As much as I am really looking forward to the holidays this December, I can easily do without the cold, harsh Canadian weather. I know many who love the winter but me? I'm more of a spring-slash-summer kind of gal who prefers a bike ride through the woods on a warm, sunny day to skiing in below freezing temperatures. There's something about being surrounded by Mother Nature's lush greenery and the scent of the outdoors in full bloom that makes me just plain happy. Now, with NEW Gain Botanique, I can bring the outdoors in and add a little extra joy on laundry day, despite the season!

With scents inspired by nature, Gain Botanique now offers a simpler and more responsible detergent that is made with a 65% plant-based formula free of dyes, chlorine, phosphates and optical brighteners. My favourite is Orange Blossom Vanilla but White Tea & Lavender is just as scent-sational. However, the sweet citrus smell of orange blossom blended with vanilla is always guaranteed to put a smile on my face. The fact that the product formula is made with 100% renewable electricity makes me even happier. 

On April 22, 1970, long before I was even born, people across the planet joined together in support of environmental protection. Since then, the annual Earth Day event has encouraged millions of people to participate in activities that help promote a more sustainable future. And each year, I am so inspired by the many efforts being made in our community to help reduce our impact on the environment, whether it be setting up e-waste collection stations, organizing tree planting meet-ups or participating in community cleanup events. But this year, I am encouraging you to make every day Earth day by making simple changes in the way you go about an everyday chore - laundry. By adopting more eco-friendly laundry habits, we can make a big difference to the environment. 

Here are some environmentally friendly laundry tips that I use to help get our clothes clean while staying green:

This Earth Day, join me in taking the Sustainable Laundry Pledge to reduce our environmental impact on the planet and support the WWF-Canada’s Count For Nature movement. For each pledge received, Tide purclean will donate $5 to support WWF-Canada’s Count For Nature movement up to $15,000. Simply visit tide.ca/CleanPledge, click on the "Pledge Now" button, and post your tweet. It's that easy.

If you have yet to try Tide purclean, be sure to keep an eye out for it the next time you're out shopping. It is available at retailers across Canada in both Unscented, as well as in a Honey Lavender. The first bio-based detergent with the cleaning power of Tide, Tide purclean is HE-Compatible, which means it works in all machines.

The word nature comes from the Latin word natura, which means "essential qualities, innate disposition". But if we delve a little further into ancient times, it literally meant "birth". This reinforces the idea that without nature, without birth, there would be no life. Nature sustains us and we, as human beings, are innately connected to it. With that said, it is up to us to help nature thrive, whether it be through planting native plants, cleaning up the neighbourhood park or promoting green practices at work. This is why I am happy to report that Tide purclean and WWF-Canada are working together in support of the Count For Nature movement, inspiring Canadians to take action and do something meaningful to help the environment. 

As a result of Tide's commitment to developing detergents that provide environmental benefits like energy and water savings, we no longer need to compromise green for clean. New Tide purclean is the first bio-based detergent with the cleaning power of Tide. It is hypoallergenic, free of dyes, chlorine and phosphates, and is also available in an unscented version. To celebrate this step in the right direction, Tide is teaming up with Grammy® Award-winning, Canadian singer-songwriter, and advocate for the environment, Nelly Furtado, to introduce the brand’s new partnership with WWF-Canada. Together they are encouraging Canadians to help wildlife thrive by joining the Count For Nature movement and taking action to benefit nature. Plus, from now until November 30, 2016 11:59PM EST, Tide will donate $1 to WWF-Canada's Count for Nature Campaign every time someone tweets to @Tide sharing an action they take to help nature using both #purclean and #CountForNature hashtags.

For ideas on how you can help nature in your community and “count yourself in” with the growing number of Canadians taking action to protect and restore nature, visit wwf.ca/countfornature. There you can pledge your support for protecting our oceans, apply for a Go Wild School Grant, or find out how to participate in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. You can even register for the super cool CN Tower Climb for Nature. Whatever steps you choose to take, be sure to share them on Twitter. To learn more about why I made the switch to Tide purclean, click here. For a Tide purclean coupon code, head on over to amazon.ca.

WWF-Canada thanks Tide for its generous support. Acceptance of this support does not constitute an endorsement by WWF-Canada of Tide or its individual products.

