Plastic-free and the road to a sustainable future.
Plastic pollution is evident everywhere, from the deepest ocean trench to the remote corners of the Arctic and even reaching our vast atmosphere.
We wrote this article to shed light on the stagger...
10/09/23 Ask Dr. Pete
Meet Dr. Pete: An Interview with Our Chief Scientist
As a product inventor, innovator, and sustainability expert, he’s the brains behind our Bio Laundry Detergent and was a founding member of The Sustainability Consortium.
We spoke with Dr. Pete to...
08/29/22 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
How to remove common stains from kids' clothes.
Dirty clothes take on a different meaning when you become a parent. A soiled pair of jeans is a small cry from a chocolate ice cream and spaghetti sauce smothered t-shirt worn by your toddler. Bu...
Ask Dr. Pete: Are laundry pods and sheets really sustainable?
At Dirty Labs, we're occasionally asked why we don't create laundry pods or sheets. After all, they're very convenient and seem really sustainable and innovative.
So why not?
We asked our chief sc...
Ask Dr. Pete: How to Remove Common Pet Stains
Getting a new puppy or kitten might be one of the most exciting moments of a fur parent’s life, but as many of us know (or will discover) extraordinary cuteness requires patience and some specialized cleaning tips. Dr. Pete breaks down the science of why these stains are so tough to remove and how to get rid of them.
10/20/21 Safety & Sustainability
Where Does Your Water Come From?
Whether you take a shower every day, brush your teeth twice a day (like you’re supposed to), or flush your toilet more than a few times per day (we’re not judging), we’re all, very likely, unfamil...
10/11/21 Safety & Sustainability
Where Does Your Water Go?
This is a story about water—
the element that makes up more than most of our body mass and probably seems, to a lot of people, a readily-accessible, never-ending source of life. To those lucky...
Ask Dr. Pete: What are Optical Brighteners and Why Should We Care?
Before we dive deep into the exciting world of optical brighteners (we know you’re on the edge of your seat), we want to tell you a bit about Dr. Pete.
A product inventor, innovator, and sustai...
Dirty Collabs: Sarah Nsikak, Clothing Designer
The Brooklyn-based designer Sarah Nsikak makes beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. As a first-generation Nigerian-American and driven by her love of textiles, she created the brand La Réunion to cele...
What is Wishcycling?
You probably have a recycling bin in your kitchen full of empty takeout containers, bottles, cans, and egg cartons. Given the statistics (90% of the US population), you probably believe in recycli...
07/16/21 Safety & Sustainability
5 Easy Ways to Cut Down on Plastic
July is a great month! It’s warm and sunny and it’s Plastic Free July, thanks to a nonprofit organization of the same name. Here are some great ways to cut back on your plastic use—and even go plastic free this summer (or forever!). Read on to learn more.
Ask Dr. Pete: What is Green Chemistry?
A product inventor, innovator, and sustainability expert, he’s the brains behind our Bio Laundry Detergent and was a founding member of The Sustainability Consortium. This month he’s back with a thoughtful explainer on Green Chemistry—and why it matters today. Learn more.
07/16/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
Let's Talk About Yellow Pit Stains—And How to Clean 'Em
Most people sweat. Some more than others. During the summer especially, or in hotter climates, or while exercising, grocery shopping, and in stressful work meetings. Sometimes, you just sweat! Swea...
06/05/21 Dirty Collabs
Dirty Collabs: Ryan Harms, Founder of Union Wine Company
We interviewed Ryan Harms, Founder and Owner of Oregon-based Union Wine Company, on his growing and fermentation process, and why he can’t imagine doing anything else for a living. Read on to learn more.
Ask Dr. Pete: How does hard water affect cleaning?
Dr. Pete is back with an in-depth explainer on how hard or soft water can affect the efficacy of your cleaning products. Read on to learn more.
06/05/21 Safety & Sustainability
Our Favorite Sustainable Wine Brands
Welcome to rosé season! In winemaking, sustainability can be expensive and complicated, so props to those who are doing what they can. With that, and to celebrate the fact that it’s warm enough to drink outside now, here are our favorite sustainable wine brands you should be drinking too.
06/04/21 Safety & Sustainability
#VanLife: A Road Trip Packing List
Wherever you’re headed this summer, you’ll need some things along the way to make it a comfortable trip. We’ve rounded up our essential (and sustainably-focused) packing list. Read on for more.
