Cheap, Green Laundry: Cut Back On Energy

New York Times:

Laundry takes up a lot of energy -- nearly 7 percent of a household's electricity use (most of that for the dryer), according to 2001 Energy Information Agency figures, the most recent available.

There are some easy ways to save money -- and energy -- by laundering more efficiently. Personally, I have always washed clothes in cold water, ever since my favorite sweater shrank in warm-cold when I was in seventh grade (O.K., it was wool: my mistake).

Since much of the energy going into a washing machine serves to heat the water, this also saves energy, though experts recommend washing in warm-cold -- for better sanitation -- and then rinsing in cold alone.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[Trittydi]

With the dryer - I sometimes dry two loads together if they aren't too large and the same settings work for both. I sometimes throw a dry towel or two into a load - it helps them dry faster. I think the additional - and absorbent - contact helps.

I rarely let clothes dry completely. I take them out early - when they are part dry and can finish drying on hangers in the closet.
*

[GearheadGeek]

While the full article does say that front-loading washers are generally more efficient than top-loaders, they didn't point out that front-loaders ALSO lead to more efficient drying. Front loaders typically extract much more of the water from clothes because they spin faster. The clothes aren't as wet when you put the IN the dryer, so the dryer requires less energy to dry them. This works especially well if you use the sensor-dry cycle, the dryer will detect when the clothes are dry and stop.

[TimmySlagle]

Imagine how much energy we could save if we all just stopped washing our clothes.

It worked for our Forefathers!

[Gasparilla]

No one suggested that, but do you have anything to offer beside snarky infantile comments on why we shouldn't even try to cut energy use?

[TimmySlagle]

Absolutely,

If you want to save money by hanging your laundry outside, cool. I don't even mind if you wash it down by the river on rocks. Each person has to decide what's best for themselves.

But it's somewhat hypocritical to imagine, that by only using a washing machine, you are "saving the planet." (Much of the world does quite well without washing machines.) You're still putting CO2 into the atmosphere, just for the sake of your convenience.

And if you can tell me that I don't need a dryer, I can tell you, that you don't need to wash your clothes.

[jalyn]

I started to do this two years ago and it's saved me10% on our utility bill. I hang them out on our patio deck out of sight from neighbors, so no one can see our skivvies..­...and we have a beautiful wind, so it does save energy.

[vejzagic]

Obviously if you really tried that you'd know that in an hour your clothes would be full of bird poop, pollen and dust. I tried and that happen to me.

[KillTheMessenger]

Wow... my Mom did that for decades and there was not one piece of bird poop ever... she must have done something differently.

[Exusian]

We've always hung our laundry outside to dry, just as our mothers did. Get a grip.

[PeepingTom]

My mom used to hang clothes in the garage to dry. No bird poop there.
But sometimes, a few spiders...­eeks

[mamacat]

Using cold water to wash and hanging most things up to dry makes a lot of sense, if one lives in a moderate climate and has the room.

I think many people are embarassed to be seen hanging up clothes to dry, just like they are embarassed to be seen in an economical car. Sometimes, keeping up with the Joneses means one has to be seen to waste a lot of resources.

[ENK727]

Best to hang out things like jeans and sheets and items that take forever to dry in the dryer. On a sunny breezy day things dry so fast outside.