Washing your clothes can be a very energy intensive process when it’s not done right, but luckily, there are some simple changes you can make to change that! Not only will you be helping the environment, but you’ll also be saving quite a lot of money, so it’s a great way to boost your home’s eco friendliness. When you are more careful with how you wash your clothes, it also helps to prevent damage and prolong their life, so this is an eco-friendly practice in more than one way. So, let’s get into it and help you to make big changes to your washing routine!
Choose An Energy Efficient Washing Machine
Firstly, if you’re in a position to buy a new washing machine because your old one is at the end of its life, then choosing an energy efficient washing machine is key to saving energy and money! Most appliances will come with an energy efficiency rating, with A being the best rating and G being the worst. So, you should aim to get a washing machine that is either A or B rated. You should also look at the cycles you’re able to run, for example if you only have a few bits to wash in an emergency, running a short cycle.
Energy efficient washing machines also should have a mention of the water usage of each machine so you can make comparisons there too. There are ways to make older washing machines run more efficiently, however if you are in the market for a new machine, then look out for the energy efficiency ratings.
Reduce Your Temperature
One of the most significant things you can do to save energy and money is to reduce the temperature that you run your cycles on. You can save up to 60% of the energy you use each year when you reduce your washes to a 30 degree cycle, and because of the quality of the washing detergents now, you don’t need to be washing on very hot cycles.
This is such a simple change that immediately saves energy but doesn’t change the end result of your wash. In terms of preventing damage to your clothes, this is one of the best changes you can make to help your clothes last longer. This is also the case with soft furnishings, as things like sofa cushion covers or bedding can really benefit from lower temperature washes.
Wash Full Loads
Another important change you can make is to ensure your washing machine is full rather than doing smaller washes. The same amount of water and energy will be used, and so you might as well make the most of it and wash more clothes instead of needing to do more cycles. You should always make sure your washing machine is ¾ full before you set it off, although it shouldn’t be much more full as you want to make sure that all of your clothes are being cleaned thoroughly and the load isn’t too heavy for your machine.
Use Eco-Friendly Washing Detergent
Many washing detergents aren’t eco-friendly at all, and so you should look to change to an eco-friendly brand that is more thoughtful in the ingredients it uses. Gentle washing detergents are also kinder on your clothes, again helping them to last longer. There are so many brands available online and in supermarkets that provide eco-friendly washing detergent, some of which are on a subscription basis that make life really easy and get delivered straight to your door.
Don’t Wash Clothes After Every Wear
Another mistake that many people make is washing their clothes after every wash. Whilst of course there are some items you’ll need to wash after every wear, like underwear, gymwear and tight fitting t-shirts, many items can be worn more than once and some may only need washing once every 10 wears, or even more. For example, knitwear and jeans barely ever need to be washed, unless something has been spilt on them. So, unless something needs to be washed, don’t assume that it has to be washed every time. This can prolong the life of your clothes and save you money, so it’s a win-win.
Air Dry Your Clothes
Last but definitely not least, you should air dry your clothes rather than tumble drying them. It saves you money, it’s more environmentally friendly and it increases the lifespan of your clothes. Whilst sometimes the tumble dryer is unavoidable in the winter, in the summer months, hanging your washing outside or on clothes racks in an airy room can save you a significant amount of energy and money.
