Nearly 90% of the energy consumed in a typical wash load goes to heating water. It seems quite a waste given that washing with cold water in most cases achieves the same results — only stains involving oil or grease really require hot water. In fact, hot water and abrasive wash settings can actually wear your clothes out faster.
Hand wash your laundry by filling a sink with water (at the correct temperature for the garments you are washing). Mix in ¼ cup of detergent. Add the article of clothing and knead it as if making bread. Place the washed garment in a bucket, then continue washing the rest of your clothes. When finished washing, drain the sink. Place the clothes back in and rinse them until the water is no longer soapy. Not only does hand washing reduce energy demands on the environment, but it saves your clothes from getting worn out and gives your hands a good workout.
Natural detergents such as Seventh Generation have less environmental impact than standard brands and work wonderfully. Opt for concentrated versions so you can use less, which means less packaging and shipping. Also, try to avoid individually wrapped products. If you live in an area with soft water, choose soap flakes instead of detergent. Soap is generally made of natural products, which are much better than synthetic detergents on the environment. Unfortunately, soap cannot adequately be used in hard water because it discolors clothes and leaves a soap-scum residue.
It comes as no surprise that dryers are also huge energy hogs. This issue can be addressed by first and foremost avoiding use of the dryer altogether. Instead, consider air drying your clothing on a clothesline when the weather and fabric type permit it. If it’s pissing rain or if gale force winds threaten to airmail your clothes to the next county, consider drying your clothes indoors. Hanging up a clothesline in your garage, basement or other area where you don’t mind getting your floor wet is a fine alternative to the outdoors. Ideally, try to set up your indoor clothesline somewhere warm and dry in order to hasten drying times. Make use of the heat radiating from your water heater and space heater, especially if locating your line in the basement. When the situation demands using an actual dryer, run it only as long as absolutely necessary. Avoid wrinkles from over drying and save energy by taking your clothes out of the dryer while they are still a little damp. Newer dryers have moisture sensors that shut off once the clothes are finished drying, taking the guesswork out of timing.
Other small adjustments can help save energy as well. Cleaning the dryer’s lint filter with every use and making sure the exhaust vent isn’t blocked improves air circulation and can even help prevent a fire. Drying your clothes in batches helps optimize the length of time for each cycle. For example, minimize the length of drying cycles by combining light fabrics such as undergarments and T-shirts, which require less energy to dry than bath towels, jeans and sweatshirts. Investing in a new Energy Star approved washer and dryer can save 50% in energy costs. Depending on the age and condition of your old setup, the payback period could be quite short.
I have designed my own process for washing clothes that is both efficient and convenient. I mix colors and whites along with all types of different articles (including synthetics). This may sound odd or even wrong, but since I set the washing machine to permanent press and use warm and cool water settings, it works just fine. Permanent press is designed to be gentle on clothing, specifically those articles which are “permanently pressed” — articles of clothing that have collar folds such as business attire. As long as none of your colored clothes are brand new, bleeding likely won’t be an issue. I have never once encountered this problem, even when I did mix in a new T-shirt.
After washing I set the dryer to permanent press and check up on it halfway through. At this point I take out the synthetics and anything else I might want to fold or keep from shrinking . By the time those are folded I take out all the rest and proceed to fold and store. Using this “permanent press — all in one” technique I only have to do one laundry load every couple of weeks. I have also moved away from laundry “static” sheets, which seem wasteful and unnecessary if you don’t over-dry your clothes. The chemicals in these products can also damage expensive synthetic articles. Save some energy and money (especially if you go to a Laundromat) and try these techniques. Your parents may have taught you to separate clothing and use harsh detergents, but unless you’re really getting dirty or always buying brand new red shirts, this technique works just fine.
Shown here is the Crosley CFW7700, which ranks as the cheapest model on ENERGY STAR’s Most Efficient 2011 list for large capacity washing machines at $649. This front loader offers a 25 minute quick wash cycle and a steam wash option.
Larger load capacity makes it great for families, but only if you have large enough loads to fill the machine. The good news is, this type of washer offers the ability to set the load size to small. Buying an undersized washer limits your options and requires more frequent loads. Look for other energy efficient washing machines on ENERGY STAR’s Most Efficient 2011 list.
