Washing Machine - Saving Money Tips

[jeffrey]

While your washing machine does use electricity to run, it's the cost of heating the water (85-90% of the energy used) that costs you the most money.

1. Always use cold water for the rinse cycle. Using warm or hot water for the rinse cycle has little effect on the cleaning of your clothes and is basically a waste of money.

2. Use a cold wash - cold rinse cycle whenever possible. Assuming that you average about a load of wash a day, running your washing machine with a hot wash - cold rinse setting will cost about $100 - $125 a year. Doing the same number of loads with a cold wash - cold rinse setting will cost about $10 a year. That's over $100 in savings and can be much more if you have kids and do more frequent wash loads.

3. If a cold wash - cold rinse cycle is not possible, opt for a warm wash - cold rinse cycle over a hot wash - cold rinse cycle. A warm wash - cold rinse will cost about $65 a year - still a $35 - $60 savings over a hot wash - cold rinse cycle.

4. If a warm wash - cold rinse cleaning isn't getting you clothes clean enough, use a warm water pre-soak before washing. Soaking clothes in warm water should clean the clothes just as well, if not better, than a hot water wash without soaking.

5. By using a cold wash - cold rinse cycle, your clothes should last longer. Hot water tends to shrink, fade and wear your clothes out quicker than warm or cold water.

6. Run the washing machine only when there is a full load. In general, washing one large load will save you more money than washing two small loads.

7. If your washer has variable load sizes and you don't have a full load, set it to the appropriate load size. This will use less water and save you money.




8. Do not over-wash clothes. clothes that need a light cleaning don't need to be washed as long as dirty work clothes.

9. Pre-soak (or use a soak cycle if you washing machine has one) when washing clothes that are heavily soiled. This will ensure that you don't have to wash the same clothes twice.

10. Use the proper setting for they type of clothes you're washing. If they are delicate or knits, use that setting if offered rather than the "regular" setting. This will use less energy and the clothes will last longer.

11. Don't put in more laundry detergent than you need. While the commercials make it look like you need a full cup to do your wash, many times you can get clothes perfectly clean with a fraction of the recommended amount of washing detergent.

12. Locate your washing machine as close to the hot water tank as possible. The shorter distance, the less amount of heat loss in the pipes.

13. Insulate any exposed pipes from the the hot water heater to the washing machine.

14. Set your hot-water heater thermostat to 120°F. A 10°F reduction in water temperature will cut the cost of washing a hot wash cycle by over 10%.

15. Don't throw clothes into the wash pile if they aren't dirty. If a garment has only been worn a short time, there may not be a need to wash it.

16. Before taking out the wash, set the washer to do another spin cycle. This will get more water out of the clothes meaning they will not take as long to dry in the dryer.

[MargaretKur]

Some laundry detergents are coming out with detergents especially made for cold water laundering. I'm using Woolite Dark to keep my black clothes from turning charcoal gray.

Tide has come out with a new one (if you go to their web site they have a questionnaire for you so you can estimate your savings by switching to cold water. In fact, they're sending me a sample by mail.

I think Cheer may have a new cold water detergent, too.

So, laundry lovers (or haters...), I'd be interested in knowing whether or not people are happy with the results of these new cold water detergents and whether in fact they see a difference in their power bills.

Margaret Kur

[rdhill007]

I noticed a $40 a month difference with my washing machine on cold water/cold rinse.
I also learned that my husband's uniforms can be washed in cold water/cold rinse and dried on low setting. I use the cheer for darks.
No more dry cleaning bills. Woo Hoo.

[arianeira]

I have always used cold/cold on all of my laundry with the Arm and Hammer "Free" (perfume/dye free) liquid. I also always use the delicate cycle on all of my laundry. I've never had a problem with my clothes being clean, and I've noticed that they all seem to last forever! Sometimes I think that people can be a little paranoid about getting their laundry clean and they end up abusing their clothes.

[GenericGen]

In addition to using sale priced off-brand detergent and softener, I also use homemade laundry detergent and vinegar as a softener rinse.

Genny

[Ima saver]

I read in the paper today that using hot water is about 35% of your electric bill. I always wash clothes in cold and only turn on the h/w heater when taking a shower or running the dishwasher.

[shelbylovesmelby]

I usually use cold water cycle all the way thru. They said on tv that any liquid detergent will work just fine in cold water. Tide is just trying to work that $ saving angle. (<-- I love the smell but I'm not willing to pay 3x the $).

