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Thanks to the wonder of technology, laundry isn’t the chore it once was – but the tradeoff for these wonderful appliances is the amount of energy – and therefore money – they consume. Here are a few tips to make your laundry greener (metaphorically, of course!) and save cash at the same time:
• Wash in cold water to save the energy used to heat the water. If you prefer to wash in warmer water, use warm instead of cold, or use a hot/warm wash and a cold rinse.
• Skip the dryer. Hang laundry to dry, either on an indoor rack or outside on the clothesline. (And congratulations to the Ontario government for no longer allowing neighbourhoods to ban clotheslines.)
• Pick energy-efficient appliances. Even if they cost a bit more in the beginning, you’ll save money in the long run. Energy-efficient washing machines save you water, too.
• Only wash and dry full loads. The machine uses the same amount of energy to wash a full load as a half load – so by washing one full load instead of two half loads, you’re halving your energy use.
• Clean the dryer’s lint filter after every load. According to the Ontario Ministry of Energy, a clogged lint filter can cause your dryer to use up to 30% more energy.
What are some of the ways you make laundry day more eco-friendly? What do you think of community bans on outdoor clotheslines?
Today’s code word: laundry
Read more:
• 10 ways to conserve water in your home
• Natural stain removers
• Save energy (and money!) in your home
It’s also important to be conscious of which laundry detergent we use. The less chemicals the better! I don’t use bleach or fabric softener …and I only use natural detergent. Sometimes I also use baking soda, vinegar or essential oils.
Comment by Michelle — April 20, 2008 @ 9:50 am
I dry most of the clothes i was on the clothesline,even in the winter when we get mild days.it’s just terrific to experience the lovely freshness of everything when i bring it in and hang things all over.The dress wear i will hang in the basement and when it is semi dry i put it in the dryer for 20 minutes and then remove and hang on hangers till it’s completely dry.Good news i heard that the provincial gov’t will ban the law that prohibits people from using clotheslines in their community.it’s about time..
Comment by irene sacchetto — April 20, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
When I read the news last Friday, I jumped up and down and screamed! However, it doesn’t seem to have registered in our neighbourhood yet..there are no visible clothes lines out the back or the front of my house. This weekend I’m going to CanTire to get a line….
Oh, and that bit about cleaning out the lint trap in the dryer every time? I don’t know how people can go without doing this- my dryer, the poor old thing, just doesn’t work so well. I never forget because I’ve trained myself to empty the trap BEFORE I take out the clothes and to check it again beofere I start the dryer again. I didn’t do this for the sake of efficiency, but because a neighbour’s machine caught fire when the lint clogged both the trap and the venting hose!
Dryer sheets can be a fire hazard, too. That is scary. Liquid fabic softeners negate fire-resistance in children’s clothes and other specialist clothing, and also stop high-tech sports clothes from working as they should. It might make towels fluffier, but then it stops them from absorbing water when you try and dry off with them…. makes you wonder why anybody would use fabric softener, doesn’t it? Yes, okay, I know in some waters and some weathers fabric softener is an asset, but most of the time it’s unnecessary.
Another thing that’s largely unnecessary is the amount of powder and fabric softener needed, especially with front-loading machines. Years ago, I tried using half the specified amount to see what would happen, with no detrimental results. Again, it depends on your washing water how much you need, and I’m lucky with mine. But it cannot hurt to try.
Comment by Caroline — April 21, 2008 @ 2:30 pm