As much as we may love the idea of always having clean, super-smelling clothes washed in the washing machine, let’s face it, we all try to limit our washing and not abuse with the use of this appliance to keep our expenses down. Judging by the bills, in fact, machine washing is yes impeccable but also quite wasteful. Did you know, however, that there are some tricks to use during washing machine washes that can save money on your electric bill? Well, yes! Let’s see together now what they are!
Basket almost full
The first tip we give you, of course, is not to start washing cycles with the washing machine almost empty or containing only very few items. Ideally, in fact, you should proceed with washing when you have enough garments of the same color or fabric to wash, so that you can put them all together. Obviously, however, do not overdo it, as if you overfill the drum, you will not only overstrain the motor, but you will also not allow the garments to have the material space to be washed and rinsed properly, and they may, therefore, stink to the point that you will be forced to proceed with a second wash. So, remember basket neither too full nor too empty!
No to prewashing
All of us tend, often, to resort to pre-washing especially in the case of very dirty clothes that have stains that are difficult to remove. Unfortunately, however, pre-washing is a very expensive option, which increases both water and electricity consumption. We recommend, therefore, that you avoid it and reserve this option only for very dirty laundry that needs deeper cleaning. If you want to save, then, further, it would be even better to proceed with soaking in a basin or pre-treating the stains, as our grandmothers used to do.
Temperature and schedule
In order to save money, it is also important to set the right program and temperatures, which can make a difference on your utility bill. First of all, we recommend that you go with a short cycle for those clothes that only need to be freshened and scented, so as to use as little energy and water as possible. If you have, then, a washing machine model that allows you, set the programs “ECO” , especially for longer washing cycles. As for temperatures, however, it would be better to avoid washing programs that involve very high temperatures and always prefer a temperature of 86°F/104 °F, which not only allows good savings but is also able to “protect” the most delicate garments. Since much of the energy consumed by the washing machine is used to heat the water, in fact, it would be good to always use low temperatures and wash at 90 degrees only the really very dirty clothes.
Energy class
Another trick to follow concerns the choice of the energy class of your washing machine, as it would be better to prefer newer models with classes such as A, A+, A++, A+++, which consume much less. As if that were not enough, then, many of the latest washing machines also have energy-saving features that will allow you to self-regulate and control consumption, adjusting energy consumption according to the weight of the load. In short, it is better to make a good investment at the time of purchase so you can save money on your utility bill later!
The right schedule
It may sound a bit strange to you, yet you can also save money by choosing to proceed with the use of the washing machine on certain days or time slots. Usually, you save the most in the time slots from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am or on weekends. In contrast, however, washing in the washing machine is most expensive from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, which is when energy demand is highest. Therefore, here is a more detailed outline of the time bands:
First Band: active from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 19:00 (highest consumption).
Second Band: active Monday through Friday from 07:00 to 08:00 and Saturday from 07:00 to 23:00 (average consumption).
Third Band: active from Monday to Saturday from 00:00 to 07:00 and from 23:00 to 24:00. Sundays and holidays are also active all the time (lower consumption).
Obviously, however, to this we must also add the type of contract, which can be Mon-hourly, bi-hourly or multi-hourly. We advise you, therefore, to inquire about your contract and use, then, the washing machine at the times when energy costs less as indicated by our contract.
