Most people don't like doing laundry. Well, if we throw in the fact that washers and dryers are some of the most expensive appliances to run, it's safe to say that no one will particularly enjoy doing their laundry.
It is important to remember that you must use water in addition to electricity to be able to do your laundry using a washer-dryer, which will add up to your household's monthly costs.
Since the majority of us wash at least a few loads of laundry each week, it is worthwhile to take action to lower energy consumption.
It is important to have a pretty efficient washer-dryer machine nowadays because it will definitely help lessen your electric bills (and it is also better for the environment). However, did you know that there are other ways to reduce your electricity costs besides purchasing an extremely efficient washer-dryer machine?
Check out these seven tips, which we strongly advise you follow, to help lower your electricity bills (via energy.gov and Consumer Reports).
Wash Your Laundry With Cold Water
Energy consumption for a load can be reduced by half by using warm water instead of hot, and further savings can be achieved by using cold water. High-efficiency (HE) detergents should be used when specified by the manufacturer and can help ensure that items are cleaned. These low-sudsing detergents perform best when used in water-efficient washers. Regular detergent can cause the washer to rinse the laundry too many times, wasting water and time, and it can produce too many suds for these machines.
Wash Your Laundry on Full Loads
No matter the size of the load, your washer will consume roughly the same amount of energy, so better to pack it full.
Do Not Overload Your Dryer
The drying time of the laundry will increase if the dryer is overloaded. On the other hand, it may also take longer for loads that are too small to dry. In addition, when only a few items are being dried in the dryer, you will spend more money per item. It is therefore preferable to dry the proper-sized loads for your machine.
Lower the Dryer's Heat Setting
Despite the longer drying cycle, you'll consume less energy by putting your dryer to a lower heat setting.
Use Dryer Balls To Cut Drying Time
Wool or rubber dryer balls can speed up the drying process by helping to separate your clothing and provide them with more air.
Separate Light-Weight and Heavy Fabrics
Avoid mixing heavy cottons with light materials. The dryer time for the lighter-weight clothing will be shorter. Drying and washing sheets and towels together is recommended.
Keep the Lint Screen and Dryer Duct Clean
Before each load, clear the lint screen to increase airflow. Use a brush to clean the filter once a month. To keep the air circulating, you should also frequently clean the dryer duct. This speeds up laundry drying and prevents fires.
