Energy-saving tips for your washing machine
- Wash clothes on the shortest cycle (e.g. "quick wash") that's practical for your needs. This means less water, heated to a lower temperature and a shorter spin cycle to save water and energy. Bonus: a quick cycle will cause less damage to your clothes over time so help them last longer.
- Use a cold water or 30°C cycle where possible. You’re only likely to need warmer temperatures for particularly dirty clothes, bad stains or underwear. A cold wash will not only save energy but help the planet too. It’s estimated that 60% of the carbon footprint of doing laundry is from heating up the water.
- Soak heavily soiled items before washing, and rub shirt collars or other stains with household soap. This avoids the frustration of having to repeat a wash because stains didn't come out.
- Wait until you have a full load before washing. Naturally, if you're running out of socks you might have to put a load on (in which case, remember to use the ‘quick wash’ mode). But otherwise it's best to wait for a full laundry basket to avoid wasting water and electricity. Similarly, bath sheets are typically heavyweight cotton and excessively large, so you could consider standard lightweight bath towels to save on energy.
- Use a high spin speed so your clothes come out of the washing machine almost dry, with little need for tumble drying. And, of course, when it comes to drying, hang your clothes up if you can rather than using a tumble dryer.
- Include occasional hot washes if you mainly do low temperature ones. This will get rid of bacteria and prevent the build-up of odours in your machine.
- Reduce the number of loads you do per week. The Energy Saving Trust recommends reducing by one load a week.
- Try to wear items more than once. You could even make a rule that you only wash things if they’re stained or ifthey smell.
Washing your clothes is only half the story - what about drying them? Read on to find out how to save energy when drying your clothes.
Energy-saving tips for your tumble dryer
- Dry similar fabrics together so the tumble dryer doesn’t carry on going when some items are already dry - which can also damage them.
- Clean the filters regularly to make sure they're free from fluff so your dryer will operate more efficiently.
- Use auto-dry rather than a timed cycle. That way, you won't be using more energy than needed.
- Don't overload your dryer. There needs to be a bit of room for the hot air to move around.
- Give clothes a good shake when transferring them from the washer to the dryer. This helps remove wrinkles and prevents tangled, twisted items from taking longer to dry.
- Try to do all your drying in one day; a second or third load can take advantage of the heat that has already built up in the machine.
- Take clothes out once they’re dry, as modern machines will continue to rotate to prevent creasing, and therefore use more energy.
- If your machine is vented, check the outside vent is in good working order and clear any dust or debris. This is best for efficiency and from a safety point of view.
- Keep your dryer in a warm room, if possible. It will take longer to heat up if it’s kept in an outdoor, unheated shed, for example.
- Consider alternatives to a tumble drier, such as a dehumidifier or heated clothes horse. There’s research to show they’re cheaper and more energy-efficient.
How to choose an energy-efficient washing machine or dryer
When choosing an energy-efficient washing machine or tumble drier, there are a few things to consider:
Energy ratings
Nowadays, washing machines, tumble dryers and washer-dryers all have much improved energy efficiency, due to the introduction of the EC A-G labels and improvements in technology.
Buying a machine with a higher rating than your current one can make a big difference to your energy bills as well as the planet.
Read more about energy efficiency labels here.
Energy-saving features
With modern machines you can often customise your wash cycles, which means you can choose the most energy-efficient option for your needs. Some even have weight sensors for accurate loading, and to determine how much water and heat to use. Such features mean that it’s easier to make your washes more energy-efficient.
Likewise, modern tumble dryers have built-in sensors that prevent clothes from over-drying. They are much better at drying clothes quickly and more evenly than older models.
Water consumption
The amount of water you use will impact your bills if you’re on a water meter. This applies not only to washing machines but also to washer-dryers. They consume a lot of additional water in drying mode as they use a continuous run of cold mains water to condense the warm vapour from the drying clothes.
The amount of water used for drying varies greatly from machine to machine, so if you only have space for a combined washer-dryer then research this point carefully.
How else can I save energy around the home?
Energy-saving doesn’t stop in the laundry. We’ve put together a guide packed with 100+ energy-saving tips for every room in the home. The tips are suitable for a range of budgets and can be small, quick changes or larger transformations.
