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What’s the difference between liquid and powder laundry detergent? It’s not just the obvious

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> When shopping for a laundry detergent, the array of choices is baffling. All of the products will likely get your laundry somewhat cleaner. But what gets the best outcome for your clothes and your budget? Do you want whiter whites? Do you need enzymes? And what’s the difference between a powder and liquid detergent? As is often the case, knowing more about the chemistry involved will help you answer those questions. <h2>What is a detergent?</h2> The active ingredients in both laundry powders and liquids are “surfactants”, also known as detergents (hence the product name). These are typically charged or “ionic” molecules that have two distinct parts to their structure. One part interacts well with water and the other interacts with oils. This useful property allows surfactants to lift grease and grime from fabrics and suspend it in the water. Surfactants can also form bubbles. Metal salts dissolved in your water can limit the performance of the surfactants. So-called hard water contains lots of dissolved calcium and magnesium salts which can readily form soap scum. Modern laundry detergents therefore contain phosphates, water softeners and other metal “sequestrants” to stop the formation of soap scum. Phosphates can cause algal blooms in fresh water environments. This is why modern detergent formulations <a href="https://accord.asn.au/sustainability/phosphorus-standard/">contain smaller amounts of phosphates</a>. Many products also contain optical brighteners. These chemicals absorb ultraviolet light and release blue light, which provides the “whiter white” or “brighter colour” phenomenon. Laundry detergents typically contain fragrances. These aren’t essential to the chemistry of cleaning, but give the impression the clothes are fresh. Lastly, some laundry detergents contain enzymes – more on those later. <h2>What’s in laundry powder?</h2> While detergents and ingredients to avoid soap scum are the most important components, they aren’t the most abundant. The main ingredients in powders are salts (like sodium sulfate) that add bulk and stop the powder from clumping. Another common salt added to laundry powders is sodium carbonate, also known as washing soda. Washing soda (a chemical cousin of <a href="https://theconversation.com/vinegar-and-baking-soda-a-cleaning-hack-or-just-a-bunch-of-fizz-225177">baking soda</a>) helps to chemically modify grease and grime so they dissolve in water. Laundry powders also frequently contain oxidising agents like sodium percarbonate. This is a stable combination of washing soda and hydrogen peroxide. An additive known as tetraacetylethylenediamine activates the percarbonate to give a mild bleaching effect. Chemically, powders have an advantage – their components can be formulated and mixed but kept separate in a solid form. (You can usually see different types of granules in your laundry powder.) <h2>What’s in laundry liquid?</h2> The main ingredient of laundry liquid is water. The remaining ingredients have to be carefully considered. They must be stable in the bottle and then work together in the wash. These include similar ingredients to the powders, such as alkaline salts, metal sequestrants, water softeners and surfactants. The surfactants in liquid products are often listed as “ionic” (charged) and “non-ionic” (non-charged). Non-ionic surfactants can be liquid by default, which makes them inappropriate for powdered formulations. Non-ionic surfactants are good at suspending oils in water and don’t form soap scum. Liquid detergents also contain preservatives to prevent the growth of microbes spoiling the mixture. There are also microbial implications for inside the washing machine. Liquid products can’t contain the peroxides (mild bleaching agents) found in powdered products. Peroxides kill microbes. The absence of peroxides in liquid detergents makes it more likely for <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/1/195#B15-molecules-27-00195">mould biofilms to form</a> in the machine and for bacteria to be transferred between items of clothing. As an alternative to peroxides, liquids will typically contain only optical brighteners. Liquids do have one advantage over powders – they can be added directly to stains prior to placing the item in the wash. A recent “convenience” version of liquid formulas are highly concentrated detergent pods. Colourful and bearing a resemblance to sweet treats, these products have been found to be <a href="https://poisoncenters.org/track/laundry-detergent-packets">dangerous to young children and people with cognitive impairment</a>. Pods also remove the option to add less detergent if you’re running a smaller load or just want to use less detergent in general. <h2>So, what about enzymes?</h2> Enzymes are naturally evolved proteins included in laundry products to remove specific stains. Chemically, they are catalysts – things that speed up chemical reactions. Enzymes are named for the molecules they work on, followed by the ending “-ase”. For example, lipase breaks down fats (lipids), protease breaks down protein, while amylase and mannanase break down starches and sugars. These enzymes are derived from organisms found in cool climate regions, which helps them function at the low temperature of washing water. Running an excessively hot wash cycle can damage or denature the enzyme structure, stopping them from assisting in your wash. Think of an egg white <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-pavlova-according-to-chemistry-experts-196485">changing from translucent to white while cooked</a> – that’s protein denaturing. If your detergent contains enzymes, the washing temperature should be neither too hot nor too cold. As a guide, temperatures of 15–20°C are used in <a href="https://environment.ec.europa.eu/document/download/557d8ab5-4e75-41a4-a901-1548be7f685d_en">standard laundry tests</a>. <h2>Is powder or liquid better?</h2> We make consumer choices guided by performance, psychology, cost, scent, environmental considerations and convenience. It’s worth experimenting with different products to find what works best for you and fits your needs, household budget and environmental considerations, such as having <a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-can-some-plastics-be-recycled-but-others-cant-229270">recyclable packaging</a>. Personally, I wash at 20°C with half the recommended dose of a pleasant-smelling laundry powder, packaged in recyclable cardboard, and containing a wide range of enzymes and an activated peroxide source. Knowing a little chemistry can go a long way to getting your clothes clean. However, laundry detergent manufacturers don’t always disclose the full list of ingredients on their product packaging. If you want more information on what’s in your product, you have to look at the product website. You can also dig a little deeper by reading documents called <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-tiktok-trend-has-people-drinking-toxic-borax-an-expert-explains-the-risks-and-how-to-read-product-labels-210278">safety data sheets</a> (SDS). Every product containing potentially hazardous chemicals must have an SDS.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/239850/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kilah-599082">Nathan Kilah</a>, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-liquid-and-powder-laundry-detergent-its-not-just-the-obvious-239850">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

