 |
Your Energy Watchdog Disclosing privileged Energy & Environmental saving details since 1982. |
KITCHEN APPLIANCES - Clothes Washer
Washing clothes... We have come a long way from slapping some clothes up against a rock after soaking the garment in the water of a river.
The sobering point about that statement is the fact that people still do this in our world today.
So with that said, yes we should be talking about the kind of soap we use, other liquid additives, the process for producing and coloring the clothes we wear and the impact all this makes on our environment. Perhaps you have some facts to share on these topics, then send us an email for our Postings. For now we will discuss the amount of water and energy we use when washing our clothes.
Watchdog in Action: A FRONT Load washer is far more efficient than a Top Load washer.
Front Load Washing machine in a finished basement.HERE is the BOTTOM LINE:
Of all the energy used to wash clothes, some data shows at least 75% of that energy is used to heat the water.
So even if you have the most energy efficient domestic hot water heating system*, you can still save even more by using COLD water.
Some data has shown that 350 pounds of CO2 would not go into the atmosphere every year if you wash only with cold water. Can you imagine how much CO2 reduction would occur if we all switched to cold water?
Will dirty clothes get clean in COLD water?
YES and NO.Clothes worn from normal wear that need washing will get just as clean in COLD water. In fact, dirty clothes will also be just as clean. The heavily soiled clothes should come clean with WARM water thus still avoiding the use of HOT water.
Another step to have as part of your S.O.P. (Standard Operating Procedure) for washing clothes is to always use the highest speed for spin drying (except with delicates). By doing this you will increase your energy savings when drying your clothes in a Dryer.
For the ultimate savings use the Low Spin cycle
and a Clothes Line to dry.
* For more information on efficient domestic hot water heating systems, please visit our section on Heating.
