Each load of laundry can unleash up to 1.5 million tiny plastic fibers into the wastewater from your washing machine. These fibers are too small for most water treatment facilities to filter out, leading them to pollute rivers, lakes, and oceans. Scientists estimate that laundry accounts for approximately 35% of the microplastic debris found in the sea.
This reality redefines what “zero-waste” cleaning means today. While plastic detergent bottles are an apparent issue, hidden concerns like fiber shedding, “eco-friendly” plastic films, undisclosed fragrance chemicals, and unseen contaminants pose more significant challenges. Fortunately, traditional cleaning ingredients remain effective, and a few adjustments can make your cleaning routine significantly more environmentally friendly.
Cleaning Your Home
Many chemicals in commercial cleaners have not been thoroughly tested for long-term health effects. The EPA’s Safer Choice program certifies products that exclude ingredients linked to cancer, hormonal issues, or harm to wildlife. Approximately 2,000 products have this certification. Although a 2025 budget cut nearly eliminated the program, it persisted with fewer staff. Terms like “natural” and “green” on product packaging are unregulated and often meaningless, so it’s best to look for the Safer Choice label or consult the EWG Guide to Healthy Cleaning to verify product safety.
Creating your own cleaning products grants control, reduces packaging waste, and saves money. A simple kit includes baking soda for scrubbing, white vinegar for windows and mineral stains, lemon juice for cutting boards, 3% hydrogen peroxide (in a dark bottle) for stains and germs, and castile soap for general cleaning. A mixture of half vinegar, half water in a spray bottle can clean most surfaces. Reuse jars and spray bottles to minimize waste.
One important update: Older cleaning recipes often used borax as a key ingredient. However, recent studies have altered this advice. In 2010, Europe classified borax as a substance of very high concern due to its reproductive toxicity in animals, and California lists it as a reproductive toxin under Proposition 65. While not banned in the U.S., the Environmental Working Group advises against using it in homemade cleaners. Numerous borax-free alternatives are equally effective.
About killing germs: The common practice of spraying vinegar followed by hydrogen peroxide originated from a 1996 study on beef tissue, not household surfaces. Vinegar at household concentration doesn’t effectively kill many germs, including norovirus and some antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and it lacks EPA registration as a disinfectant. Vinegar suffices for routine cleaning, but in instances requiring genuine germ elimination, such as after handling raw meat or during a stomach flu outbreak, use 3% hydrogen peroxide alone or an EPA-approved disinfectant.
Avoid mixing peroxide and vinegar in the same container, and never combine bleach with vinegar or any acid, as the resultant gases are hazardous.
Laundry
The laundry room is an excellent starting point for a zero-waste lifestyle.
Microfibers. Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and fleece release tiny plastic fibers with each wash. France has enacted a law mandating built-in filters for all new washing machines, effective January 1, 2025. California passed a similar measure in 2023, but it was vetoed by the governor. Oregon, New York, and several other states are considering similar legislation. Until U.S. machines include built-in filters, consider using a microfiber-catching laundry bag like Guppyfriend, a Cora Ball, or installing an external filter from Filtrol or PlanetCare to your drain hose, which can capture up to 90% of fibers.
“Plastic-free” laundry sheets and pods. Most laundry sheets use a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA or PVOH) film that dissolves in water. The cleaning industry claims PVA completely degrades during wastewater treatment, but a 2021 study suggests about 75% of it remains unchanged and persists in the environment. While the science is disputed, the labels are clear: products containing polyvinyl alcohol, PVOH, or PVA involve synthetic plastic. Alternatives include powdered detergent in cardboard, concentrated liquid in glass, or PVA-free sheet brands.
A hidden carcinogen called 1,4-dioxane. This chemical inadvertently contaminates detergent during production. As a contaminant, not an ingredient, it is often unlisted. Independent testing has detected it in many mainstream detergents. As of September 2024, New York implemented regulations capping it at 1 part per million, and the EPA labeled it an unreasonable health risk in November 2024. To avoid it, steer clear of detergents with SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), “PEG” compounds, or “-eth-” in the name.
Skip dryer sheets. A University of Washington study found that dryer vents release over 25 volatile chemicals when using scented detergent and dryer sheets, seven of which are hazardous air pollutants. Wool dryer balls reduce drying time and static without chemicals. For scent, add a few drops of essential oil to a damp washcloth and toss it in.
Wash cold. Heating water accounts for about 90% of a washing machine’s energy use. Switching to cold cycles saves around 3.2 kWh per load, equivalent to running a refrigerator for 10 months over a year’s laundry. Cold water also extends garment longevity and reduces microfiber shedding. Modern detergents are formulated to clean effectively in cold water. Substitute fabric softener with half a cup of white vinegar during the rinse cycle. If purchasing a new dryer, heat-pump dryers consume 20–60% less energy than regular models.
What You Can Do Today
- Wash in cold water on shorter cycles. Saves energy, money, and reduces microfiber shedding.
- Use a microfiber-catching laundry bag, ball, or external filter.
- Skip dryer sheets and fabric softener. Use wool dryer balls and vinegar instead.
- Read ingredient lists. Avoid SLES and PEG compounds in detergent. Skip products with PVA in their dissolvable film if microplastics matter to you.
- Make your own cleaners with baking soda, vinegar, peroxide, and castile soap. Skip borax.
- Look for the EPA Safer Choice label on store-bought products.
- Never mix bleach with vinegar or any other acid.
- Support state and federal microfiber filter laws so this stops being a consumer-level problem.
Related Reading
Featured image by Monfocus from PixabayÂ
Editor’s note: Originally authored by Sarah Lozanova on May 18, 2016, this article was substantially updated in May 2026.
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