How often should you wash your sheets and towels?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rietie-venter-100529">Rietie Venter</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Everyone seems to have a different opinion when it comes to how often towels and <a href="https://7news.com.au/video/lifestyle/cleaning/dr-karl-on-how-often-you-should-wash-our-sheets-bc-6320410318112">bed sheets should be washed</a>. While many people might wonder whether days or weeks is best, in one survey from the United Kingdom, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-61259074">almost half of single men</a> reported not washing their sheets for up to four months at a time. It’s fairly clear that four months is too long to leave it, but what is the ideal frequency? Bed linen and towels are quite different and so should be washed at different intervals. While every week or two will generally suffice for sheets, towels are best washed every few days. Anyway, who doesn’t love the feeling of a fresh set of sheets or the smell of a newly laundered towel? <h2>Why you should wash towels more often</h2> When you dry yourself, you deposit thousands of <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02362/full">skin cells</a> and millions of <a href="https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(23)00402-9/fulltext">microbes</a> onto the towel. And because you use your towel to dry yourself after a shower or bath, your towel is regularly damp. You also deposit a hefty amount of dead skin, microbes, sweat and oils <a href="https://theconversation.com/your-bed-probably-isnt-as-clean-as-you-think-a-microbiologist-explains-163513">onto your sheets</a> every night. But unless you’re a prolific night sweater, your bedding doesn’t get wet after a night’s sleep. Towels are also made of a thicker material than sheets and therefore tend to stay damp for longer. So what is it about the dampness that causes a problem? Wet towels are a breeding ground for bacteria and moulds. <a href="https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/public-community-housing/public-housing-tenants/looking-after-your-home/safety/mould">Moulds</a> especially love <a href="https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/living-with/indoor-air-pollution/allergies">damp environments</a>. Although mould won’t necessarily be visible (you would need significant growth to be able to see it) this can lead to an unpleasant smell. As well as odours, <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/can-clothes-and-towels-spread-germs/">exposure to these microbes</a> in your towels and sheets can cause <a href="https://aafa.org/allergies/types-of-allergies/insect-allergy/dust-mite-allergy/">asthma</a>, allergic skin irritations, or other <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/4/04-1094_article">skin infections</a>. <h2>So what’s the ideal frequency?</h2> For bedding, it really depends on factors such as whether you have a bath or shower just before going to bed, or if you fall into bed after a long, sweaty day and have your shower in the morning. You will need to wash your sheets more regularly in the latter case. As a rule of thumb, once a week or every two weeks should be fine. Towels should ideally be washed more regularly – perhaps every few days – while your facecloth should be cleaned after every use. Because it gets completely wet, it will be wet for a longer time, and retain more skin cells and microbes. Wash your towels at a high temperature (for example, 65°C) as that will <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34465009/">kill many microbes</a>. If you are conscious of saving energy, you can use a lower temperature and add a cup of vinegar to the wash. The vinegar will kill microbes and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8231443/">prevent bad smells</a> from developing. Clean your washing machine regularly and dry the fold in the rubber after every wash, as this is another place microbes like to grow. <h2>Smelly towels</h2> What if you regularly wash your towels, but they still smell bad? One of the reasons for this pong could be that you’ve left them in the washing machine too long after the wash. Especially if it was a warm wash cycle, the time they’re warm and damp will allow microbes to happily grow. Under <a href="https://textbookofbacteriology.net/growth_3.html">lab conditions</a> the number of these bacteria can double every 30 minutes. It’s important to hang your towel out to dry after use and not to leave towels in the washing machine after the cycle has finished. If possible, hang your towels and bedding out in the sun. That will dry them quickly and thoroughly and will foster that lovely fresh, clean cotton smell. Using a dryer is a good alternative if the weather is bad, but outdoors in the sun is always better if possible. Also, even if your towel is going to be washed, don’t throw a wet towel into the laundry basket, as the damp, dirty towel will be an ideal place for microbes to breed. By the time you get to doing your washing, the towel and the other laundry around it may have acquired a bad smell. And it can be difficult to get your towels smelling fresh again. <h2>What about ‘self-cleaning’ sheets and towels?</h2> Some companies sell “quick-dry” towels or “self-cleaning” towels and bedding. Quick-dry towels are made from synthetic materials that are weaved in a way to allow them to dry quickly. This would help prevent the growth of microbes and the bad smells that develop when towels are damp for long periods of time. But the notion of self-cleaning products is more complicated. Most of these products contain <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/chem-2016-0005/html">nanosilver</a> or copper, antibacterial metals that kill micro-organisms. The antibacterial compounds will stop the growth of bacteria and can be useful to limit smells and reduce the frequency with which you need to clean your sheets and towels. However, they’re not going to remove dirt like oils, skin flakes and sweat. So as much as I would love the idea of sheets and towels that clean themselves, that’s not exactly what happens. Also, excessive use of antimicrobials <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636436/pdf/idr-12-1985.pdf">such as nanosilver</a> can lead to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.652863/full">microbes becoming resistant</a> to them.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216083/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rietie-venter-100529">Rietie Venter</a>, Associate professor, Clinical and Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-often-should-you-wash-your-sheets-and-towels-216083">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

5 time-saving laundry tricks

Doing laundry seems to be a never-ending chore. These simple tricks will make your life a little easier next time you do your washing. 1. Use lingerie bag for socks Losing and then pairing mismatched socks makes laundry a bigger task than what it already is. Make sock washing easier by washing all your socks together in a lingerie bag. Gone will be the days that you find odd socks stuck in a pair of jeans or hiding in the washing machine. 2. Make detergent yourself If you are ever concerned with the chemicals and ingredients in laundry detergent then you can opt for a natural detergent by making it yourself. To make homemade detergent, stir together one bar shaved bar soap, 1 cup of borax and one cup of washing soda. You can put the ingredients in a food processor or blender to create a fine powder. Simply store in a sealed container. 3. Make dryer sheets yourself To make budget-friendly dryer sheets, you will need old scraps of cloth, essential oils and white vinegar. Mix one cup of white vinegar with roughly 25 drops of essential oils. Fold the cloth scraps and place them into a jar or storage container. Moisten the cloth with vinegar mixture but do not saturate them. Then use one cloth per dryer load to freshen laundry. 4. Use chalk to remove grease stains If you have any chalk handy it can pre-treat grease stains. The chalk powder helps absorb the grease and will leave your clothes looking clean again. 5. Use baby shampoo to unshrink clothes If you ever accidentally shrink one of your favourite items of clothes then reach for baby shampoo. Baby shampoo can stretch clothing and restore it to its former shape and size. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Daughter discovers life-changing hack inside deceased mum’s closet

Cynthia, from the US, was cleaning out her mum’s closet a year after she passed away and discovered the secret system that will make you go: hang on a minute, that’s pretty smart. If you’re tired of seeing piles of “technically clean” clothes lying around waiting to be washed, this system is perfect for you. All you need is a hanger, some clothes pegs, and a pen. “[My mum] numbered clothespins and would put them on the hanger of an item she wore. Once she wore it 3 times … in the wash it went. This kept her from piling up clothes in a chair,” she shared in a post to a Facebook group. Many were impressed with this simple tidiness trick and shared their own hacks. “What a great idea! I put the hanger backwards after the first wear and into the laundry after the second. Your mum's method may be even better,” wrote one person. “'I use different colour hangers. Whites are fresh, red has been worn once, and for a short period of time,” commented another. One woman shared that she uses dividers to separate parts of her closet for clothes she wears often, and clothes she doesn’t. “I use the 'left' system - I check the left side of my closet every six months because I hang everything I wash to the right of a separator. You can also use them for clothes that need to go in the laundry,” she wrote. Others have commented about their tried-and-true, which mostly include the sniff and stain test, with the general rule: “If it doesn't smell and has no stains, I guess I'm wearing it”. However, others were horrified that people don’t wash their clothes after every wear. “I personally can't wear anything (nightgown sometimes is an exception) without washing it. If I wore it for an hour, I have to wash it before wearing it again,” wrote one woman. “Don't you wash most clothes after every wear? Maybe it's because I live in a hot country, but I would never wear a shirt twice. Jeans maybe, everything else is in the wash after every wear,” commented another. Image: Kmart Hacks and Decor Facebook

