With the rising costs of electricity, I’ve been thinking about the different ways that we could all save a little bit of money. One of the areas that we can probably save some money would be by making a few small changes to the way that we do our washing and over the years, I think I’ve perfected my washing machine routine to use as little water and electricity as possible.
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t going to save you a fortune but when prices are as high as they are right now then every penny in your pocket is a bonus! I asked ChatGPT what the savings could be if the tips below were followed and it estimated 35p – 40p per wash based on current prices and considering none of the changes below are huge then that feels like a good amount.
A couple of pound a week is a tenner a month which, when you add it to all the other things you’re doing to save money, is a good amount to save.
So here’s my top tips to save money by changing your washing machine habits…
Wash at lower temperatures – modern detergents work just as well at 30°C, cutting energy use by up to 40%.
Only run full loads – half loads waste water and power. If you must wash small loads, use the eco or half-load setting.
Use eco mode – You might be fooled into thinking that a quick wash is a cheaper wash because it takes less time but that’s not the case at all. Eco mode takes longer to wash but uses less energy overall, as it heats the water more efficiently so eco mode is definitely the way to go.
Wash less often – I’ve learned that I don’t have to put something in the wash basket if I’ve only worn it once – especially knitwear. Sometimes (not always) it’s good to be worn again after a quick airing. 😁
Spin properly – I always do a full separate spin at the end of each wash to remove as much water as possible, so clothes need less time (and electricity) to dry.
Avoid peak times (if you’re on a tariff where this applies) – It’s a great idea to run washes overnight or mid-day when electricity is cheaper or if you’re with a company like Octopus who offer free electricity at certain times then use it during these times.
Clean the filter regularly – Apparently, a clogged filter makes the machine work harder which in turn costs more money to run so every now and again, my partner will clean our filter and he assures me that this is not only saving a little bit of money per wash (his figures so probably not accurate) but that it’s also extending the life of our washing machine.
Use cold washes for delicates – this saves electricity and is gentler on your more delicate clothes.
Skip the tumble dryer when you can – We do have a tumble drier but we rarely use it as I much prefer to line-dry our washing whenever the weather works for us and will often do a wash based on the weather outside if the conditions are right with a plan to hang the washing outside but as an alternative I try to use our clothese airer inside rather than a tumble drier.
- Switch to own brand washing powder / Capsules – Don’t think that you need to buy the more expensive branded washing products because the cheaper ones do the job pretty much in the same way. The only time I’d say that the more expensive brands are better is when there are specific needs, such as sensitive skin as there are certain brands that I think are proven to be better.
Upgrade if needed – This one pains me to say because I hate suggesting that you spend money but if your washer is very old, a newer energy-efficient model could pay for itself in savings.
Also, don’t forget to check out how to clean your washing machine!
Don’t miss out on future posts like this – receive updates directly to your inbox by email by adding your email address here and hitting subscribe. You can also follow me on Twitter or BlogLovin and I’d love to see you over on my Facebook page and on Instagram. If you’re interested, you can find out more about me here and while I’ve got your attention, if you’re wondering why some of my posts lately are a little bit less frugal then have a read of this post. 😉
Do your future self a favour – Pin this post for later.
Discover more from The Diary of a Frugal Family
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
