A practical UK guide for anyone who wants cleaner clothes, and a cleaner home.
Most people never think about microplastics when they do their laundry. We tend to think of plastic waste as bottles, bags, packaging, things we can see. But a growing body of research shows that some of the biggest contributors of plastic pollution come from inside our own homes, particularly the laundry we wash every week.
From microplastic fibres shed by synthetic fabrics to the microplastics hidden inside detergent and fabric conditioner, these tiny particles move from our washing machines into waterways, and eventually into the environment. They’re too small to filter out, and they don’t break down.
The good news? Once you understand where microplastics come from and how to avoid them, it becomes very easy to make choices that are kinder to your clothes, your skin, and the planet.
This guide breaks everything down simply, including what microplastics are, why they matter, the hidden places they show up in laundry products, and how to reduce them in your home without complicated routines or expensive equipment.
What are microplastics? (A simple explanation)
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size.
They come from two main sources:
1. “Primary” microplastics, added intentionally
These are designed to be small and are often used in:
- fabric conditioners
- some detergents
- detergent pods
- fragrance-release systems (“scent capsules”)
- cosmetics
- cleaning products
In laundry products, they’re commonly used to:
- bind fragrance
- make scent last longer on clothes
The problem?
They rinse into waterways and persist for hundreds of years.
2. “Secondary” microplastics, shed from fabrics
These come from the breakdown of synthetic fibres such as:
- polyester
- nylon
- acrylic
- elastane
Each wash can release hundreds of thousands of microfibres that pass straight through wastewater systems.
Why microplastics in laundry matter
Environmental impact
Microplastics are now found in rivers, oceans, soil, shellfish, and even the air.
They contribute to:
- disruption of marine life
- pollution of drinking water
- imbalance in aquatic ecosystems
Where microplastics hide in mainstream laundry products
This is where most people are surprised.
1. Fabric conditioners
Most softeners rely on microplastic beads to hold and slowly release fragrance. These beads are designed to cling to clothing fibres and do not rinse fully.
If your clothes smell strongly long after washing, that’s often the microplastic system releasing scent, not clean fabric.
2. Fragrance release capsules
If a conditioner promises a scent that lasts for weeks, it almost always uses encapsulated fragrance technology built on microplastics. These capsules burst when touched, for example when you iron clothes or put them on.
3. Scent boosters
These laundry additives are essentially solid perfume capsules made of plastic.
How to avoid microplastics in your laundry (simple, practical changes)
The goal isn’t perfection, it’s reducing what you can, easily.
Here are the steps that make the biggest difference:
1. Choose microplastic-free detergent and conditioner
Look for:
✔ vegan surfactants
✔ essential-oil scents
✔ formulas that rinse cleanly
✔ no artificially encapsulated fragrance
✔ no acrylates, polyquaterniums, or polyethylenes
Clothes Doctor’s Everyday Laundry range was created specifically to avoid all microplastics, using natural essential oils for fragrance and biodegradable ingredients that dissolve cleanly.
This alone removes a major source of microplastics entering your home.
2. Wash at lower temperatures
Heat can weaken synthetic fibres, increasing microfibre shedding.
Washing at 20-30°C releases significantly fewer microplastics and is gentler on clothes too.
3. Avoid over-washing synthetic fabrics
Every wash creates fibre friction.
Spacing out washes for polyester, fleece and athleisure reduces shedding dramatically.
If a garment isn’t dirty, try:
- airing outdoors
- using Clothing Spritz to refresh
- spot-treating marks
4. Use a high-quality detergent that rinses cleanly
Residue traps more fibres and increases shedding in future washes.
Light, concentrated formulas (like Clothes Doctor’s Everyday Laundry) rinse out thoroughly without leaving a film behind.
5. Fill your washing machine properly
Under-filling increases agitation and fibre friction.
Over-filling stops water circulating.
Aim for a drum that’s three-quarters full.
6. Use shorter wash cycles
Less time in the machine = fewer shed microfibres.
Most clothes clean perfectly well on short cycles when using high-quality detergent.
7. Skip fabric conditioner, or switch to a natural one
Most mainstream fabric conditioners contain microplastics. If you want softness without pollution, choose a microplastic-free formula like Everyday Laundry.
The easiest way to avoid microplastics completely?
Choose products made without them.
If you want a laundry routine that avoids microplastics at the source, look for:
✔ essential-oil fragrances
✔ microplastic-free softening systems
✔ vegan surfactants
✔ light, concentrated formulas
✔ no unnecessary fillers
This is exactly how Clothes Doctor formulates Everyday Laundry:
- zero microplastics
- zero artificial fragrance capsules
- zero unnecessary thickeners
- gentle, biodegradable ingredients
- beautifully natural scents that rinse cleanly
Your clothes feel lighter, softer and more breathable, and your home produces less plastic waste.
Key takeaways: Microplastics in laundry & how to avoid them
- Most microplastics in laundry come from fabric conditioner and scent capsules
- Synthetic fabrics shed microfibres when washed
- Lower temperatures and shorter cycles reduce shedding
- Concentrated, clean-rinsing detergents help prevent residue
- Natural scents = no microplastic fragrance carriers
- Microplastic-free laundry is possible with a few simple swaps
You don’t have to overhaul your entire wardrobe. Just choosing gentler products and cleaner formulas can make a meaningful difference.
Cleaner clothes. Cleaner waterways.
A small change, with a big impact.
If you’d like to make this switch feel effortless, Everyday Laundry was designed as a simple, microplastic-free detergent and fabric conditioner system for regular washing, with no fragrance capsules, no unnecessary thickeners, and formulas that rinse cleanly. It’s lightly scented with essential oils, highly concentrated, and created to help your clothes feel softer and fresher without leaving a coating behind, making it an easy next step for anyone building a microplastics-in-laundry routine at home.
