Like cleaning our homes, mopping the floors, vacuuming, and all other household chores, laundry is something we all have to do, even if we find it tedious. Since laundry involves water, laundry detergent, and power, it can get expensive to run load after load if you’re not doing it right. Whether you live alone or have a large family, it’s smart to learn how to do laundry so you save energy and money at the same time!
Energy-saving tips for the clothes washer:
- Wash clothes with cold or warm water
- Rinse your clothes with cold water
- Run full loads when possible
- If you have to run a small load, reduce the water level setting
- To remove excess moisture from clothes, use the extended (or high speed) spin cycle
Energy-saving tips for the clothes dryer:
- If possible, hang your clothes outside
- Hang shirts and blouses on a hanger to dry instead of putting in the dryer
- For slow and fast-drying clothes, wash them in separate loads
- After every load, clean the lint filter
- Clean out the dryer vent at least once a year
- Even though it takes longer to dry clothes, if you use lower heat settings, you’ll save energy
- Dry towels separately from lighter-weight clothing to save energy when drying lighter-weight clothes
- If you use an electric dryer, consider switching to a gas dryer to save on your energy bill
- Avoid stuffing your dryer because if it’s too full, it will take longer for the clothes to dry
- Switch loads when the dryer is still warm to use the remaining heat inside the dryer
- Use wool or rubber dryer balls to separate your clothes and cut down the dryer time
If you don’t already have them, we highly recommend investing in ENERGY STAR-certified washers and dryers, which use between 20 and 25 percent less energy than conventional washers and dryers.
Related: Preventing Dryer Fires