Clothes Washing & Drying

Clean your clothes without cleaning out your bank account.

• Always use cold water for the rinse cycle. Using warm or hot water does not get your clothes any cleaner.
• If you’re shopping for a new clothes washer, invest in a front-loading model. They cost more than conventional top-loading machines, but use roughly half the water per load. Plus, they are better at squeezing water out of the clothes – which lowers the electricity costs of drying them. Also, clothes washed in front-loading washers last longer because they are gently tumbled rather than twisted around the agitator.
• An ENERGY STAR®-qualified washer uses 35-50 per cent less water and 60 per cent less energy per load than most conventional washers.
• Run full loads whenever possible but don’t overload the machine.
• Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. A whopping 85-90 per cent of the energy used by washing machines is for heating the water.
• Make sure your clothes are as dry as possible before putting them in the dryer. Hang them until they are just damp or ensure your washer removes as much water as possible
• Separate loads into heavy, medium, and light items. Lighter loads will take less drying time than a mixture of items.
• Clean the lint filter after every load. A clogged lint filter can increase energy use up to 30 per cent and may be a fire hazard.
• Use a clothesline to dry your laundry – it’s the most energy efficient option of all. It’s free!