Efficiency, Energy & Laundry (Part I-Washing)

The average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry a year and spends about that many hours in the laundry room. So today our conversation is about getting good results while reducing the energy use and money spent doing this necessary chore…….and maybe even saving a little bit of time in the process.

The first step is to make certain that when the time arises, you replace your washing machine with an ENERGY STAR® qualified model. Consumer reports shows that many models clean better while reducing the amount of hot water and energy used in the cycle.

And it turns out that the bulk of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. So you have two choices if you really want to cut washing costs—use cooler water and use less water.

Cool Water and Clean Laundry

• Unless you are dealing with oily stains, the cold water setting on your washing machine will generally do a good job. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load’s energy use in half.1
• Do a bit of research and choose a detergent that works well in cooler temperatures. Consumer Reports has a good review of both regular and high efficiency (HE) detergents. HE detergents produce fewer suds.
• If you have stubborn or greasy stains on a couple of items, try presoaking. There’s not much point in washing an entire load in hot water when all you’re trying to do is get a blackberry stain out of your six-year-old’s t-shirt.
• If you must wash in warm or hot water, you don’t have to keep your water heater at the factory default of 140F. It only needs to be 120F at the faucet furthest from the tank. You also could wash with hot or warm water every other load. That way, if you don’t feel like you get every bit of dirt out on the cold loads, the next time around you will.
• Use only cold water for rinses; there’s little benefit from using a warm water rinse.

Use Less Water and Save Time

• Clean only when necessary. There’s no law requiring clothes to be washed after each use. Socks and underwear probably need to be washed after a single day’s use, but for everything else, do the eye and nose test: Does it look dirty? Does it smell bad?
• In general, you’ll save more by running one large load than two medium loads.
• If you must wash small loads, be sure to adjust the water level.
• When the need arises, purchase an ENERGY STAR® qualified washer that has water sensors. It will also spin at a higher rate, removing more water and allowing you to begin the drying process ahead of the game. Idaho Power’s Home Products Program will pay you $50 toward the purchase an ENERGY STAR qualified washer.
• Use the right amount of detergent and use only HE (high efficiency) detergents when recommended for new high efficiency appliances or it may take additional time and water to remove the suds and residue.

1 - http://www.onlineuniversities.net/laundry