Washer and Dryer
One of my favorite appliances is my washer and dryer. I love the satisfaction of putting dirty clothes into a machine and having them come back to me clean, warm and toasty. However, it's probably no surprise that your washer and dryer takes energy to work their magic. How can you minimize your carbon footprint the next time you wash your favorite t-shirt? Check out the suggestions below:
When you wash...
- Keep it cool Most of the energy used by your washer is used to heat the water. When you wash, set the temperature to either warm or cold instead of hot. Modern detergents are designed to work just as effectively in cold water and kill germs too. If things are really dirty, consider pre-treating the stains and using the pre-soak cycle.
- Make it a full load It's less work for you and your washer. When you wash a full load, you save on water and cut down on the number of cycles your washer does over the course of a year. Less wear and tear on your washer and less loads of wash for you.
- Use less detergent Not only are detergents designed to work great in cold water, but most detergents on the market are concentrated. If you have a side-loading washer, you can often get by with using even less detergent. When you use less detergent, you washer doesn't have to work as hard during the rinse cycle and you save money by buying less detergent.
- Consider an upgrade If you are in the running for a new washer or dryer any time soon, consider a side loading washer. These are typically more energy efficient and are better at cleaning your clothes.</ul>
When you dry...
- Line Dry Everyone always talks about the wonderful smell and feel of line dried sheets - there are even dryer sheets that are designed to mimic this sun-dried scent. If you are lucky enough to have a back yard, consider drying your clothes outside - even if it's just you bedding. It's the ultimate in solar power!
- Clean the lint trap Something as simple as cleaning the lint trap can make your dryer more energy efficient. Your dryer works by heating and circulating air. When you clean out the lint trap in your dryer, it makes it easier for air to circulate and dry your clothes.
- Keep it a full load Just like you washer, you can save energy by making sure that you are drying full loads of clothes. Also, don't add wet clothes to loads that are already half dry - your dryer will need to work harder and longer before all of the clothes will be dry.
- Cool it down Depending on your dryer, you might have a cool down cycle or perma-press or extra fluff. These cycles use the heat that has built up during the cycle to finish drying your clothes when they are almost dry. It save energy and can even save you from wrinkled clothes - which saves you from ironing later. :-)
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