There are so many different ways to cut costs when washing and drying your clothes, and one crucial step is something that’s often forgotten about
Doing the laundry is one of those household chores that may not be everyone’s favourite – but it’s essential in order to keep your clothes, bedding and towels clean and fresh.
And while it’s definitely a crucial task, it can also end up being quite expensive. Sometimes, a lot of energy is used up on the washing and drying processes, causing bills to climb. However, there’s always ways to save, and it could be a lot simpler than you think.
With the cost of living crisis continuing to affect homeowners, cleaning and laundry expert Joyce French at HomeHow.co.uk has lifted the lid on some very simple ways which people can save money when washing and drying clothes.
And according to the pro, one of the most effective things you can do to slash bills is something that many people overlook – but it takes a matter of seconds to do.
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She says that it’s important to clean your dryer filter after each cycle. Although this is an easily forgotten task, it’s an important thing to keep on top of it if you want to keep your energy costs down.
Lint can very quickly build up in the filter, which is made up of fibre particles that are shed from the clothes after each drying cycle. If these fibres begin to build up on the filter, they can cause a clog – meaning your dryer will stop working as efficiently as it could, and it will also increase the length of time that the dryer takes to dry your clothes.
However, it’s easy to clean the filter with a damp cloth, or you can wash it underneath a warm tap. You just need to make sure it’s completely dry before putting it back into the dryer. Cleaning the filter also reduces the risks of fire, so it’s an important job to complete regularly.
As well as cleaning the filter, washing your clothes on a cooler heat setting is an excellent way to save a significant amount of energy, resulting in lower costs. Around 90% of the energy associated with running a washing machine is attributed to heating the water. So, the cooler the setting, the more money you will save.
It’s recommended that you wash your clothes at around 30 degrees to save money but also get a good quality wash of the clothes.
And finally, knowing how much detergent to use can also help prevent you from using too much and re-purchasing bottles too often, which can be pricey.
It’s recommended you use around 110ml of washing powder for each single load of washing, but you can use slightly less if you want to save a bit of money.
However, if you use too little detergent, you run the risk of your clothes not being properly cleaned when they come out of the washing machine.
On the other hand, if you use too much laundry detergent in your wash, the water may struggle to rinse out all of the detergent out of your clothes, and this can then result in residue being left on your clothing when it’s removed from the washing machine.
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