[Cindy in NY]

Check the instructions that came with your washer. When we did, we found that the regular cycle uses mush less electricity and water than the permanent press cycle.

Since I hang all my laundry, either outside or in the basement during the winter, I wash everything on the regular cycle. For things that I don't want wrinkled, I run them through the dryer for just a couple of minutes to soften the wrinkles before I hang them. The cost of these couple of minutes in the dryer is very little compared to the cost of the permanent press cycle.