by CeeGunn

Created on: June 16, 2008

Everyone is interested in saving a little money, and one of the simplest places to save is in the laundry room. Here are a few tips for cutting your costs on Laundry Day.

1. Buy a new energy efficient washer and dryer. This is a large initial outlay of money, but the savings over the long run can be very beneficial. A front-loading washer uses less water than a standard top-loading washer, sometimes close to 50% less. Getting rid of your old, under-performing washer and dryer is a big step to conserving money and energy.

2. Only wash full loads. Washing a partial load of laundry in a full tub of water is very wasteful and will increase your energy bill. Many new washing machines have settings now if you are washing a partial load in order to conserve water. Be sure to use these settings to optimize your cleaning power and savings.

3. Wash in cold water. Over 80% of the energy used by your washer is to heat the water. These days, there are many excellent detergeant products that can clean your clothes just as effectively in cold water as in hot. If you must wash in hot water, for your whites, try using warm water instead. Even a simple reduction in the amount of heated water you use can create considerable savings.

4. Use cheaper cleaning products. Laundry detergeant and dryer sheets are items that we use all the time, so it is important to shop around to find the best deal. Don't be afraid to try new cheaper products to see if they work as well as popular brands. Most detergeants contain identical ingredients, and the extra money you're paying for a brand-name does not make your clothes any cleaner. Also, buy larger size containers, as there is usually significant savings by buying in bulk. The newest trend is super-concentrated detergeants in smaller bottles. Buying these can save you money per load, and help the environment as well.

5. Clean your dryer's lint filter at every use. A clogged lint filter can increase the amount of energy your dryer uses by up to 30%, and is a fire hazard as well.

6. Do an extra spin cycle on your wet clothes. Ensure that as much water as possible is wrung from your clothes before putting them in the dryer. An extra spin cycle in the wash should remove any excess water. Front-loading washer are better at spinning clothes dry than top-loading washers.

7. Use a dryer with an automatic dry sensor. Many older styles of dryers only have timed drying cycles. Newer models have a function that allows the dryer to sense when the clothes are dryer and stop their cycle. This conserves energy and reduces your electric bill because your dryer is not continuing to run after the clothes are already dry.

8. Use your outdoor clothesline. This is by far the best way to save money, and it is so easy to do. Clothes dryers are the third largest consumer of energy in our homes. Simply putting your clothes out on the clothesline on a warm, windy summer afternoon can substantially decrease your utility bills.

Saving money on laundry day is simple when you follow the above tips. Even choosing one or two tips to practice can lower your energy costs and add money to your freshly-cleaned pockets.

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