Home & Garden

10 ways you’re doing your ironing wrong

Some people like ironing, stopping at nothing but pressing their underwear. These individuals usually love their Sunday ritual of tackling four piles of laundry with a cup of tea and a midday movie for company. There’s even a group of extreme ironing enthusiasts, who’ve combined their love for action sports with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt. They swear by its meditative qualities: the repetitive movement; the hiss of the steam; the elimination of creases, one by one. Then there’s the rest of the population, who’ll do everything they can to avoid it: from only buying wrinkle-free fabrics to hanging garments in the bathroom for the shower steam to work its magic. They don’t call it a “chore” for nothing, people. Unfortunately, life thrusts at us many occasions that require whatever we’re wearing to receive a good press. Whichever camp you fall in – seasoned or sporadic – you’re poised to benefit from these practical tips. 1. Over-drying your clothes Having them hang for too long, frying in the sun or on the heater, can over-dry clothes, leaving them stiff as cardboard and crispy in texture. They become difficult to reshape and harder to iron. Also, be wary of how long they’re in the dryer, especially if you don’t have one of the more advanced “moisture-sensing” models. 2. Not shaking clothes out As you’re taking your clothes off the line and out of the dryer, don’t forget to shake them out. This smooths seams and pleats, making them easier to iron later down the line. 3. Not protecting delicates Placing a hot iron directly on sensitive fabrics can ruin garments, branding them with an unsightly singed and shiny mark. Protect them by ironing fabrics inside-out and with a pressing cloth as a buffer. A handkerchief or napkin will do. 4. Not misting clothes This makes creases easier to eliminate. Many irons have an in-built spray function so you can lightly mist your clothes at the touch of a button. Alternatively, keep a water spray bottle handy. 5. Not using a starch spray Starch sprays can speed up ironing and leave your clothes looking extra pristine – if you use them correctly. Spray the area right before you iron and leave it to penetrate for a few seconds. This will also save your iron’s base plate from a build-up of product residue. (You can make your own starch spray by dissolving one tablespoon of corn-flour in two cups of water.) 6. Not adjusting the temperature If you have a large pile to tackle, start with your lightest silk, synthetic and delicate fabrics, as these need to be ironed on lower temperatures. Then, as your iron begins to heat up, iron your woollens on medium heat, and then cottons and linens that require a higher heat. Always let the iron sit for a few minutes after you adjust the temperature setting. Want to cut your ironing time in half? Place a sheet of aluminium foil underneath the ironing board cover. The reflected heat from the foil means you don’t have to flip over the garment and iron the other side. 7. Not paying attention to the form of the garment For shirts, start with the sleeves (cuffs always open) and lay the collar flat (even though that’s not how you usually wear it), then let the shirt hang for a few minutes before putting it on. For trousers, iron along the main crease, stopping six inches below the waist, then hang by the waistband. And always iron skirts from the top down, unless there’s a flounce or flare, in which case, start from the bottom and work up. If you’re having to iron pleats, start from the bottom, working from the inside of the pleat to the outside. Then set it with a shot of steam. 8. Using circular strokes Ironing in circles stretches the fabric. Always iron lengthwise. 9. Making a mess of sheets Is there anything more annoying than ironing sheets, tablecloths and curtains? The trick is to set up two chairs next to the ironing board. Fold the piece onto the chairs as you work on it. You could also iron them on a tabletop you’re not too precious about, provided you protect the surface with a bath towel. 10. Not hanging up or folding as soon as you’re done But make sure you wait five minutes before putting them on. You need to let the press set, otherwise you’ll be undoing all your hard work. Do you have any ironing secrets to share with us? Let us know in the comments below. Written by Kathleen Lee-Jo. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain.com.au</a>. Image: Getty Related links: <a href="../lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/best-way-to-fold-fitted-sheet-video/">Best way to fold fitted sheet</a> <a href="../lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/5-foods-you-should-never-reheat/">5 foods you should never reheat</a> <a href="../lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/the-secret-to-keeping-your-whites-white/">The secret to keeping your whites white</a>

Home Hints & Tips

Tactile robot with a sense of touch can fold laundry

Why can you buy a robot vacuum cleaner easily, but not one that folds laundry or irons clothes? Because fabric is actually a very difficult thing for robots to manipulate. But scientists have made a breakthrough with a robot designed to have tactile senses. Fabric is soft, and deformable, and requires a few different senses firing to pick up. This is why the fashion industry is so <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/garment-supply-chain-slavery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">labour-intensive</a>: it’s too hard to automate. “Humans look at something, we reach for it, then we use touch to make sure that we’re in the right position to grab it,” says David Held, an assistant professor in the School of Computer Science, and head of the Robots Perceiving and Doing Lab, at Carnegie Mellon University, US. “A lot of the tactile sensing humans do is natural to us. We don’t think that much about it, so we don’t realise how valuable it is.” When we’re picking up a shirt, for instance, we’re feeling the top layer, sensing lower layers of cloth, and grasping the layers below. But even with cameras and simple sensors, robots can usually only feel the top layer. But Held and colleagues have figured out how to get a robot to do more. “Maybe what we need is tactile sensing,” says Held. The Carnegie Mellon researchers, along with Meta AI, have developed a robotic ‘skin’ called <a href="https://ai.facebook.com/blog/reskin-a-versatile-replaceable-low-cost-skin-for-ai-research-on-tactile-perception/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ReSkin</a>. It’s an elastic <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/explainer-what-is-a-polymer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polymer</a>, filled with tiny magnetic sensors. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p220637-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> “By reading the changes in the magnetic fields from depressions or movement of the skin, we can achieve tactile sensing,” says Thomas Weng, a Ph.D. student in Held’s lab, and a collaborator on the project. “We can use this tactile sensing to determine how many layers of cloth we’ve picked up by pinching, with the sensor.” The ReSkin-coated robot finger could successfully pick up both one and two layers of cloth from a pile, working with a range of different textures and colours. “The profile of this sensor is so small, we were able to do this very fine task, inserting it between cloth layers, which we can’t do with other sensors, particularly optical-based sensors,” says Weng. “We were able to put it to use to do tasks that were not achievable before.” The robot is not yet capable of doing your laundry: next on the researchers list is teaching it to smooth crumpled fabric, choosing the correct number of layers to fold, then folding in the right direction. “It really is an exploration of what we can do with this new sensor,” says Weng. “We’re exploring how to get robots to feel with this magnetic skin for things that are soft, and exploring simple strategies to manipulate cloth that we’ll need for robots to eventually be able to do our laundry.” The researchers are presenting a <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/reskin-cloth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">paper</a> on their laundry-folding robot at the 2022 International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems in Kyoto, Japan. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=220637&title=Tactile+robot+with+a+sense+of+touch+can+fold+laundry" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/laundry-folding-robot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Ellen Phiddian. Image: Carnegie Mellon University </div>

Technology

6 tips for doing laundry on a cruise

As unfortunate as it may be, laundry is likely the only sign of reality to ever rear its ugly head during a cruise vacation otherwise filled with escape. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the pains associated with dirty clothes, and we've compiled some suggestions to consider here. 1. Choose a cabin with included service If you require laundry to be done onboard but would rather not tend to it yourself, the best approach would be to choose a cabin category that features free laundry service as an included amenity. This is more common of suites such as the Penthouse Junior Suite and above on Viking Ocean Cruises. In fact, Viking and Oceania Cruises are even addressing the aforementioned cruise length issue by providing free laundry to guests aboard their world cruises regardless of stateroom selection. 2. Buy a package Of course, dirty clothes can also always be sent out during the cruise to have the ship launder them for you, but a la carte prices can be expensive. In those situations, you might consider an unlimited package wherein a daily rate is paid to be able to send out laundry ad infinitum. Holland America Line is one such company to offer this option. 3. Wait for a special If you can wait to have your laundry done until later in the cruise, specials sometimes become available along the lines of a single price for a bag of laundry? However many clothes you can fit within a bag will be cleaned for a flat cost. Celebrity Cruises, for one, has run such specials in the past. 4. Take the paid or included self-service route If all else fails, many cruise lines offer self-service laundry facilities to do it yourself. To save some money, consider which brands offer laundromats for free and which charge extra for the machines and detergent. Carnival Cruise Line, for instance, charges for both while Cunard Line is entirely free. 5. Be mindful of laundromat high times If you are going to use a laundromat, keep busy times in mind, especially if the facilities are free and consequently more frequented. They tend to be bustling right at opening and most on sea days. If you can stay onboard during a port call, the machines will be easier to get to. Meanwhile, please be mindful of other passengers too and don't leave machines unattended for extended periods of time, thus requiring other guests to remove your laundry for you. 6. Pack enough clothes for the duration The simplest solution to not dealing with laundry in any capacity during your cruise is to pack enough clean clothes for the entire length of the sailing. Of course, this may be easier said than done as airline baggage weight limits restrict how much you can bring along without astronomical added fees. This can be done simply enough for a weeklong or shorter cruise but those longer ones requiring additional formal wear make it a tad tougher. What’s your approach to laundry on a cruise? Or when you’re on holidays in general. Let us know in the comments section, we’d love to hear from you. Written by Jason Leppert. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. No matter where you’re travelling to, making sure you know how to access your cash while away – and in the most affordable way – is very important. Easy to use and with countless benefits, the Over60 Cash Passport allows you to securely access your cash in the same way you use an ATM or credit card. <a href="https://oversixty.cashpassport.com.au" target="_blank">To apply for a card today, click here.</a> Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/10/10-ways-to-cruise-as-a-senior/">10 ways to cruise as a senior</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/10/how-to-determine-your-cruising-style/">How to determine your cruising style</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/09/just-how-much-food-is-eaten-on-a-cruise/">Just how much food is eaten on a cruise?</a>

