This summer, laundry has been a hot topic for our store. Seems like discontinuing the sheets and pods has been very interesting to people, so we want to go over the FAQs that we answer every day!
Q1. Do you sell those cute little laundry sheets?
A1: No, the PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) that holds them together is the same plastic that surrounds pods. Studies are showing that while biodegradable, it doesn't actually biodegrade. Kinda like plastic is recyclable but less than 5% of it gets recycled.
Q2: So what do you have?
A2: Ohhh so much. We have a compressed tablet (think pod, but no plastic), 5 loose powders, 5 liquid detergents, and 4 stain fighters. Whatever floats your boat, we have choices.
Q3: Do you have unscented?
Q3: Yes, we have an unscented option for every product.
Q4: "If you don't carry sheets, people will be forced to go buy Tide or some other terrible product at Target."
A4: Interesting, but we disagree. See A2, above. We have LOTS of alternatives for Tide, all of which are safer for your skin and the environment.
Q5: Are any of them greywater safe?
A5: Yes, choose Puretergent. It's also EcoLogo certified.
Q6: You say plastic free but aren't these large containers all plastic?
A6: We have been busted. BUT - it's all closed loop. That means that we work with these vendors to get the containers back to them and keep refilling at all levels. We would only try to recycle them if they are cracked, broken, or otherwise unusable. Closed Loop eliminates the plastic that exists in products before you even see it on the shelf!
Q7: Do you have Oxy Clean?
A7: Yes, 2 brands of it. And one of washing soda, which will get alllllll of the smells out of the laundry, even if you forget about it while it's wet in the washing machine and need to rewash.
Q8: What is washing soda?
A8: Washing soda (a more abrasive cleaning agent) should not be confused with baking soda (a less abrasive cleaning agent), although the two compounds are closely related since they both contain the mineral trona.1 Washing soda and baking soda can be used together in DIY detergent recipes to remove stains, but washing soda has more of a stripping action to remove residues of oils, minerals, and fabric softeners.2 The sodium carbonate in washing soda "softens" water to help other cleaning ingredients lift soil from the fabrics and suspend the soil in the wash water. The washing soda binds to the minerals which make water hard and allows the detergent to be absorbed into fibers to properly clean the clothes.
Q9: What is this Guppyfriend bag?
A9: This is a bag designed for washing synthetic materials to capture the microfibers shedding off so they can be disposed of in landfill and not in our waterways. Zip your synthetics in, wash, and then clean out.
Q10: Dryer balls?
A10: Yep, they replace dryer sheets in a much cuter way! Solve static, soften clothes, reduce drying time, and scent with essential oils to your liking. When they wear out, BRING THEM BACK! We'll make sure the wool gets reused. (Yes, for real!)
So that's our Top 10 FAQ for zero waste laundry. Grab a bottle and come on in to give this a try!