With the cost of living crisis putting financial pressure on households across the country, many are worried about the impact of rising energy, food, rent and mortgage costs and looking to make savings wherever possible.
Using washing machine, tumble dryer and laundry detergent lab tests, consumer advice company Which? has devised five simple steps consumers can take to save up to £162 on their laundry costs this winter.
Home products and services editor Natalie Hitchins said: “Many consumers are worried about huge energy bills this winter, especially given a lot of people are already feeling the pressures of the cost of living crisis. However, Which? has identified a few simple ways to cut laundry costs.
READ MORE: Strictly's Hamza hasn't cut his hair in 17 years due to 'rebelling'
“By making changes including washing your clothes at a cooler temperature, doing a larger load rather than smaller daily washes and switching to a cheaper detergent – you could potentially save more than £150 this winter.”
Here's how you can save a little extra cash on your laundry.
1. Wash at a lower temperature
The average washing machine costs about £77 a year to run four washes a week. Switching from 40°C to 30°C saved on average 38 per cent energy, or £29. Going down even further to 20°C saved 62 per cent energy, or £48 per year.
Lowering the temperature of your wash doesn't mean you need to compromise on cleaning power. Which?’s snapshot test revealed that unless you're washing really soiled clothes, modern machines will do a good job of getting them clean most of the time.
2. Keep your tumble dryer well maintained
Performance tests on heat pump dryers over 20 loads of drying and found that some machines ended up using 50 per cent more energy on the last load than they did during the first one. The main reason for the dryers becoming less efficient is because lower filters often get blocked up with dust and lint. The average heat pump dryer costs around £68 per year to do three loads a week, so this additional energy used due to blocked filters could add around £34 to the annual cost.
To stop your dryer from becoming inefficient, be sure to clean and empty the filter regularly.
3. Stop doing daily small washes
Quick programs - or speed-up buttons - slightly reduce how much energy is used, but not as effectively as doing bigger normal washes less regularly.
The effect of speed-up functions on cleaning and energy, carried out in May 2019, found doing a bigger normal wash four times a week ended up using 17 per cent less energy than the average of the three fast daily washes. This would add up to an annual saving of around £13 for the average washing machine.
4. Switch to a 'best buy' laundry detergent
Which? tested 36 different laundry detergents and found that the most expensive detergent tested cost 40p per wash, but one of the top-rated supermarket own brand washing powders costs as little as 8p per wash and cleans just as well. Switching to a cheaper detergent could save close to £67 per year - if you are using your machine four times a week.
5. Look for great value
Look for Which?’s "great value" badge on reviews, which indicates the product does a good job and represents excellent value for money. Great value washing machines and heat-pump tumble dryers start at around £400, while great value washing powder starts from just 8p a wash.
READ NEXT:
'Selfless mum' dies suddenly after birthday night out
Drug kingpin bought and sold millions of pounds of cocaine across the world
Audi at centre of arson attack which killed Liverpool grandad
Family run pub that 'fed thousands' closes its doors
People are only just realising what fourth side of a cheese grater is for