Cruising

Mum’s fool-proof hack to dry your clothes in half the time

A clever mum has shared the ultimate laundry tip that will ensure your clothes air-dry in no time. With surging energy bills crippling households, air drying items is a much more efficient way of doing laundry. However, colder winter months can sometimes mean clothes and linen may take days to dry in the fresh air. One mum has found the answer to this problem, sharing her hack on the Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/mumswhoclean">Mums Who Clean</a>. "I have recently been staying with my elderly parents. While there, I did some washing for them," she says. "Mum said to me, 'Don't forget to do an additional spin cycle after the cycle has finished.'” "Her response was that it wouldn't take as long for the washing to dry on a cold winter's day when there isn't as much sun.” "And guess what, she was right!" The mum tried it for herself when she got home, saying it helped to dry her clothes in half the time. "Since returning home this week to Sydney and the rain, I tried this on a load of towels (bath sheets) before putting them in the dryer," she says. "Normally, the load would take one and a half to two hours to dry, and they took just under 60 minutes." Other group members were impressed with the hack, with many saying they would give it a go. "Oh wow, I'm going to give this a go!" said one person. Others said they’ve been doing this hack “for years”, and were happy others were going to try the handy tip. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Laundry tips to live by

Your laundry should be as minimal, clean and organised as possible. Yes, I know it’s a drag of a room and no one wants to be in there for long, but there are ways to make the laundry a more hospitable space. Fill large glass jars with bulk items like buttons, threads, pegs and twine and put them on display for a stylish touch. It’s so easy to recreate this look and add a little style to an otherwise drab space. LAUNDRY TIPS TO LIVE BY: <ul> <li>Keep your laundry as minimal as possible, with no fuss and no mess.</li> <li>Use a collection of baskets to separate colours, dry-cleanable items, ironing etc.</li> <li>Keep a basket for items that need to be darned and next time you are sitting in front of the TV, mend those holes.</li> <li>Store spare buttons in a jar so they are always close at hand.</li> <li>Keep a piggy bank for loose change that falls out of pockets.</li> <li>Use a small laundry bag to store all those stray socks whose partners will eventually turn up.</li> <li>Have washing labels on display so you can see how to care for each item at a glance.</li> <li>Always fold your jumpers away – never hang them on coat hangers.</li> <li>Keep whites white by soaking your clothes for 10 minutes in a bucket of hot water with two sliced lemons.</li> <li>Always clean stains immediately.</li> <li>Try and clean your clothes with natural cleaners, like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and lemon.</li> <li>Always handwash your delicates.</li> <li>If buying detergent, make sure you buy the right one for the right fabric to ensure your clothes’ longevity.</li> <li>When handwashing your knits, never wring them out as they will lose their shape. Instead, roll them up in a towel to squeeze the excess water out.</li> </ul> Homemade linen water recipe Making your own linen water is an easy way to bring your favourite scent into the bedroom. I love to use lemon and rose oil. What you’ll need: <ul> <li>30 drops (approx. ½ teaspoon) essential oil of your choice</li> <li>90ml (3 fl oz) vodka</li> <li>375ml (12½ fl oz/1½ cups) distilled water</li> </ul> Makes: Approx 500ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) Method: <ol> <li>Mix the essential oil and vodka in a glass.</li> <li>Add the distilled water and funnel the liquid into a spray bottle.</li> <li>Shake the spray bottle before each use and keep it in a cool, dry place for up to six months.</li> </ol> Image: Getty

Home & Garden

Clever mum shares the ultimate laundry hack for clean sheets

Aussie mum Dina Santos has been sharing handy home hints and tricks over on her popular Instagram page. Her latest is a little-known hack of adding salt and baking soda to each load of white sheets or clothes to help them keep their bright white colour. The home stylist also recommends not overloading the drum and putting whites on a warm-wash so they come out as fresh and clean as ever. "Put all your whites in the washing compartment making sure you never overload," she wrote in the clip. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cfa1sdZARC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cfa1sdZARC_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Home styling with dina (@dina.sweethome.style_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Dina said to make sure to put washing liquids or powder in the right compartment in the detergent drawer as per the machine's instructions. She used a laundry pod and scent boosters that go straight into the drum along with her bed linen. “Add two full teaspoons of baking soda and two of salt flakes (I swear ladies, this work miracles and your whites come out beautifully),” the mum-of-two suggested. Dina's clip racked up thousands of views and hundreds of comments from many of her followers thankful for the sharing the clever hacks. Images: Instagram

Home Hints & Tips

"I ended her life": Brian Laundrie's diary finally released

Sinister details of Gabby Petito’s murder have been revealed in the form of handwritten notes made by her fiance Brian Laundrie. He offered an apology, along with his confession for killing Petito out of ‘mercy’. The notebook – which was recovered from the Florida nature preserve where Laundrie's body was found after the 23-year-old took his own life in October 2021 – has been shared by the Laundrie family’s attorney, Steven Bertolino. “I ended her life,” Laundrie wrote in the notebook, which was recovered near his body, before going on to detail his version of events of the day that Petito died. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Pages of Brian Laundrie’s diary released. On this page Laundrie appears to say he killed <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GabbyPetito?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GabbyPetito</a> out of mercy…because she had injured herself. The diary doesn’t explain why he didn’t call for help <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nbc4ny?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nbc4ny</a> <a href="https://t.co/Dhps2JdEwr">pic.twitter.com/Dhps2JdEwr</a> — Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeiSzeCheng4NY/status/1540418661344808961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote> “Rushing back to our car trying to cross the streams… before it got too dark to see… I hear a splash and a scream," the notebook pages read. “When I pulled Gabby out of the water she couldn’t tell me what hurt, she had a small bump on her forehead that eventually got larger. “Her feet hurt, her wrist hurt, but she was freezing, shaking violently. “Gasping in pain, begging for an end to her pain.” Laundrie then describes trying to keep her warm and awake while Petito was in “extreme” pain, but his entries do not explain any effort made to find medical attention. “I don’t know the state of Gabby’s injuries, only that she was in extreme pain. “I ended her life, I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made.” Police encountered the pair during their trip in Moab on August the 12th 2021, after reports of domestic violence. The couple were on a cross-country road trip and sharing their adventures on social media. Bertolino said Laundrie flew home to Florida alone on August the 17th, and that Laundrie then returned to Utah six days later to “rejoin Gabby”. On September the 1st, Laundrie drove back to his parents' Florida home, again without Petito. He had been sending text messages from her phone to fool people into believing that she was still alive. Petito’s body was later found on September 19 in Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming, with an autopsy later revealing she had been strangled by someone’s bare hands, and likely died three to four weeks before she was found. The notebook was found in October 2021, along with human remains, a backpack and a revolver, and a month later the remains were identified as Brian Laundrie’s. Bertolino said he met with the FBI in Tampa, along with the Petito family attorney, where personal items belonging to Laundrie and Petito were handed back to their families. Image: Getty

Caring

22 uses for dryer sheets (that aren’t laundry)

