Does Laundry Affect Electricity Bill?

The current cost of living crisis has pushed up the price of energy, electric and gas bills. Research has shown that over two thirds of Brits worry about the impact of rising energy bills on their ability to stay warm and healthy at home this winter.

One question we get asked regularly here at Love2Laundry is this: does laundry affect electricity bill?

We will discuss the impact of doing laundry on your bills in this article, which we hope you find useful.

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Does laundry affect electricity bill?

When you use your washing machine, you are using electricity and energy. In fact, wet appliances account for nearly 10 per cent of a typical household’s energy bills.

But how do your washing machine and tumble dryer use electricity and energy?

Well, roughly 90% of the energy used by a washing machine throughout a load cycle is used to warm the water. The washing machine also uses electricity and energy to operate its motor, drum, pumps, automatic valves, and digital control panels. Sneakily, your washing machine (like most household appliances) also uses electricity even when there is no load cycle being washed. This is called standby electricity, which will add more money on to your electricity bill, unless you switch off the mains plug altogether when you don’t need to use the washing machine.

While your tumble dryer uses electricity to power a motor that turns the drum and a fan that blows hot air.

How much electricity does it cost to run a washing machine and tumble dryer?

On average, a 2100 W washing machine costs 71p per hour to run, while a 2500 W tumble dryer costs 85p per hour to run. In comparison, per hour, a plasma tv costs 12p, while a fridge-freezer costs 10p. As you can see, washing machines and tumble dryers are among the biggest, most powerful, and most expensive household appliances to run.

So, does laundry affect electricity bill?

The answer is, yes. With every load of washing you do, it takes energy and electricity to get it all clean and dry, which will be reflected in your bills.

How can I save on my electricity and energy bills when doing laundry?

Follow these tips below to reduce your bills:

• Outsource your laundry to a professional laundry company. Getting your clothes professionally cleaned or dry cleaned means you will be using your own washing machine and tumble dryer far less. This would allow you to make great savings on your utility bills!

• Buy energy monitoring plugs, which tell you how much electricity your household appliance is using.
• Pre-treat the stubborn stains on your dirty laundry items, before washing them. Heavily soiled clothing will require a hotter, more powerful wash, which will require more electricity and energy.
• Look at your wash cycle length and water temperature. If you keep your clothes in the washing machine for the longest possible time, on the highest heat setting, then this will cost you more money, as more electricity and energy is being used. Why not try washing your clothes for 30 minutes at 30 degrees, which could save you £54 a year?
• Avoid using your washing machine and tumble dryer between 4pm and 7pm, as this is the most popular and expensive period; do your laundry between 10pm and 5am instead, which is the cheapest possible time.
• Always wash your clothes in a full load. Don’t be tempted to throw your best shirt and a few socks inside the washing machine, and only wash those. You should always wait until your laundry basket is full before you put a wash cycle on, as this will help keep your utility bills down.

  

• Use a drying rack or outdoors washing line to dry your wet clothes, rather than using a tumble dryer.
• Don’t forget to clean the inside of your washing machine regularly, to remove fluff and dirt which can accumulate inside. You should inspect your washing machine to check it is in good condition, as any faults may result in increased utility bills and your clothes not being cleaned properly. For instance, a broken sensorwill cause your washing machine to spin quickly and then stop, in a continuous cycle; this adds to the time it takes to complete a wash and will use substantially more energy.
• Washing your clothes in cold water is a great money-saving hack, as the washing machine requires more power, electricity, and energy to clean clothes in hot water.

How to choose an energy-efficient washing machine

If you are thinking of trading your current washing machine in for a more energy-efficient model, then there are a few things to consider:

• Only buy the size you need. If you live alone, but you buy a family-sized washing machine, then you may be using more water, electricity, and energy than you actually need, with every wash load.
• When shopping for washing machines, read the energy label on each appliance. This label will tell you valuable information including the annual energy consumption, annual water consumption, spin drying efficiency, and noise level. The washing machine will also be graded from A+++ (the most efficient) to D (the least efficient) in ‘energy class.’ This tells you how much energy the appliance uses, and how efficient it is.
• Choose a front-loading washing machine, as opposed to a top-loading washing machine. Front-loading washing machines use about 45% less energy and 50% less water than a top- loading washing machine.

How do you hand wash clothes?

Hand washing your laundry is a great way to cut down on utility bills. It is very effective at removing stains, dirt, and grime.

Firstly, separate your garments by colour and soak them in a tub of lukewarm water. Add a teaspoon of mild detergent and let the garments sit for 10 minutes.

Then, carefully move the garments around in the tub, to remove the dirt and grime. You must not wring the fabric or scrub it harshly, as this can damage the fibres. Rinse and repeat.

Then, dry the garments outside in the fresh air, or in a well-ventilated area indoors.

Another neat trick is to place your wet clothes on a clean towel, and then roll the towel up. Leave it for a couple of hours, and once you unroll the towel, your clothes will be almost completely dry!

Where can I find an online laundry service?

Here at Love2Laundry, we are an on-demand laundry company, serving London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bolton and Bury.

We provide a door-to-door service, so we will collect your dirty laundry and we will wash, dry and fold or hang them up, and then deliver them straight to your door!

We also offer ironing services across London, as well as dry cleaning, shoe repairs, upholstery cleaning and alterations.

All you have to do is make an order online on our website, or through our mobile app (which is available for iOS and Android).

You can choose a location and time slot that works for you, and our friendly couriers will collect your laundry items. We will then professionally clean your items and return them to you- all within 24 hours!

Our prices are affordable- for example, the ‘wash, dry, and fold’ package starts from £2.65 per kg.

See the prices on our website here.

At Love2Laundry, we are not your typical launderette. We operate a cashless system, so you will pay for your order via our mobile app or online via our website. We accept various forms of payment including American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

No more worrying about finding the correct change, or physically dropping off your laundry items- simply input your order with just a click of your fingers, and the rest is up to us!

Using a laundry service is a huge time-saver, because you can choose whichever time slot works for you, you won’t have to leave your home to drop off your dirty laundry, and your clothes will be cleaned to a brilliant, professional finish.

About Love2Laundry

Love2Laundry is one of the leading laundry service providers in the UK, serving London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bolton and Bury.

We have an array of services to make things easy for you: from laundry and dry cleaning, to linen services, ironing, shoe repairs, upholstery cleaning and alterations.

We provide an exceptional service: we are proud of our expert cleaners and our state-of-the-art workshops where your laundry and dry cleaning is done.

Find out more about Love2Laundry’s dry cleaning and laundry services by visiting our website here.

Download our Love2Laundry app on the Apple App Store here or on Google Play here.

Contact us at 0203 600 0296 or info@love2laundry.com

We hope you now have the answer to the question ‘does laundry affect electricity bill?’

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