06/04/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
How to Wash Red Wine Stains?
What makes wine stains so pesky? Our Dirty Labs chemists break it down and give you solutions to removing wine stains from your clothes. Read on to learn more.
05/05/21 Safety & Sustainability
Tips for a More Sustainable Swim Wardrobe
It’s the best time of year. Temperatures are on the rise, the sun is coming out, and with vaccines now widely available, you’ll hopefully be packing for your first vacation — in over a year — in no time. First thing on your list: Swimwear. But let’s talk about that for a minute.
05/05/21 Ask Dr. Pete
Ask Dr. Pete: A Breakdown of Reproductive Toxins
A product inventor, innovator, and sustainability expert, he’s the brains behind our Bio Laundry Detergent and was a founding member of The Sustainability Consortium. This month he’s back with an in-depth explainer on cleaning products and the reproductive toxins most often found in their formulas.
05/05/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
The Stubbornness of Grass Stains: Solved
Grass stains seem to have a sentimental attachment to our psyches. But they can be frustrating. An abundance of grass* and the resulting prevalence of stains leads one to believe it is just part of life. Read on to learn how to remove these summer stains.
05/05/21 Dirty Collabs
Dirty Collabs: Alexandra Scranton, Director of Science and Research, WVE
Alexandra Scranton is the Director of Science and Research at Women’s Voices for the Earth. We spoke to Scranton about some of her current research, what each of us should know, and how we can all help. Read the interview.
What Are Enzyme Detergents and How Do They Work?
Enzymes are byproducts of all living organisms. They are not living organisms themselves; instead, they are proteins that act as catalysts and create many essential biochemical reactions. How do they work in laundry detergents? Read on to learn more.
Ask Dr. Pete: On Cellulases and Synthetics vs. Natural Ingredients
A product inventor, innovator, and sustainability expert, he's the brains behind our Bio Laundry Detergent and was a founding member of The Sustainability Consortium. This month's he's back with more helpful knowledge about cellulases and the real difference between synthetics and natural ingredients.
What is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing — also known as “green sheen” — is a lie. You’ve seen it before. You might have fallen for it, maybe you’re a skeptic. It’s the marketing that occurs around green-ness, or sustainability, designed to persuade consumers into thinking a product is “good” for the environment.
04/03/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
How To Remove Blood Stains From Clothes
Bloodstains are notorious for their steadfastness in staying in fabric and other things after washing. Read on to learn why blood stains are so hard to remove and how to get rid of them.
04/03/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
Why is Cat Pee So Tough to Clean?
We know urine in general is stinky but what makes cat urine so much worse? We asked our chemists why. Read on to learn more about the science and how to get rid of it.
04/03/21 Dirty Collabs
Dirty Collabs: Dan Brunn, Architectural Designer
Born in Tel Aviv and raised in Los Angeles, Israli-American architect Dan Brunn has won awards for his form-follows-function, sustainable approach to design. Read the interview.
Dirty Collabs: Jess Dealy, Atmospheric Scientist and Renewable Energy Expert
A longtime Brooklyn resident currently living in Upstate New York, Jess Dealy knows a lot about something you might have never heard of: offshore wind energy. (If you surf, you might think this has...
03/04/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
The Science Behind Mustard and How to Get Rid of It (or Cry Trying)
We asked Troy Graham, one of our Dirty Chemists (and inventor of more than a few well known cleaning products loved by moms and dads across America), to tackle mustard - a notoriously difficult sta...
Why Do Moths Eat Wool? How to Keep your Sweaters Safe.
Keeping the clothes you already have safe and in good condition is one of the best ways to be sustainable with your wardrobe. With winter on its way out (if slowly), here’s a story about moths, why and how they destroy your clothes, and how to keep them safe all year.
Ask Dr. Pete: How to Remove Balsamic Vinegar Stains
Dr. Pete explains the science behind balsamic vinegar stains and how to remove them.
01/31/21 Safety & Sustainability
What Can Home Cleaning Learn From Clean Beauty?
Let’s keep this clean.
When it comes to health, the products you clean your house with matter as much as the ones you use on your body. In the past, their formulas tended to be pretty similar to e...
01/31/21 Home & Laundry Tips & Tricks
Chocolate & Your Clothes: A Love Story
Everybody loves chocolate. Sure, you probably know people who’d typically choose gummy bears or vanilla flavored candy to chocolate, but according to science, chocolate is “better than kissing” whe...