As you can imagine, running your washing machine and dryer can use a LOT of energy, but laundry day doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are a few energy-savings tips for you to consider while washing your clothes.
Saving on laundry is not confined to how you do your laundry, as when you do it can actually help you to save as well. Many energy providers charge higher rates for peak times or times in which there is a large demand for energy. Peak times are subject to change based on the time of year, as general energy usage habits vary. In the warmer months, you will likely find the best time to do laundry is in the morning, as most people will typically use energy in the afternoon to combat the increasing temperature. In the winter, peak times are earlier, as people try to heat up their homes right around wake up time.
Best Time To Do Laundry
Holding off on cleaning your clothes until the evenings either before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. This will allow you to not only save on doing laundry but will create heat that will help to warm your home. This will help you to keep your hands off your thermostat and will put even more money back in your pocket.
Laundry Tips for an energy efficient wash
For most people, the sorting, washing, and drying required of doing laundry is part of their weekly routine. Over time, this chore has evolved from a grueling and time-consuming task of hand cleaning to one of simplicity thanks to the washing machine and dryer. As you can imagine, running those machines for their standard duration can use a LOT of energy, but thankfully laundry day doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are a few energy-savings tips for you to consider while washing your clothes.
Wash with Cold Water
Washing with cold water or running your machine on the “eco warm” setting is one of the easiest ways to save money when doing laundry. The reason for this is that washing with cold water allows you to avoid using your hot water heater while doing laundry. The heater is what warms up the water used in the process of washing, but in order to do this, the machine requires a lot of energy. There are some instances in which it does make sense to use hot water, like if your clothes have grease stains, but it is important to remember to only use hot water when necessary!
Only Run Full Laundry Loads
In your experience doing laundry, it is likely that on one or more occasions you’ve thrown just a few articles of clothing in to wash. While this may feel like an easy alternative to having to do a full load, in reality, it is not the best route to take if you’re trying to save money.
The more times you have your machine wash smaller loads, the more times you’ll have to operate it and the more energy it will consume. At the same time, it is important to remember that it is also unwise to overcrowd your machine, as loads require a certain amount of room to tumble. Be sure to fill up your machine, but never let it be more than three-fourths full.
Dry Certain Materials Separately
Did you know that natural fabrics such as cotton and linen dry at a slower rate than synthetic materials? Especially for materials with more elasticity such as dry-fit athletic gear, the time required to dry for those clothes will be much faster than other materials such as cotton towels.
If you want to optimize the energy use of your dryer, remove heavy items such as towels, sheets, and bath mats to run separately. You’ll likely spend less time drying two loads of laundry than you would be running one with all the items together. Giving your heavier items their own time in the dryer will also decrease the likelihood of having to put clothes back in the machine for more time.
Hang Dry
This seems pretty simple, but the number of people who do not hang their clothes to dry is staggering. What skipping out on hanging does is unnecessarily cost you money in a number places. Along with the cost to operate the dryer, the heat generated by the appliance raises the temperature of your home, prompting many people to turn on their air conditioning to cool things back off.
Pulling out the clothesline or just a few hangers allows you to completely circumnavigate this cost or at the very least minimize it. If you still want to use your dryer, consider placing your heavier items outside while allowing your other clothes to machine dry. Your wallet will thank you later for taking advantage of the warm weather.
Clean Your Filter
As your clothes are tossed around in the dryer, the movement and the heat the machine generates cause some of the fibers from the fabric to come off. The filter in the dryer is responsible for catching those shreds to keep them from blocking the dryer’s vent hose. If you want to save some money on laundry day, be sure to clean your dryer filter before doing each load.
Though it is easy to forget, it is important because a clogged filter limits air flow and will slow the drying process. It also makes it more difficult to dry, resulting in more energy being needed to be put forth to allow the dryer to operate. An added bonus is that cleaning out your filter will actually help your dryer to have a longer lifespan.
