A scientific study stated that washing clothes at 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) for half an hour prevent their fabric from being wasted, and the amount of harmful microscopic fibers that are released to the seas and oceans is halved in half, compared to the 85-minute wash cycle at A temperature of 40 ° C (104 ° F).
Long term environmental protection
Hundreds and thousands of microscopic fibers are deposited, which are deposited as a result of clothing tissue being broken when washing at higher temperatures and for longer periods. These microscopic fibers can stay in the sea for years, and even marine animals can swallow them.
Experts from the University of Leeds and a detergent production company have discovered the effect of different washing programs based on data from both laboratory tests and the usual steps for conventional washings.
After only 5 wash times
“We are increasingly aware of the environmental threat posed by emerging patterns,” said expert Dr. Lucy Cotton of the University of Leeds.
Dr. Cotton added, “Many consumers complain that their clothes can lose their suitability, softness, and color after less than 5 washings, which means they are likely not to be able to keep them beautiful for a long time.”
“Using shorter, cooler washers is a simple way for anyone to keep their clothes and keep them away from the landfill,” Dr. Cotton said.
Simulate conventional washing loads
Dr. Cotton, and her colleagues at the scientific research, simulated normal household washing loads by washing 8 bright-colored shirts and 12 dark-colored shirts, as well as white cloth to assess colorfastness, in traditional home-style washing machines with showers of liquid detergents.
Loads were compared after 16 individual cycles, either for 30 minutes at 25 ° C or for 85 minutes at 40 ° C, with uniformity of the average speed at 1600 pm. Then the researchers analyzed the clothes, water exhaust and microscopic fabrics of the washing machines.
Keep the colors bright
The researchers found that faster and cooler cycles reduced the color loss of the shirts, and reduced the transfer of the dye to the white pieces by 74%.
Invisible plastics
Moreover, cooler cycles released 52% less harmful microfibers in the washing machine’s wastewater, which would have been transferred to the environment.
Richard Blackburn, associate researcher and sustainable materials expert at the University of Leeds, said: “Our results can help tackle the problem of invisible plastics in the environment, where synthetic microscopic fibers are drained every time the textiles are washed and account for more than a third of the total plastics that reach Oceans. “
“There are also microscopic fibers of cotton and other natural resources in greater numbers at sea, and there are great concerns about their harmful effects as well,” Blackburn added.
“Consumers can effectively reduce the number of microscopic fibers that release their clothes by washing in faster and cooler cycles,” Blackburn said.
Electricity Bills
According to the recommendations of the energy-saving institutions, lowering the temperatures of the clothes washing cycle from 40 ° C to 20 ° C reduces energy consumption by about two thirds.
The study advises consumers to make sure to use programs with low temperatures and for shorter periods to achieve multiple benefits, including environmental protection, maintaining the quality and luster of their clothes, in addition to providing money that is spent on electricity bills and then buying new clothes in short periods instead of being subjected to wear and damage.
