WASHING MACHINES

CONVENTIONAL: The real culprit here is the use of hot water, which can account for 85 to 90 percent of the machine's energy demands. Old models, especially top loaders, can lack settings that allow you to adjust the water temperature for wash and rinse cycles or to cut back on water for small loads. Poorly functioning spin cycles leave clothes wetter, so they require more energy to dry.

ALTERNATIVE: New front-loading machines use 30 to 60 percent less water and 50 to 70 percent less energy than traditional top loaders, and require less detergent to get clothes clean. Besides using less water (and consequently less hot water), they also include a faster spin cycle, which means less time and energy for drying.

DRYERS

CONVENTIONAL: Old dryers, both gas and electric, use energy less efficiently than new ones. This is especially true for machines that rely only on timers to control the length of the drying cycle. Frequently over-dried clothing wears out faster. Clogged lint traps and mangled exhaust vents can directly affect the efficiency and environmental impact and cause a fire hazard.

ALTERNATIVE: Dry your laundry on an outdoor clothesline when weather permits, and enjoy the added natural disinfection bonus that sunshine brings (they also smell better). A drying rack works well indoors for small loads. When shopping for a new dryer, look for models with temperature and moisture sensors, which will cut drying time and significantly reduce environmental impact. Keep lint traps and exhaust vents clean and free from obstructions.

DETERGENTS

CONVENTIONAL: Traditional liquid and powder laundry detergents are typically derived from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. Since packages often lack ingredient lists, it may be difficult to know what a brand contains. Some inexpensive brands may still be based on detergents such as alkylphenol ethoxylates, which have been banned in Europe because they're not biodegradable and because if concerns about their impact on reproductive health.

ALTERNATIVE: Choose detergents formulated with vegetable-based ingredients such as corn, palm kernel, or coconut oil. Manufacturing products from these renewable resources is much more benign than producing their petroleum-derived counterparts. Look for products free of colorants and brightening agents, which add unnecessary costs and environmental impact.

STAIN REMOVERS

CONVENTIONAL: Traditional stain removers can contain petroleum-derived detergents, as well as solvents such as alcohols that can be poisonous to humans when ingested and toxic to aquatic life when they eventually spill into waterways. Some also contain glycol ethers, which can be absorbed through the skin and cause organ damage.

ALTERNATIVE: Most stains are relatively easy to remove if washed while they're fresh. When this is not an option, put some liquid detergent on the spot. A dilute solution of hydrogen peroxide can be used to remove food stains on white fabrics; try lemon juice or white vinegar mixed with water to remove rust and mineral deposits.

BLEACH

CONVENTIONAL: Chlorine bleach cause more calls to poison control offices that any other household product. Both liquid and powder bleach (sodium hypochlorite) are highly toxic products that can burn eyes and skin and damage fabrics. New scented formulas make it easier than ever for a child to mistake bleach for a harmless product.

ALTERNATIVE: Look for liquid hydrogen peroxide and powder sodium perborate bleaches marketed as color safe bleach or nonchlorine bleach. Though safer, they're not quite as strong as chlorine, so you may need to increase the soaking time.

BOOSTERS AND AIDS

CONVENTIONAL: Powder laundry boosters and water softeners are often loaded with phosphates, which can cause eutrophication (algae blooms that suffocate an aquatic ecosystem).

ALTERNATIVE: If your laundry detergent needs a boost, use a product containing borax or sodium carbonate. Both are naturally derived (they're mined from the ground), work well, and have few negative environmental or health impacts during use and disposal.

FABRIC SOFTENERS

CONVENTIONAL: Many fabric softeners contain "cationic" surfactants, which are often derived from animal byproducts that have significantly greater environmental impact than vegetable-based products. Strongly fragranced products can contain respiratory irritants.

ALTERNATIVE: Look for softeners made from vegetable-based ingredients, such as soy, canola, or coconut oil. These perform as well as softeners containing animal by-products, but they don't use alcohols and other flammables as diluting agents.

IRONS AND STARCHES

CONVENTIONAL: Irons without automatic-shutoff features can be real fire-hazards. Aerosol starch sprays often contain highly flammable propellants, such as propane and butane, which pollute air indoors and out.

ALTERNATIVE: An iron with an automatic shutoff can significantly reduce the threat of fire or injury if left on by mistake. To achieve that crisply starched look, mix liquid starch and water together in a spray bottle that creates a very fine mist.

DRY CLEANING

CONVENTIONAL: Traditional dry cleaners use perchloroethylene (perc), a chemical known to cause cancer in animals. When clothes laundered in perc are brought home, they continue to offgas and further expose everyone in the house to these carcinogens for extended periods of time. A recent study has suggested a possible link between women who are exposed to these chemicals and breast cancer. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid dry cleaning entirely; when inhaled, perc can lodge in breast tissue and be transmitted to infants during breast feeding.

ALTERNATIVE: Spot-clean garments as much as possible; then lightly press them back into shape. Many delicate items can be hand-washed, then taken to the dry cleaner for pressing only. (It's always a good idea to test an inconspicuous area before washing an entire garment). For clothes that must be dry cleaned, seek out cleaners that have switched from perchloroethylene to carbon dioxide or "wet cleaning" methods. If your only option is perc dry cleaning, remove cleaned garments from plastic bags and allow them to offgas outdoors before bringing them inside.