Laundry is one of those chores that quietly produces a lot of plastic. Think about the big jug of liquid detergent, the bottle of fabric softener, the box of dryer sheets, and the stain spray under the sink. Most of that ends up in the recycling bin at best, and a lot of it never gets recycled at all.

The good news is that laundry is also one of the easiest places to cut plastic without changing how clean your clothes get. You do not need a new machine or a complicated routine. You need three simple swaps: sheets, balls, and bars. Here is how each one works and how to make the switch stick.

Why laundry is worth a closer look

A typical household runs several loads a week, which means the products you use for laundry get replaced often. Every time you buy another jug, you buy another piece of plastic that has to go somewhere. Liquid detergent is also mostly water, so you are paying to ship heavy water around the country in plastic containers.

Swap 1: Detergent sheets instead of plastic jugs

Laundry detergent sheets are thin, pre-measured strips of concentrated detergent. You toss one in the drum with your clothes, and it dissolves completely in the wash. They come in a small paper box instead of a plastic jug, they weigh almost nothing, and there is no measuring cap to get sticky.

A few tips for getting the best results:

• Use one sheet for a normal load. Tear a sheet in half for small loads and use two for very large or very dirty loads.
• Put the sheet in the drum, not the dispenser. Drop it in first, then add clothes on top so it dissolves evenly.
• They work in cold water. Washing cold saves energy and is gentler on your clothes, so it is a good habit to pair with sheets.

If anyone in your home has sensitive skin, look for a detergent without sodium lauryl sulfate. Our SLS-free laundry detergent sheets are made for exactly that, and they are a gentle choice for baby clothes and bedding too. If you prefer a powder, an enzyme detergent powder is another plastic-free option that is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

Sheets are also the best laundry option for trips. A few sheets in a small envelope take up no room in a suitcase and never leak, which makes them a natural fit with the rest of our eco-friendly travel gear.

Swap 2: Wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets

Dryer sheets are single-use by design. You use one, it collects lint, and it goes in the trash. Many of them are also coated in fragrance and softening chemicals that build up on towels and make them less absorbent over time.

Wool dryer balls do the same job and last for years. You toss three to six of them into the dryer with a load. They tumble between your clothes, which keeps fabric separated so warm air moves through it faster. That means softer clothes, fewer wrinkles, and shorter drying times, which saves energy on every load.

Here is how to get the most from them:

• Use more balls for bigger loads. Three is fine for a small load. Six works better for towels and bedding.
• Add scent naturally if you want it. A couple of drops of essential oil on one ball gives a light scent. Let it soak in for a few minutes before you start the dryer.
• Fight static by not over-drying. Most static comes from leaving synthetic fabrics in too long. Pull clothes out while they are just dry.

Our wool dryer balls 6 pack is an easy starting point, and the jumbo New Zealand wool dryer balls are a great pick for big family loads. If you miss that fresh scent from dryer sheets, dryer sachets with organic lavender add a soft, natural fragrance without the chemical coating.

Swap 3: Bars and soap for stains and hand washing

The stain spray bottle is the last piece of plastic in most laundry rooms. A solid laundry soap bar replaces it. Wet the stain, rub the bar directly on it, work it in with your fingers or an old toothbrush, and let it sit for a few minutes before washing. It works especially well on collars, cuffs, and food spills.

A bar is also perfect for hand washing delicates in the sink. One bar lasts a long time and needs no packaging beyond a paper wrap. Our all natural laundry soap is a simple place to start.

Making the switch without waste

You do not need to throw out what you already have. The most sustainable approach is to use up your current detergent and dryer sheets first, then replace each one with a plastic-free version when it runs out. That way nothing goes to waste and the change happens naturally, one product at a time.

If you want to switch everything at once, our laundry starter kit bundles the basics together so you can set up a low-waste laundry routine in one go.

Start with one swap

If all of this feels like a lot, pick the one product you go through fastest. For most households that is detergent, so detergent sheets are the easiest first step. Once that habit sticks, add dryer balls, then a soap bar. Within a few months your laundry room can go from a shelf full of plastic jugs to a small, simple kit that lasts.

You can find sheets, dryer balls, and more in our refillable and plastic-free cleaning supplies, and pair them with reusable bags and glass containers to keep everything organized. Small changes, repeated every week, add up to a lot less plastic.