What Is the Most Environmentally Friendly Way to Do Laundry?

Make cold water the default

Lifecycle assessments (LCAs) identify the in-use phase as the largest contributor to the environmental impact of laundry products, primarily because energy is required to heat wash water. Up to 90 percent of the energy in a washing machine cycle is used for water heating.

Switching from hot to cold can reduce average energy per load by up to 90 percent, while switching from warm to cold can reduce it by up to 70 percent.

Cotton et al. (2020) found that colder, quicker wash cycles caused significantly less color loss and dye transfer. When suitable for the item and cleaning need, these cycles may help extend garment use and contribute to reducing textile waste.

Avoid doing the load twice

Rewashing adds another machine cycle, more water, more energy, and another detergent dose. A lower-performing detergent may also prompt consumers to raise the temperature, add more product, or pretreat. A 2024 study demonstrated that a poor cleaning detergent led to behaviors such as rewashing, increased wash temperature, and using more product, showing that a detergent’s cleaning performance can play a role in environmental impact.

The practical goal is first-time cleaning at the lowest appropriate temperature.

Use the right amount of a concentrated product

Concentration can reduce packaging and product weight associated with a given number of loads. Concentrated liquids, powders, pods, sheets, and tiles can all offer this type of benefit.

Measure or dose according to the label, load size, and soil level. Using more detergent than needed consumes more product and may not improve the result. Using too little can also be counterproductive if it leads to poor cleaning and rewashing.

Consider ingredients, but keep the full picture in mind

Biodegradability, aquatic toxicity, persistence, and regulatory assessments are attributes to consider and can inform your detergent choice. You can also look at ingredient safety credentials such as EPA Safer Choice, which can provide a credible third-party signal. It is important to consider these factors as a part of the entire criteria that impacts lifecycle assessment. No single ingredient attribute or marketing claim alone establishes the lowest lifecycle impact.

The key takeaway: A simple lower-impact routine starts with cold

Choose cold water for appropriate loads. Use a detergent demonstrated to work in cold. Dose according to the label. Select a concentrated format when it meets your needs. Avoid unnecessary pretreatment and rewashing. Use colder, quicker cycles when suitable for the fabric and soil.