to use? Check

Never mismeasure again? Check

Dissolvable in cold or hot water? Check

Usable on light, heavy, or soiled loads? Check

Safe for sensitive skin and hypoallergenic? Check

But wait, there’s more!

Because sheets are essentially dehydrated concentrates, they don’t require water during the production process. Eliminating water eliminates the need for added chemicals and preservatives.

Because of their small size and weight it takes considerably less energy and fuel to pack and transport laundry sheets vs a large jug of liquid detergent.

By switching to zero waste laundry sheets not only are you simplifying your laundry routine, you’re using gentler ingredients, preventing plastic from ending up in the landfill, and reducing energy!

How to Create a Zero Waste Laundry Routine

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Before you add ZWS Essentials Laundry Detergent Sheets to your cart, here are some other tips to keep in mind to create a more environmentally friendly laundry routine.

Wash Only When Needed

Many of us simply wash our clothes too much. If you didn’t get sweaty or dirty you don’t need to wash it after each wear.

Pretreat Tough Stains

Use a zero waste stain stick to pretreat stains, help tough odors, and prevent the need for multiple washes

Use Cold Water

It takes a lot of energy to heat up the water to wash your clothes. Our sheets were formulated for cold or hot water — by switching to cold water you can save a ton of energy!

Prevent Microfiber Fabric Shedding

Your clothes shed fibers in the wash. Natural fibers will degrade but synthetic fibers will live on and are difficult to filter out. Use a Cora Ball or a Guppyfriend Washing Bag to help catch these fibers and prevent pollution.

Skip the Dryer

The dryer uses a lot of energy and it’s really harsh on clothes. By line drying you’re not only saving energy you’re extending the life of your clothes!

OR Ditch the Dryer Sheets

If you can’t live without your dryer, at least skip the dryer sheets which contain harmful chemicals. Use Wool Dryer Balls instead. Not only do they help keep your clothes soft and reduce wrinkles, by helping to move the clothes around they can reduce drying time as well!

Doing laundry may always remain your least favorite chore but it doesn’t have to be difficult or bad for the planet. Making the switch to zero waste laundry detergent sheets can help simplify your routine, use gentler ingredients, and prevent plastic waste from ending up in the landfill!

Other Blogs You Might Find Helpful:

• Starting a Zero Waste Lifestyle: A Beginners Guide to Going Zero Waste
• 8 Easy Steps For A Sustainable Laundry Routine
• Why Switch to Zero Waste Laundry Detergent + 6 Brands We Love
• 7 Sustainable Clothing Brands That Complement Your Zero Waste Journey
• 5 Simple Reasons You Need to Ditch the Plastic & Switch to Shampoo Bars