I also like Jeffrey said use the shortest cycles (light or delicate) unless the clothes are really dirty. Less time it's running = less electricity used

[Ima saver]

I use trend detergent and it is only $1 a box!

[acezz4e_tish]

i have a front loader. ive saved lots just with that! i also saved by using vinegar in the rinse and liquid softener in the dryer. vinegar enhances the scent of the laundry soap and makes things super soft. i got a gallon yesterday for 1.69. that will last me a while and i use it for laundry, washing everything pretty much too. i found some gr8 recipes on about.com. they work and saved me loads. for the liquid softener, i mix it with water and let sponge pieces soak in it, squeeze em out and toss em in the dryer. one bottle should last 18 months.

[Tightwad Kitty]

Washing and drying clothes is another area that you can save money in.

Do the some math’s here on number of washing loads per year that you do and challenge your family do it, in the lease number times possible. It would a good math problem for the children to work on! 10 x 10 grid will do, to see if you can cut back here. That number loads per day from 1 to 10 across then down 1 to 10 days, doing that number of loads in each column. When this is up made it will give an 'Annual number of wash loads.' Look at these figures and see if you can do better than you are doing now!

Looking at the chart when made, you can see that timing of your wash can save you money and time too!

If you can do:
Single Household
One load, every 5 or 6 days that’s 73 or 60 loads per year.
Two loads every 9 days that’s 80 loads per year.
Three loads every 10 days that’s 111 loads per year.

Family and Multi-Person Households
Clutter Busters and Time Management people.
Will tell you that a family needs to stay on top of the family washing and drying in clothes dryer. Will need to wash everyday, one load at night and one in the morning. Putting the washing straight into the dryer or on the line as you take them out. That’s would be 730 loads per year or more. That just Two loads per day.

Questions to ask yourself:
How big is your household?
What sizes are your washing machine and dryer?
Does it take more than two hours to wash and dry in the dryer each load?
How much line space do you have if any?
How many loads can put on the line at once?
Would it be more economical to get a larger washing machine or dryer or an extra clothesline?
Do I need to wash towels and bed linen daily or every other day?

[rob62521]

I would suggest pretreating stuff before washing it as well, then it should come clean with one washing.

[starving_student]

I use purex (2,50$ a box at Target) and cold wash everything.

[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.

[Andysbunny]

My mom always used cold/cold, except for cloth diapers and my dad's stinky work clothes (oil+sweat=ewwww!) so I got in that habit years ago. I am going to try to hang up more clothes this summer, but indoors as our "homeowners assn" doesn't allow outdoor lines. Anybody else with this problem?

[shelbylovesmelby]

Originally Posted by Andysbunny

My mom always used cold/cold, except for cloth diapers and my dad's stinky work clothes (oil+sweat=ewwww!) so I got in that habit years ago. I am going to try to hang up more clothes this summer, but indoors as our "homeowners assn" doesn't allow outdoor lines. Anybody else with this problem?

Could you buy dowl drying racks & put them on your patio or porch?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

"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."

Does anyone agree with this? On my washer, you can select the time and speed of "swishing" in both permanent press and regular wash. The water level, too, of course. Permanent press does not have an extra rinse compared to regular. I just don't see where the extra water or energy use could come into play. The only difference I see is that permanent prees has a "cool down" period where the clothes rest before the rinse water comes in. If you've washed in hot or warm water, this gives clothes a chance to cool off so that the cold rinse water does not then set in the wrinkles. The only thing using electricty during cool down would be the timer.

But if I'm missing something I really would like to know.

[Cindy in NY]

It could be the age of the washer. Ours is about 20 years old. The instruction booklet has a chart which shows how long the different cycles are and how much total water they use. For us, the regular cycle is shorter (thus less energy) and uses less water. Not everyone's will be like this but it's worth checking.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Gotcha, Cindy. I had to use my neighbor's washer today and yesterday to do some wash for her. Boy, are our machines different. Her looks to be from the seventies but works really well. I'm afraid this is one of those things to which applies the line, "They just don't make 'em like they used to."

[Scamper]

Hi guys. I'm new here. Would like to share some things with you. Just need to find the right categories.

For starters this is for your detergent.
Take that plastic insert out of the top of your bottles. There is enough product inside for one or two more loads.

The manufacturers just want you to go back sooner than needed.

Also a repair man told me one day, forget the name brands. It's the agitation that cleans the clothes. Not the name. They all work.

[Scamper]

Was thinking. I also take that scoup out of the dry detergent. Then glue on four milk caps for a wheel barrow. Put in some top soil, and a small plant. Last stick it in my windows. Have seven now. so cute.