If you told me that motherhood doesn't change you, I would definitely beg to differ. There is something that happens to you when you have a baby, changes that take place even before baby takes her first breath. I believe its nature's way of preparing you as you take on the incredible responsibility of caring for another human being. You begin to develop a sense of preservation, an instinct that screams, Protect this child at all costs. It wasn't until my first child was born a little over a decade ago that I became more critical of the way we lived our lives, the products we brought into our home and the ways in which we could make a positive impact on the environment. Since then, we have purchased many a reusable bag, observed off-peak hours when tending to the laundry, and consumed more natural and organic foods than I can count. I have also tried several different environmentally friendly cleaning products, including laundry detergents, but oftentimes it felt like I was sacrificing "clean" for "green." 

Over the past few years, I made the switch back to Tide because I longed for a laundry detergent with enough cleaning power to tackle grass stains, dirt, and other everyday stains that are part and partial of having kids. When Tide introduced their line of Free and Gentle laundry detergent, I was so happy to discover that they had created a detergent that was free of dyes and perfumes, and that it was gentle on skin. But then, in September, Tide launched Tide purclean, the first bio-based detergent with the cleaning power of Tide, and in doing so, has taken a step towards a more sustainable future. The mama bear in me jumped for joy. Not only is Tide purclean 65% bio-based, as certified by USDA BioPreferred Program, it still boasts exceptional stain removal, brightening power, colour-care and efficiency in energy-saving cold water, just like Tide Original Laundry Detergent.

#ad A peak into my laundry basket of freshly cleaned towels. Introducing @tidelaundry #purclean, the first bio-based detergent with the cleaning power of Tide. And my newest best friend. #laundry #Tide #tidelaundry #tidelaundrydetergent #artofclean #review #Tidepurclean

A photo posted by Diana Mancuso (@torontomom) on Oct 12, 2016 at 7:50pm PDT

Since I first started using Tide purclean, I have tested it out on our cotton towels, on the kids uniforms and on our everyday clothing, without disappointment and with greater peace of mind. Why? Tide purclean is free of dyes, chlorine, phosphates and optical brighteners. You may also be surprised to learn that it is produced at a facility that uses 100% renewable wind power electricity, resulting in zero manufacturing waste to landfill. And yes, it is available unscented but trust me when I say, you have to try the Honey Lavender scent. It is a delightful potpourri of lavender, jasmine, orange flower and amber woods that is incredibly pleasant and mild to the senses. 

Tide purclean is HE-Compatible and is now available at retailers across Canada.

Find out how you can join Tide purclean and Nelly Furtado to support the Count for Nature movement.

Disclosure: I have received product and have been compensated to put Tide purclean to the test. The opinions on this blog are my own.

As much as the scent of original Tide will always evoke a sense of nostalgia for me, my detergent of choice these days is the new Tide Free & Gentle, now available in Tide Pods. It's not that my skin is sensitive to detergents. I simply prefer to limit the amount of perfumes in the home. Blame my post-natal olfactory bulb and the ultra sensitive sensory receptors therein. Too many scents can be overwhelming. Unless we're talking about the smell of freshly baked waffles in the morning...

After attending Cascade Blogger Day last summer, I have a new-found appreciation for the science behind detergent. So when I received a tub of the new Tide Pods Free & Gentle, I was very eager to try it out. 

Before tossing a load of laundry in my front-loading high efficiency LG washer, I placed a pod of Tide Free & Gentle. After a successful first load of dark clothing which included my designer Pink Tartan sweater, I threw in a bunch of whites consisting of mostly towels and the kids' white uniform tops.

Given that my kids' white shirts are seldom fully white, I decided to try out the new Tide Stain Release Boost. These shirts could use all the help they can get!

For the past several years, ever since Bounce introduced their Free & Gentle fabric softener, I have been using their sheets in the dryer to help control static. I rarely use a fabric softener in the wash but my bath towels have lost their softness and quite frankly, they need to be replaced. Once I've restocked the bathroom cupboard with fresh new towels, I'll be sure to use Ultra Downy Free & Gentle to keep them looking and feeling great.

* Update: I never really used fabric softener in the wash before and always relied on Bouncy sheets in the dryer instead but since I have been using the Ultra Downy Free & Gentle, my old, sad-looking bath towels have been given a new life. I can't believe how soft they are now! *

Please remember: Always keep Tide Pods and other detergent products out of reach children.

If you suffer from sensitive skin or simply prefer scent-free products like me, then have I got a giveaway for you. Enter the Rafflecopter form below for a chance to win a Sensitive Skin Laundry Pack valued at $45, which includes: