5 Best Water and Energy Saving Tips for Washing Machines

One recurrent activity done in every household is laundry. This chore is not only tedious to accomplish at times, but also consumes a lot of time and alongside that, water and energy. Energy efficiency only decreases the older the washer and dryer get. However, with these energy saving tips for washing machine, you can keep your utility bill down and help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.

1. Run the Cold Setting

Not only are most detergents formulated to work best when activated with cold water, but also a lot of energy is saved by sparing your washing machine from the task of heating up the water. This works perfectly for those loads that don’t have heavy stains and need a simple wash to brighten the colors and freshen the smells while ridding them of any germs. However, if there happens to be a heavy stain here and there, you can pre-treat it by rubbing some detergent into it or another spot treatment product before throwing it into a cold cycle.

2. Make Sure You’re Running a Full Load

Regardless of the load size, each cycle in the washer or dryer uses the same amount of energy and thus costs the same amount of money. So, hold off on doing the laundry until you have enough clothes to fill the machines because that is the best time to wash clothes to save energy. Of course, don’t overload them because that will cause another set of issues! When it comes to dryers, try to make sure most of the fabrics in that full load are similar so that they dry at the same time. Otherwise, you’ll be running a long cycle just for a few articles of stubborn clothing or towels while the rest of the load is dry.

3. Clean Ducts and Filters

Try to remember to clean out the lint after every drying cycle. By doing so, you’ll prevent the air from being blocked by the particles, allowing the clothes to dry faster. Leaving too much lint in the screen may also pose a fire hazard so it’s important to clean this part out often. The ducts running to the machines should also be cleaned out annually to maintain efficiency.

4. Increase the Spin Speed on your Washer

Although this may not be the best choice for delicates, increasing the speed of the spin cycle helps ring out excess water from the laundry right before it gets transferred to the dryer. This helps cut down drying time significantly, resulting in time, energy, and money saved. However, if your laundry is prone to being wrinkled, be sure to untangle and separate the clothes before tossing them into the dryer.

5. Dry Your Clothes the Old School Way

Clothespins were actually used for drying clothes at one point before dryers became standard. Many people still utilize clotheslines to naturally dry their clothes on sunny days. In fact, many delicates still require to be hung dry for proper care and maintenance. If your HOA or city regulations do not allow the use of outdoor clotheslines on property, then you can just as easily set up a drying rack indoors. Try to set it against a window for quicker drying time. Although this method may take longer, it’s basically free and the most environmentally friendly way to dry laundry. If you must use the dryer, consider avoiding peak electricity times to save on the bill. The best time to use washing machine to save electricity is before 4pm and after 7pm.

Although these tips help to save energy, the efficiency of your washer and dryer matters on the long run. If your laundry machines are particularly old, consider replacing them with more efficient models that are Energy Star rated. The best energy saving washing machine has high Energy Star ratings such as Maytag commercial laundry manual machines.