Jump to content

Energy efficient laundry


daiking

Recommended Posts

A weekend topic for the ladies... ;)

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/washing-machines-energy-consumption-laundry-uk-households-renewable-electricity-a8270561.html#commentsDiv

 

British households are using twice as much energy as necessary on laundry, new research has revealed.



Six in 10 are keeping their washing machines running at high 40C temperatures, using more than double the energy they need.

 

Christ on a bike, the wife would put everything on a boil wash if she could. 

 

My kneejerk reaction is this is just advertorial bolleaux to sell expensive detergent and more energy could be saved elsewhere in the laundry cycle. Our fabrics need the 40 and 60 washes, so does the machine to keep clean and the 30 wash prog on the machine is too gentle.

 

What’s the consensus from the resident energy-hadists?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I stopped reading The Indepenent years ago when it's format changed and they went for this single story on the front page crap. Too opinionated imo. The Times is so much more balanced. Chuck a few pages from The Sport in and @Onoff would be a happy bunny! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish my wife would fill the machine with a full load before switching it on!!!, I use 60’ for bedding and towels but 40 for anything else. If we decide to go E7 ( when the build has finished and we know our usage) I shall insist the machine is used overnight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I mostly wash things on 40 degrees unless I only have a couple of things to wash that really just need freshening, then I use the economy 30 degree wash which takes 30 mins but it doesn’t work with a full load. I try to ensure that the machine is full generally however and an excuse to have lots of clothes :D. I use a laundry cleanser but have no idea if that’s a marketing gimmick or not :)

 

I’m very inefficient when drying however as everything (unless it would wreck it) goes in the dryer. It’s too windy here most of the time to hang things out and I don’t fancy retrieving my smalls from next door’s garden! So it all goes in the dryer and gets put away later that day. I never iron. Life’s too short for that crap! The tumble dryer removes the creases generally coupled with choosing clothes carefully. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just about everything is done at 40°C, talking 99 out of 100 washes.

Not used the dryer (condensing one) on the machine for almost 2 years.

My best energy saving device was a 2 quid washing line, and I have half of it left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

Just about everything is done at 40°C, talking 99 out of 100 washes.

Not used the dryer (condensing one) on the machine for almost 2 years.

My best energy saving device was a 2 quid washing line, and I have half of it left.

 

This is obviously where efficiency lies but your solution does not scale well for larger households.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can imagine there are problems with a large family.  I also have the advantage that I am at home during the day and can always bring washing in quickly when it rains.

When the weather is bad, like it has been since November, I put my damp clothes on hangers, then hand them from the curtain rail. I find the windows being open a crack deals nicely with the condensation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wash all clothes on 30 and have done for the last 10 years at least. Sheets and towels at 60 and occasionally 95 for the sheets.   Having said that I rarely do dirty work.  I use vinegar instead of conditioner which also helps keep the machine fresh.  On the downside everything gets tumbled - though that may change in the new place where I will have an area I can hang things to dry out of the way.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wash most on 40 with a laundry disinfectant in as well. A wash below 60 does not kill germs or dust mites etc.  Anything heavier duty such as towels etc go in at 60.  Rarely use the 95 wash as I take my sheets to the laundry.

 

I also run my dishwasher at a min of 65 because the same applies for germ killing and temps.  

 

I use my TD a lot too and always for towels.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, lizzie said:

I wash most on 40 with a laundry disinfectant in as well. A wash below 60 does not kill germs or dust mites etc.  Anything heavier duty such as towels etc go in at 60.  Rarely use the 95 wash as I take my sheets to the laundry.

 

I also run my dishwasher at a min of 65 because the same applies for germ killing and temps.  

 

I use my TD a lot too and always for towels.

 

I pretty much do the same apart from taking sheets to the laundry. No laundry anywhere round here lol. Used to have a separate washing machine for dog beds in the previous house and that was in plan for this one but I haven’t got round to it so use one of the horse rug bags for dog beds / coats to try to save the filter. 

 

Love towels coming out of the dryer all soft and clean. Can’t see the appeal of them coming off the line all rough. 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, joe90 said:

I have told er indoors that we are NOT having a tumble drier in our new house.?

 

Rather you then me anyway that rather depends on whether she takes any notice too ;). Can’t abide wet washing draped everywhere and I don’t think it’s healthy having it drying on radiators causing condensation and worse. 

 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/you-should-not-hang-your-clothes-on-radiators-health-warning

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, newhome said:

 

Rather you then me anyway that rather depends on whether she takes any notice too ;). Can’t abide wet washing draped everywhere and I don’t think it’s healthy having it drying on radiators causing condensation and worse. 

 

http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/news/you-should-not-hang-your-clothes-on-radiators-health-warning

 

 

 

Ah but we have a large south facing conservatory ( well we will have), also MVHR which I am told is good for drying clothes indoors, Plus she informs me that drying stuff on a  line in the fresh air is best.?plus we have planned all the rooms and not included a tumble drier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, joe90 said:

 

MVHR which I am told is good for drying clothes indoors

It certainly is.  We have a pulley - shiela's maid - in our plant room, where our thermal store is.  Also a dehumidifier.  Clothes are dry within a few hours.  We don't have a tumble drier.  Colin    

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Hang on I do the washing in our house and I ain't no lady

I also do the cleaning, cooking, shopping, gardening, DIY, the lot in fact.

But, 30+ years ago I worked at a really horrible company with a bunch of bigoted wankers who assumed that because I lived on my own I must be gay (though I was called a b*mmer then).

I think it was Max Planck that said something along the same lines. "New ideas take hold when the old guard die off".

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, joe90 said:

 

Ah but we have a large south facing conservatory ( well we will have), also MVHR which I am told is good for drying clothes indoors, Plus she informs me that drying stuff on a  line in the fresh air is best.?plus we have planned all the rooms and not included a tumble drier.

 

I have MVHR too. Still wouldn’t be without my dryer :). Tumbles the creases out so iron free. Helps heat the house too given my pathetic heating system :D

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

I also do the cleaning, cooking, shopping, gardening, DIY, the lot in fact.

 

Me too now but previously the division of labour was pretty equal. I did shopping and weekend cooking, hubby did DIY and weekday cooking (as I worked much longer hours!), and we did our own washing. He would have done mine too as it happens but I didn’t trust him to be careful enough with my stuff and his way of drying was to lob it all on an airer meaning it looked like shit afterwards and needed to be ironed. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of our stuff gets washed at 30, but proper dirty work and gardening stuff gets done at 40 or higher (hubby's overalls are covered in oil and grease at the end of a busy week).  I occasionally do an empty run through with the machine on a boil wash to get rid of all the gunk that builds up.

The tumble dryer gets used if I'm in a hurry, but in the winter we have an open coal fire and I put the drying rack in front of it overnight and that takes care of most things.  I don't mind a crispy towel, myself, saves on using a loofah in the shower.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...