Save Energy on Laundry Day (2024)

FAQs

Save Energy on Laundry Day? ›

This means it is best to do laundry during off-peak hours or when other households use energy less frequently. Generally, off-peak hours are between 11:00pm and 7:00am on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays, but check with your local energy provider for more details.

This means it is best to do laundry during off-peak hours or when other households use energy less frequently. Generally, off-peak hours are between 11:00pm and 7:00am on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays, but check with your local energy provider for more details.

Take a look at your energy account and check your tariff rate. Most people will see that they have a lower tariff overnight, usually between 11 pm and 7 am. This is the best time to do your washing as you'll save money.

The “magic hour” to use your washing machine is from 7am until 8am, so it could mean an early start for some but this is when costs for usage are at the lowest.

Holding off on cleaning your clothes until the evenings either before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. This will allow you to not only save on doing laundry but will create heat that will help to warm your home. This will help you to keep your hands off your thermostat and will put even more money back in your pocket.

The best time to do laundry to save electricity is to avoid peak hours which are from 4 pm to 8 pm, and if you do laundry on the weekend, then you can save more electricity than the normal consumption.

Weekends, according to our oh so considerate providers of water and electricity, are also “low peak periods” so that's also the time I choose to do laundry. Check your bills and see if your provider charges differing rates based on the time of day.

Electricity is often cheaper late at night or early in the morning, so you can save on your electric bill if you run your heaviest loads during those times. These are typical off-peak hours when not as many people are using electricity.

In addition to conserving water, reducing the number of times you do laundry will also help cut back on the amount of laundry detergent you go through in a week. When you do a full load, you'll only have to use a cap-full — nothing more.

It is recommended to avoid doing laundry (or using other major electrical appliances) during your energy company's “peak hours,” aka the time of day when the electricity demand and price per kWh are highest. Hours considered “peak” are typically 4pm to 8pm, when people are returning home from work or school.

What is the most expensive time of day to use the washing machine? ›

If you're using your washing your clothes between the hours of 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, you will rack up a pricey energy bill as this is one of the most expensive times of day to use the washing machine.

"Night, early morning, or midday, when most people are at work, these are considered off-peak hours," says Matt Kerr, electrical engineer and co-founder of Appliance Geeked. "Because it puts less stress on your local power system, running your dishwasher at these hours can also save electricity."

So how much money are you really saving? Well if your average electricity rate is at 15 cents per kilowatt-hour, it averages out to about 50 cents per drying load. Average four loads of laundry per week, and you're looking at just over $100 in savings per year.

A wool dryer ball set saves you money

Over time, the cost of buying liquid fabric softener and conventional dryer sheets on a regular basis really adds up. A bag of six Heritage Park Wool Dryer Balls is good for more than 1,000 washes, and costs far less over time.

Washing Machines & Dryers

At eight loads of laundry a week, the average family uses both the washing machine and the dryer six hours each on average per week. Even with some of the more energy efficient models, the combined cost of doing laundry can add up to more than $115 a year for the electricity alone.

If you're using your washing your clothes between the hours of 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, you will rack up a pricey energy bill as this is one of the most expensive times of day to use the washing machine.

Washing Machines & Dryers

At eight loads of laundry a week, the average family uses both the washing machine and the dryer six hours each on average per week. Even with some of the more energy efficient models, the combined cost of doing laundry can add up to more than $115 a year for the electricity alone.

Use separate hampers, baskets or bins to differentiate between lights, darks and delicates. You may even consider having an “urgent” bin for things that need to be washed as soon as possible. Additionally, hang up mesh bags for socks to save yourself the time of weeding those out of piles of clean laundry.