If you’re looking to lower your energy bills, there are a few simple changes you can make to your washing routine
As winter draws near and energy bills continue to soar, many UK households are seeking ways to reduce their expenses. One household appliance that can be costly to operate is the washing machine.
However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t methods to cut costs. Deyan Dimitrov, CEO and co-founder of Laundryheap, has offered some top tips to help reduce costs while still maintaining a clean home.
His first piece of advice is to decrease the temperature of your wash.
Most laundry loads can be cleaned perfectly well at 30C, which halves the energy usage.
Reserve your 60C washes for items like bedding, towels, and sportswear, as these are most likely to harbour bacteria.
If your machine has one, Deyan suggests using the eco setting to save even more, reports the Express.
The same principle applies to the tumble dryer if you have one. Lowering the temperature may seem counterproductive, but your clothes will still dry and your bills will be lower too.
Clothes fresh from the dryer might feel wonderful, but if they’re warm to the touch, they’ve been in for too long.
Deyan also cautions against stuffing all your clothes into your washing machine in an attempt to minimise loads.
Large loads might appear more efficient, but a full washing machine won’t thoroughly clean your clothes, so you may have to repeat the process.
The same goes for dryers – if they’re overloaded, they won’t rotate and dry properly.
A handy tip to check if you’ve overloaded your washing machine or dryer is to simply put your hand in. If there’s no room for your hand between the clothes and the drum, then you’ve crammed too much in.
Also, always make sure to untangle your laundry before washing. Smaller items can easily get caught up in larger ones, preventing them from being properly cleaned and dried.
Fasten all buttons on shirts, duvet covers and pillow cases to prevent smaller items like socks and underwear from getting trapped inside.