Along with making clothes soft and sniffably fresh, dryer sheets can be used in dozens of ways around the house. Their clean scent covers up plenty of odours, and they’re abrasive enough to clean, but won’t damage most surfaces. Here are the most unexpected uses for dryer sheets. Clean skirting boards Vacuum the carpet or sweep the floor, then wipe a dryer sheet along the skirting boards to remove stubborn dust and pet hair. Bonus: It repels dust later, too! Dust your TV screen The sheets have anti-static properties that will help prevent dust from settling on the screen. Clean window blinds Just like with the TV, dryer sheets will repel dust and make blinds easier to clean over time. Tame flyaway hair Did dry air make your hair static-y? Rub a dryer sheet between your brush’s bristles to smooth things over. Clean up pet hair Dryer sheets are great grabbers. Rub one along the floor or couch to pick up pet hair – or clippings from at-home haircuts. Freshen up your shoes Stick a dryer sheet in your flats or sneakers overnight to get rid of stinky odours. Scrub away soap scum Rub a sheet on glass shower doors to clean caked-on grime. Easily scour pans If food gets burned on a pan, let it soak overnight with water and a fresh dryer sheet. Give chrome a polish From bathrooms to vehicles, dryer sheets can help restore chrome’s trademark shine. Clean up pantry spills From bathrooms to vehicles, dryer sheets can help restore chrome’s trademark shine. Freshen the air fast Place sheets in vents or behind fans to fill your home with a fresh, clean scent. Cover up nappy smells Tuck a fresh sheet into your nappy bag or bathroom garbage bin can help take the edge off odours. De-musk old books You scored some great reads at a garage sale – but they’re a little musty. Put old books in a bag with some dryer sheets – after a few days, they’ll smell as good as new. Remove crayon marks Lightly rub walls with a sheet and watch the crayon disappear. Magic! Get paint off brushes Put a dryer sheet in warm water along with the brush – within a few minutes of soaking, the paint should wash right off. Sharpen scissors Run a used dryer sheet along the blades to restore their snipping power. Repel insects Mosquitoes don’t like the smell of dryer sheets, so slip one into your belt loop to ward off the pesky insects. Keep camping gear fresh Toss dryer sheets into your tent and sleeping bags to stave off a mildewy smell. Banish post-beach sand This is one of the most surprising uses for dryer sheets! Wipe yourself and your kids with a dryer sheet to rid skin of dry sand before getting in the car. Keep cars smelling fresh Put a few sheets underneath the seat to freshen up your car without hanging something from your rear-view mirror. Clean the toilet Dryer sheets are great to use for cleaning the toilet – especially that crevice at the back that traps all kinds of hair and dust. Remove deodorant stains Keep your clothes streak-free (and smelling fresh) with a quick dryer sheet wipe on deodorant stains. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/home-tips/22-uses-for-dryer-sheets-that-arent-laundry?pages=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

What is laundry stripping?

Ready for an oddly satisfying way to clean your laundry? Laundry stripping is a method of washing clothes, sheets, and towels that allows you to actually see all the dirt and grime that’s hanging out on your supposedly clean linens. It’s kind of gross; but also totally gratifying when you’re done, knowing your laundry is probably the cleanest it has ever been. Here’s everything you need to know about laundry stripping – and how to DIY. What is laundry stripping? Laundry stripping is essentially a soaking method meant to deep-clean your laundry. The soak is done in a borax solution that removes built-up residue from detergent, hard water, body oils and fabric softener. What makes it so satisfying (but also might leave you slightly horrified) is that often the soaking water turns brown or grey from all the gunk that is “stripped” away from your linens! How to strip your laundry What you'll need is: Borax Washing soda (sodium carbonate) Laundry detergent Bath (or large bucket) Step 1: Make the soaking bath First, you’ll need a vessel large enough to soak the linens you want to strip. We recommend using the bathtub, but you also could use a large bucket or bin. Fill the bathtub with hot water. Add one part borax, one part washing soda, and two parts laundry detergent. For a bathtub, we recommend 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup washing soda, and 1/2 cup detergent. Gently stir the water to dissolve the powders. Step 2: Soak the linens Add clean laundry to the water, completely submerging it. Let everything soak about four to five hours, or until the water is cool. Stir the water and swish the laundry around occasionally; the movement helps to remove the dirt and grime from the fabric. Step 3: Rinse Remove the laundry from the bath and drain the water. (Don’t forget to admire the gross murky brown colour!) Now run the laundry through the washing machine, using a rinse cycle without detergent. Dry the laundry as you normally would; then enjoy your crisp, super clean linens! When you should (and should not!) use laundry stripping Laundry stripping is great for sheets and towels because those items are used frequently and can easily collect a build-up of body oils and detergents. If your towels feel less absorbent than usual, and your sheets look a little dingy, it might be time to try your hand at laundry stripping. Be careful with colourful linens, because laundry stripping can cause dyes to run. You’ll also want to avoid delicate linens like lace or embroidered pieces. Also, clothing isn’t a great candidate for stripping. Remember, laundry stripping requires hot water; so keep that in mind and check care label tags before you get started. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/what-is-laundry-stripping" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

4 easy ways to rejuvenate your laundry

The laundry is one of the hardest working rooms in the house. From washing clothes to being a stacked out storage space, it's easy to overlook making the laundry look nice as well as being functional. There are a few simple ways to breathe new life into your laundry room that won’t break the bank, and will keep the space working at maximum capacity. Give it a colour refresh When it comes to refreshing a small space, your colour choices can go one of two ways: using the same colours as the rest of your home for continuity, or use the opportunity to be creative. A citrus colour can instantly brighten a space, while green or blue makes sense for a wet room. To liven things up even more, you can always put vinyl wallpaper or fun prints on the walls as well. Streamline your laundry routine When refreshing your laundry, it's best to think of a way to enhance the functionality of the space by simplifying the clothes-washing process. An extended benchtop, a hanging rod for drying and a heated towel rail are just some inclusions that can boost how the room functions efficiently. Let in the light A dark laundry is not a fun place to be, so consider bringing in new lighting options to brighten the space. A statement pendant can add a decorative touch, while lighting strips under cabinets illuminate your workspace. Alternatively, harness the power of natural light by installing a skylight in the ceiling or swapping out a solid timber door for one with a window in it. Maximise storage options Get the most out of your cupboard and shelves in your laundry with clever solutions to declutter the space. Wall hooks for dog leads, tubs for kids’ sports uniforms, bins for dog food, labelled canisters for pegs and laundry powder and a rack system for brooms and brushes can all help to boost functionality, minimise clutter and capitalise on space. Now everything has its own place to help the room stay clean and tidy. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

