Most households worldwide use the washing machine to do their laundry mostly because of their busy schedules. Despite this, they need ways to save energy and cut costs. This is especially true in a world where energy consumption and environmental issues are becoming critical. That’s where we come in; we have compiled five energy-saving tips to save you money while you do your laundry.
There are different areas where we can adopt energy-saving techniques in our homes. But as a common duty, laundry has great conservation and financial savings potential. It can help create a greener future while retaining more money in one’s pocket.
In this post, we’ll look at five practical energy-saving tips to save you money while doing laundry. Follow along!
1. Use Cold Water
If you have yet to pay attention to the practice of washing your clothes with cold water, now is the time. Cold water conserves energy, which helps both the environment and your wallet. It can also get your clothes just as clean without worrying about making any sacrifices.
Many think washing their clothes in hot water is perfect for optimal hygiene. However, this is false. Even not all washing machines work with hot water; most of them work with cold water. For instance, the LG twin washing machine allows cold water to wash clothes. The brand has various models that provide temperature options, including a cold water setting.
Also, most detergents work better in cold water. And if what’s written on the clothing label specifies a certain temperature setting, you’ll want to consider choosing the cold setting when starting a wash load. As a bonus, cold water prevents your clothes from fading easily.
2. Opt for Full Loads
One of the energy-saving tips to save you money while you do your laundry is to wait till you have a full load before running your washing machine. This is because washing machines need a lot of energy regardless of load size. Running lower loads wastes energy and water because the machine operates at the same intensity regardless of load size. So, why not wait till you have a full load?
Still, not all washing machines allow you to regulate the water level based on the load size. Some older or basic models may lack this capability, making optimizing energy use in such instances difficult.
But you may do a few things to save energy if you don’t have the load-size adjustment option. First, avoid overfilling the machine, as this might reduce the quality of the wash and increase energy usage. Also, if your washing machine has a temperature control setting, select the lowest temperature appropriate for your laundry goods.
Even if the water is not completely cold, you can save energy by reducing the temperature.
3. Air-Dry Whenever Possible
Air drying your laundry is an age-old practice often overlooked in modern times. Yet, its financial benefits are obvious—you save lots of energy and cut costs. Not only that, but it’s also a great way to keep your clothes looking their best whether you hang them indoors or outdoors.
It has many advantages over a dryer, which can cause shrinkage and other fabric damage.
The process of air drying your laundry is easy enough. Spread clothes on a surface or hang them from an outdoor line with clothespins. Although it may take longer than tossing garments in the dryer, you can trust that your items are safe from heat damage while saving you money in the long run.
4. Clean the Lint Filter
Among the energy-saving tips to save you money while you do your laundry is cleaning the lint filter. During the drying cycle, the lint filter accumulates lint and debris from your clothes. But when it becomes clogged, it hinders airflow within the dryer.
This restriction compels the dryer to work harder and longer to dry your garments. Hence, it causes higher energy consumption and longer drying durations.
You allow hot air to travel freely within the dryer by clearing the lint filter before each load. This improves airflow, which leads to higher drying performance and energy economy. A clean lint filter also reduces the possibility of fire dangers by preventing lint buildup in the dryer’s vent system.
To clean the lint filter, look inside the dryer door or on the machine’s top. Remove the filter and remove any lint collection with your hands or a soft brush. Allow the filter to dry well before reinserting it into the dryer after rinsing it under running water to remove stubborn particles.
5. Upgrade to a New Machine
The last energy and money-saving tip while doing your laundry is upgrading to a new machine. Modern washing machines have advanced features that prioritize energy efficiency and water conservation. With these features, it’s no doubt that using them leads to significant long-term cost savings.
Newer models often include energy-saving modes and options that allow you to tailor your wash cycle to your specific needs. They use less water and electricity while yet performing admirably. They also have sensors and automatic load identification, which change water levels and wash times based on the load’s size and weight of the load, further optimizing energy and water use.
Conclusion
From using cold water to managing machine loads, these tactics benefit your budget and the environment. Adding these five energy-saving laundry practices to your routine will help your budget and the environment. Try them, and you’ll be glad you did!
