Reduce Your Energy Use by 50% with These 7 Green Tips for Laundry

Whether you’re an environmental superstar, or just looking to shrink your footprint, laundry is actually a great place to look for reductions. Many modern laundry machines are created with efficiency in mind, but even with all our advances, laundry equipment can still draw significant electricity and water. Fear not, WASH is here. We’ve got the proper use and responsible laundry practices that can reduce your energy usage by over 50 percent!

1. Remove Lint – Remove lint buildup from the trap before you begin your drying cycle. Built up lint can cause restricted airflow and poor dryer performance.
2. Avoid Chlorine Bleach – Utilize alternative whiteners like oxygen-based bleaches or for a natural solution, try lemon juice!
3. Launder by Weight – Keep heavy items like towels in their own wash load, separate from light-weight items. Separating items by weight when washing has the benefit of also making for perfect dryer loads.
4. Only Wash Complete Loads – It may seem like an obvious tip, but you can save some serious energy, time, and money by only washing a full load. Keep in mind, machines should not be filled beyond 75 percent of their capacity for best cleaning results.
5. Reduce/Reuse Package — Do your part and recycle plastic containers so they can continue their journey! Today’s detergent containers can become tomorrow’s water bottles and flip flops!
6. Cold Water Formula – Avoid using hot water when not necessary. Not only does the excessive heat speed up the breakdown of materials and colors, but ENERGY STAR estimates that nearly 90 percent of energy used when washing clothing goes towards heating water.
7. Skip the Dry Cleaners – Not only are dry cleaners overkill unless the material specifically calls for it, many rely on the use of PCE or Perchloroethylene, a known human carcinogen and potential water table pollutant.

You may not think “laundry” when trying to save the environment, but maybe you should! According to the Sierra Club via Sierra Magazine, every household that switches to cold water washing could eliminate up to 1,600 pounds of CO2 emissions annually, each!  When it comes to our planet’s health, every little bit helps; WASH appreciates that — that’s why we’re a proud ENERGY STAR partner and equipment supplier! Check out our website and social media for more articles, videos, and helpful resources!