It's in the trees: Climate change could hamper carbon absorption

From rainforests to savannas, ecosystems on land absorb <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/21/files/GCP_CarbonBudget_2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">almost 30%</a> of the carbon dioxide human activities release into the atmosphere. These ecosystems are critical to stop the planet warming beyond 1.5℃ this century – but climate change may be weakening their capacity to offset global emissions. This is a key issue that <a href="https://www.ozflux.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OzFlux</a>, a research network from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, has been investigating for the past 20 years. Over this time, we’ve identified which ecosystems absorb the most carbon, and have been learning how they respond to extreme weather and climate events such as drought, floods and bushfires. The biggest absorbers of atmospheric carbon dioxide in Australia are savannas and temperate forests. But as the effects of climate change intensify, ecosystems such as these are at risk of reaching tipping points of <a href="https://theconversation.com/existential-threat-to-our-survival-see-the-19-australian-ecosystems-already-collapsing-154077" target="_blank" rel="noopener">collapse</a>. In our latest <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.16141" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research paper</a>, we look back at the two decades of OzFlux’s findings. So far, the ecosystems we studied are showing resilience by rapidly pivoting back to being carbon sinks after a disturbance. This can be seen, for example, in leaves growing back on trees soon after bushfire. But how long will this resilience remain? As climate change pressures intensify, evidence suggests carbon sinks may lose their ability to bounce back from climate-related disasters. This reveals vital gaps in our knowledge. Australian ecosystems absorb 150 million tonnes of carbon each year Between 2011 and 2020, land-based ecosystems sequestered <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/21/files/GCP_CarbonBudget_2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11.2 billion tonnes</a> (29%) of global CO₂ emissions. To put this into perspective, that’s <a href="https://www.iea.org/news/global-co2-emissions-rebounded-to-their-highest-level-in-history-in-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">roughly similar</a> to the amount China emitted in 2021. OzFlux has enabled the first comprehensive assessment of <a href="https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/10/851/2013/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia’s carbon budget</a> from 1990 to 2011. This found Australia’s land-based ecosystems accumulate some 150 million tonnes of CO₂ each year on average – helping to offset national fossil fuel emissions by around one third. For example, every hectare of Australia’s temperate forests absorbs 3.9 tonnes of carbon in a year, <a href="https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/13/5895/2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to OzFlux data</a>. Likewise, every hectare of Australia’s savanna absorbs 3.4 tonnes of carbon. This is about 100 times larger than a hectare of Mediterranean woodland or shrubland. <hr /> <iframe class="flourish-embed-iframe" style="width: 786.354px; height: 600px;" title="Interactive or visual content" src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/9129848/embed" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe> <div style="width: 100%!; margin-top: 4px!important; text-align: right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/9129848/?utm_source=embed&utm_campaign=visualisation/9129848" target="_top"><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" alt="Made with Flourish" /></a></div> <hr /> But it’s important to note that the amount of carbon Australian ecosystems can sequester fluctuates widely from one year to the next. This is due to, for instance, the natural climate variability (such as in La Niña or El Niño years), and disturbances (such as fire and land use changes). In any case, it’s clear these ecosystems will play an important role in Australia reaching its target of net-zero emissions by 2050. But how effective will they continue to be as the climate changes? How climate change weakens these carbon sinks Extreme climate variability – <a href="https://theconversation.com/one-of-the-most-extreme-disasters-in-colonial-australian-history-climate-scientists-on-the-floods-and-our-future-risk-178153" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flooding rains</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/flash-droughts-can-dry-out-soil-in-weeks-new-research-shows-what-they-look-like-in-australia-161286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">droughts</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-angry-more-often-march-heatwave-signals-a-new-normal-13068" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heatwaves</a> – along with bushfires and land clearing, can weaken these carbon sinks. While many Australian ecosystems show resilience to these stresses, we found their recovery time may be shortening due to more frequent and extreme events, potentially compromising their long-term contribution towards offsetting emissions. Take bushfire as an example. When it burns a forest, the carbon stored in the plants is released back into the atmosphere as smoke - so the ecosystem becomes a carbon source. Likewise, under drought or heatwave conditions, water available to the roots becomes depleted and limits photosynthesis, which can tip a forest’s carbon budget from being a sink to a carbon source. If that drought or heatwave endures for a long time, or a bushfire returns before the forest has recovered, its ability to regain its carbon sink status is at risk. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454278/original/file-20220325-17-1u3m5n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Regrowth after bushfires return forests from carbon source to carbon sink. Shutterstock</figcaption></figure> Learning how carbon sinks may shift in Australia and New Zealand can have a global impact. Both countries are home to a broad range of climates – from the wet tropics, to the Mediterranean climate of southwest Australia, to the temperate climate in the southeast. Our unique ecosystems have evolved to suit these diverse climates, which are underrepresented in the global network. This means long-term ecosystem observatories – <a href="https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/13/5895/2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OzFlux</a>, along with the <a href="https://www.tern.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network</a> – provide a vital natural laboratory for understanding ecosystems in this era of accelerating climate change. Over its 20 years, OzFlux has made crucial contributions to the international understanding of climate change. A few of its major findings include: <ul> <li> the 2011 La Niña event led to a <a href="https://theconversation.com/droughts-and-flooding-rains-it-takes-three-oceans-to-explain-australias-wild-21st-century-weather-56264" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greening of interior Australia</a>, with ecosystems flourishing from increased water availability </li> <li> <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-heatwave-conditions-tasmanias-tall-eucalypt-forests-no-longer-absorb-carbon-176979" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heatwaves</a> can negate the carbon sink strength of our ecosystems, and even lead to carbon emissions from plants </li> <li> <a href="https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/13/6285/2016/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">land clearing</a> and the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720369412?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">draining of peatland</a> systems add to Australia’s and New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions </li> </ul> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/454281/original/file-20220325-22-sef4kn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Each hectare of Australia’s savanna’s sequesters, on average, 3.4 tonnes of carbon every year. Bryn Pinzgauer/Wikimedia, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY-SA</a></figcaption></figure> Critical questions remain Plans in Australia and New Zealand to reach net zero emissions by 2050 strongly depend on the ongoing ability for ecosystems to sequester emissions from industry, agriculture, transport and the electricity sectors. While some management and technological innovations are underway to address this, such as in the <a href="https://theconversation.com/us-scheme-used-by-australian-farmers-reveals-the-dangers-of-trading-soil-carbon-to-tackle-climate-change-161358" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agricultural sector</a>, we need long-term measurements of carbon cycling to truly understand the <a href="https://theconversation.com/forests-cant-handle-all-the-net-zero-emissions-plans-companies-and-countries-expect-nature-to-offset-too-much-carbon-170336" target="_blank" rel="noopener">limits of ecosystems</a> and their <a href="https://theconversation.com/existential-threat-to-our-survival-see-the-19-australian-ecosystems-already-collapsing-154077" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risk of collapse</a>. Indeed, we’re already in uncharted territory under climate change. Weather extremes from <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-heatwave-conditions-tasmanias-tall-eucalypt-forests-no-longer-absorb-carbon-176979" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heatwaves</a> to heavy rainfall are becoming more frequent and intense. And CO₂ levels are more than <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/documents/State-of-the-Climate-2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">50% higher</a> than they were 200 years ago. So while our ecosystems have remained a net sink over the <a href="https://bg.copernicus.org/articles/18/5639/2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last 20 years</a>, it’s worth asking: <ul> <li> will they continue to do the heavy-lifting required to keep both countries on track to meet their climate targets? </li> <li> how do we protect, restore and sustain the most vital, yet vulnerable, ecosystems, such as “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12176-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coastal blue carbon</a>” (including seagrasses and mangroves)? These are critical to nature-based solutions to climate change </li> <li> how do we monitor and verify national carbon accounting schemes, such as Australia’s <a href="http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/ERF/About-the-Emissions-Reduction-Fund#:%7E:text=The%20Emissions%20Reduction%20Fund%20is,technologies%20to%20reduce%20their%20emissions." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emissions Reduction Fund</a>? </li> </ul> Critical questions remain about how well Australia’s and New Zealand’s ecosystems can continue storing CO₂.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/179554/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caitlin-moore-1186446" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caitlin Moore</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-campbell-1328524" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Campbell</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Waikato</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-cleugh-155096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Helen Cleugh</a>, Honorary Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian National University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jamie-cleverly-238170" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamie Cleverly</a>, Snr research fellow in environmental sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/james-cook-university-1167" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Cook University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-beringer-1327013" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Beringer</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lindsay-hutley-157810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lindsay Hutley</a>, Professor of Environmental Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles Darwin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-grant-1195593" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Grant</a>, Science Communication and Engagement Manager; Program Coordinator, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Queensland</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-20-years-of-studying-how-ecosystems-absorb-carbon-heres-why-were-worried-about-a-tipping-point-of-collapse-179554" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

14 laundry myths that are ruining your clothes

Doing laundry is always a learning experience. Should you wash your clothes in warm water? Do all-purpose cleaners work for all stains? Read on to hear from laundry experts on what you should (and shouldn’t) be doing to your clothes. More detergent means cleaner clothes One popular myth you’ve probably heard is that using more detergent means cleaner clothes. However, the truth may be a bit different. “Using more detergent doesn’t make it work extra hard. Instead, it can leave residue on your clothes,” Brian Sansoni, from the American Cleaning Institute, tells Reader’s Digest. “You’ll probably just need to wash them again and over time these extra washings can make them wear out faster. Check the detergent label for how much detergent to use for your size load and washing machine, especially since many detergents these days are concentrated.” The hotter the water, the better the cleaning power Surely, the temperature of the water would have a profound effect. However, hot water may not have as much of an impact as you might think. “Hot water won’t necessarily get clothes cleaner. In fact, it can damage some fabrics or cause some stains to become permanent instead of being removed,” Sansoni says. “This is the case of a myth that may have been true in the past but detergents these days have been designed to work just as well, if not better, in cold water. Always follow the fabric care label.” The more dryer sheets, the better Too much of a good thing can actually, well, sometimes be a bad thing. “There is such thing as too many dryer sheets,” Laura Johnson, Research and Development at LG Electronics, tells Reader’s Digest. “Overuse of dryer sheets can reduce the efficiency of your machine by leaving behind a sweet-smelling residue and congesting your lint screen.” Wash clothes after every wear Sometimes, you may not need to wash your clothes every single time you wear them. “If you throw clothes in the washing basket to be washed after every wear, you may be over-washing some items and causing them to wear out prematurely,” Sansoni says. Unless it’s underwear or there’s a stain, it may not need to be washed. Overloading your washer with too many bulky items can damage your machine “Any larger items must be placed in the washer in a balanced manner to prevent laundry casualties,” explains Johnson. You can ignore the fabric care label As with everything, always read the instructions – and that includes the fabric care label. “There are times when it’s tempting to throw all the clothes in the washer and be done with it,” Sansoni says. “However, every piece of commercial clothing has a tag with care instructions from the manufacturer designed to keep the item looking its best. Learn what the symbols mean and follow those instructions to extend the life of your favourite clothes.” All stains are created equal If you think you can use the same laundry detergent for blood stains as grease, you might need to rethink that plan. The stain’s type actually determines how you can remove it. According to household cleaning expert Shannon Lush, blood stains should be removed with cold water and common bathroom soap, while to get rid of grease stains, simple squeeze a few drops of dishwashing liquid on your fingertips without water and rub the spot until it has changed to a jelly texture, then rinse with cold water. You can use body wash to thoroughly wash clothes It’s happened to the best of us. You put in a load of laundry and then realise that you’re out of laundry detergent. As a last resort, would body wash do the job? While hand/body wash will clean your clothes, it will not do as an effective job as a laundry detergent, since body wash has more gentle chemicals. “It is best to use items that have the right amount of stronger chemicals to provide a deep clean,” Leanne Stapf, of The Cleaning Authority, tells Reader’s Digest. You can only hand wash your bras Who here has hand washed their bras and then found out there’s an easier way to wash them? “There is a myth that you can only hand wash your bras which is not true,” Jené Luciani Sena, intimate apparel and lifestyle influencer, tells Reader’s Digest. “You can put them in a mesh garment bag zip it up, and put on a cool water gentle cycle with a gentle detergent in the washing machine.” Using hairspray to remove cloth stains This is untrue of course as hairspray makes stains worse, especially ink as it will spread it more. Instead, “blot some water on the stain and to make it more effective, use a versatile stain remover powder,” Robert Johnson, founder of Sawinery, tells Reader’s Digest. Filling the machine conserves water and energy What is a full machine, anyway? “Your definition of a full machine may be different from the manufacturer’s definition,” Melanie Musson, an insurance expert tells Reader’s Digest. “Washing machines are designed to work optimally with a two-thirds full maximum. If you pack the machine to the top, the detergent won’t be able to spread around and clean all the clothes and you’ll have to wash them again, saving neither water nor energy.” Visible stains are the only types of dirt you need to worry about on clothes You might think that a shirt is dirty when you see a stain, but there’s a lot more than meets the eye. “Your clothes might be dirtier than you think. In fact, only 30 per cent of the soils in your laundry are visible – things like food, dirt and grass stains,” Jennifer Ahoni, Tide Senior Scientist, tells Reader’s Digest. “The other 70 per cent include invisible soils made up of body soils like sweat and body oils, which if not removed by a deep cleaning laundry detergent will build up over time and cause odours, dinginess and dullness. Deep clean removes both visible and invisible dirt.” You only need to sort laundry by colours This might be good news for people who may not have time to sort through their clothes by colour. “While sorting by colours is always a good idea, you also need to consider sorting by fabric type,” says Ahoni. “Heavier fabrics such as denim can damage finer and more delicate fabrics. Make sure to always check the care label for the best guidance on washing and recommendations on other fabrics to wash with.” You should fasten buttons before washing How many times have you buttoned up your shirt before placing it in the washer? In fact, you may not need to do this at all. “Fastening buttons before washing can lead to the buttons falling off due to the stress the washing machine puts on the clothes,” Musson says. “It can also lead to the article of clothing getting stretched because of the uneven pressure the place of the button puts on the clothes when compared to a seam.” Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/home-tips/14-laundry-myths-that-are-ruining-your-clothes?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home Hints & Tips

Brian Laundrie's cause of death finally released

Image: Getty An autopsy report released on Tuesday has finally revealed that Brian Laundrie, whose disappearance sparked a nationwide manhunt in September after his fiancee, Gabby Petito, went missing and was later found murdered, did in fact commit suicide. In confirming the autopsy results, attorney for the Laundrie family Steven Bertolino stated that “Chris and Roberta Laundrie have been informed that the manner of death was suicide. “Chris and Roberta are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families." Laundrie’s remains were found in a Florida nature preserve in late October, one month after 22-year-old Petito was found strangled to death on the edge of Wyoming’s Grand Teton national park, where the couple had been travelling together in a van. 23-year-old Laundrie was named a person of interest in the case after he returned to his parents’ home in Florida alone in early September, then disappeared himself. The couple had been travelling across North America in a converted van and documenting their travels across social media platforms. The case gained national attention as authorities searched for both. Petito’s remains were found in Wyoming on the 19th of September, with her death being ruled a homicide by strangulation. Laundrie’s remains were found in an area of the park that had previously been under water during searches of the 25,000-acre nature reserve in North Port, Florida. Laundrie was never charged in connection with Petito’s death, but a federal arrest warrant was issued after a grand jury indicted him for the unauthorised use of a debit card which Petito’s family say was hers. FBI investigators have been searching for clues in belongings found near Laundrie’s body, including a water-damaged notebook, but are yet to release any statement on the progress of its investigation.

News

False fossils could hamper search for life on Mars

<div> <div class="copy"> If you’re an interplanetary alien hunter scouring the red expanses of Mars for signs of life, you’re more likely to come across <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/looking-for-microbes-on-mars/" target="_blank">microbes</a> than little green men. You’re even more likely to come across fossils of ancient critters that lived billions of years ago. But new research warns that chemical processes can create “pseudofossils”, potentially fooling future exo-palaeontologists. “At some stage a Mars rover will almost certainly find something that looks a lot like a fossil, so being able to confidently distinguish these from structures and substances made by chemical reactions is vital,” says astrobiologist Sean McMahon from the University of Edinburgh, UK. “For every type of fossil out there, there is at least one non-biological process that creates very similar things, so there is a real need to improve our understanding of how these form.” In a study published in the Journal of the Geological Society, McMahon and colleagues from the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford assessed dozens of known processes that could have created life-like traces in Martian rocks. Many chemical processes can mimic the structures created by microscopic lifeforms, like bacterial cells or carbon-based molecules that make up the building blocks of life as we know it. Stromatolites are one example of fossils that could be impersonated. These rock-like structures formed from layers deposited by communities of blue-green algae. Called “living fossils”, they are still <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/extremely-ancient-lifeform-discovered-in-tasmania/" target="_blank">found</a> in shallow aquatic environments today, and at more than 3.5 billion years old they’re among the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/earth-sciences/earliest-life-found-in-ancient-aussie-rocks/" target="_blank">oldest evidence</a> for life on Earth. But non-biological processes can produce pseudofossils that mimic the domes and columns of stromatolites. Surprisingly, similar deposits can build up in places like factory floors, where cars are spray-painted, as well as more natural processes like the deposition of silica around hot springs, some of which <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13554" target="_blank">have recently been found</a> on Mars. Another example of ambiguous fossils can be found in sandstone beds from the Ediacaran period, 550 million years ago. Animal and plant-like imprints are embedded in “textured” rocks, where the texture actually represents fossilised microbial mats that once covered the ancient sea floor. A joint Australian-US team has <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/earth-sciences/studying-fossils-with-ai-tech/" target="_blank">recently been awarded</a> NASA funding to see if AI can distinguish between rocks that are formed from biological signatures (like these microbial mats) or from purely abiotic chemical processes. The team’s ultimate goal is to apply similar machine learning techniques to geological images taken by Mars rovers. This new paper by UK astrobiologists says that research like this may be key to the success of current and future exobiology missions. “We have been fooled by life-mimicking processes in the past,” says co-author Julie Cosmidis, a geobiologist from the University of Oxford. “On many occasions, objects that looked like fossil microbes were described in ancient rocks on Earth and even in meteorites from Mars, but after deeper examination they turned out to have non-biological origins. “This article is a cautionary tale in which we call for further research on life-mimicking processes in the context of Mars, so that we avoid falling into the same traps over and over again.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=172969&title=False+fossils+could+hamper+search+for+life+on+Mars" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/astrobiology/false-fossils-on-mars-could-hamper-search-for-life/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/lauren-fuge">Lauren Fuge</a>. Lauren Fuge is a science journalist at Cosmos. She holds a BSc in physics from the University of Adelaide and a BA in English and creative writing from Flinders University. Image: gremlin/Getty Images </div> </div>

International Travel

Final body count revealed after Brian Laundrie search comes to a close

Image: facebook At least 10 bodies have now been discovered across the US since Gabby Petito’s murder as more remains have been found near where the vlogger was killed. Jared Hembree, 26, was last seen on October 21 in the park where Gabby Petito’s remains were found last month. Search teams found Jared’s remains on Uhl Hill in the eastern part of the park on Sunday, according to East Idaho News. Rescue efforts were launched on Thursday after police received a call that expressed concern about his welfare. Hembree’s car was found in the parking area of Game Warden Point but he was nowhere to be seen. Grand Teton National Park law enforcement rangers, Teton Country Sheriff’s Office deputies, and Teton County Search and rescue were involved in the operation. Choppers, a fixed wing helicopter, drones and rescue dogs were deployed as more than 80 people tried to find Jared. The 26-year-old is thought to be the fourth person to go missing at Jackson Hole this year, according to the Jackson Hole News and Guide. It comes just a month after FBI detectives unearthed the remains of 22-year-old vlogger Gabby Petito. Gabby was strangled to death on a cross-country road trip with fiancé Brian Laundrie. Her body was found on September the 19th. Laundrie’s body was found a month later at Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park, near the Carlton Reserve. FBI detectives found a partial skull but a cause of death is not established. The other bodies to be discovered during this time include a married couple found murdered in Utah, a man who died by suicide in a Wyoming swamp, and remains that were unearthed during a search for a woman who disappeared in a California desert in June. Sara Bayard, 55, was first reported missing on July 4. She was last seen at a convenience store in Parker, Colorado, on June 28. Gabby had checked in on Instagram at nearby Monument Rocks on the same day El Paso County Sheriff’s Office received the missing report on Bayard. Lauren Cho Perhaps the most high-profile body discovery mentioned in the thread came over the weekend as part of the search for Lauren Cho. Cho, a 30-year-old chef from New Jersey, vanished on June 28 after setting out for a solo walk-in California’s Yucca Valley desert. Authorities announced the discovery of human remains in the Yucca Valley earlier this month but have not said whether they believe they belong to Cho. Wyoming hiker suicide Robert “Bob” Lowrey, 46, vanished on August 20 while visiting Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, near Grand Teton National Park. The father-of-two was last seen on the Black Canyon Trail carrying a black duffel and a collapsed tent. His family had been searching for him for weeks but had no leads. However, Teton County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Sachse told NBC Dateline this week that it was the recent coverage of Gabby’s tragic murder that encouraged members of the public to come forward with tips about Lowrey’s last known movements. Lowrey’s body was found on August 27 and a coroner confirmed his death was a suicide. North Carolina remains On October 9, authorities announced that human remains were found by the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, where dozens of people claimed to have seen Laundrie in recent weeks. The cause of death was ruled a homicide. The FBI was quick to clarify that the recovery had nothing to do with the Laundrie case. “The body discovered along the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday is part of an ongoing investigation,” FBI officials told WSOC9. “At this time, there is no evidence to connect or any reason to believe it is related to the search for fugitive Brian Laundrie.” The remains were later identified as Josue Calderon, 33, of Rhode Island, according to the Charlotte Observer. Utah Newlyweds Two more bodies were found before the Laundrie manhunt began – but investigators have said it’s possible they are linked. Newlyweds Kylen Schulte, 24, and Crystal Turner, 38, were found shot dead in the La Sal mountain range in Utah on August 18, five days after they were last seen at Woody’s Tavern in Moab on August 13, according to Fox News. Alabama Man A body was discovered near a dumpster at a Walmart in Mobile, Alabama, on September 20, sparking rumours that it could be Laundrie. However, authorities quickly confirmed that the body was not connected to the Laundrie case. The person who died has not been named publicly but police said he was homeless.

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Brian Laundrie’s autopsy deemed INCONCLUSIVE

The remains believed to belong to Brian Laundrie have been sent to an anthropologist in an effort to determine how he died. The FBI said the remains of missing vlogger Gabby Petito’s fiancé were identified as belonging to Mr Laundrie using dental records. However, Florida authorities <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/brian-laundries-bones-found-where-parents-told-fbi-to-search-a-month-ago-lawyer/news-story/732bb9f8bac8703e165a4fc4f3a3ad3d" target="_blank">have said</a> the autopsy was inconclusive and a manner or cause of death could not be determined. Steve Bertolino, the Laundrie family’s lawyer, told The Daily Mail: “I can confirm that the remains were being sent to an anthropologist for further evaluation.” The decision comes a month after the remains were discovered at Florida’s Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park Reserve. Mr Laundrie’s partial remains were found, along with a backpack and a notebook, after a flooded section of the reserve was drained. “Chris and Roberta Laundrie were at the reserve earlier today when human remains and some of Brian’s possessions were located in an area they had initially advised law enforcement that Brian may be,” Mr Bertolino told NewsNationNow. Some web sleuths have theorised that Mr Laundrie’s parents planted the dry bag they found in the reserve, while others believe Mr Laundrie may have been eaten by an alligator. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> So we are expected to believe a massive manhunt, with the FBI, police and dogs were all unable to find a shred of anything connected to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BrianLaundrie?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BrianLaundrie</a>, but his parents go to the site a month later and in minutes suddenly find his belongings? Huh. — Victoria Brownworth 🎃💀 (@VABVOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/VABVOX/status/1450892944999960584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2021</a></blockquote> Mr Laundrie allegedly told his parents that he was going hiking in the alligator-infested reserve on September 13 - a week before Ms Petito’s remains were found. Tom Joyce, a retired NYPD commander, told The Sun that the remains likely suffered “a lot of post mortem predation”. “If the remains are skeletal, that means the tissue has been pulled away from the bones,” he said. “Most likely by alligators, crabs, fish, and stuff like that. “That’s what it sounds like to me because it’s definitely not long enough time for it to go naturally.” Following the discovery, the manhunt to find Mr Laundrie came to an end after entering its fifth week. Mr Bertolino also <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/brian-laundries-family-to-mourn-son-privately-without-funeral/news-story/2f31f07e238e2e3c71d8153bc1350c0f" target="_blank">confirmed</a> that the Laundrie family would be farewelling their son privately. He told TMZ that the remains, including part of his skull, would be cremated. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845060/petito4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/54d5246a38aa43e78378078bb0969455" /> Chris and Roberta Laundrie assisted with the search for their son. Image: Fox News “Getting the news your child is no longer with you is sad under any circumstance,” he said on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/brian-laundries-family-to-mourn-son-privately-without-funeral/news-story/2f31f07e238e2e3c71d8153bc1350c0f" target="_blank">NBC’s Top Story</a> program. “The Laundries have also been subject to people outside their house for four weeks and they’re continuing out there today, which is making it all the more difficult.” Ms Petito was last in contact with her family on August 25, and was spotted at a restaurant with Mr Laundrie several days later. After her remains were found on September 19, a preliminary autopsy ruled that her death was a homicide. It was later revealed by coroners that she died from strangulation. Image: @bizarre_design / Instagram

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Brian Laundrie’s autopsy deemed INCONCLUSIVE