How to Conserve Energy when Doing Laundry
Doing the laundry uses a lot of water and energy. Here’s how to wash your clothes with a clean conscience.
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You Will Need
- 1 Eco-friendly laundry detergent
- 1 A laundry line
- 1 An energy-efficient washing machine
Steps
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Step 1
Get a green machine
If your washer is more than 10 years old, consider replacing it with an energy-efficient one. Energy-efficient models use half the water and about 35% less energy per load.
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Look for washing machines marked with the Energy Star logo.
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Step 2
Buy eco-friendly detergent
Buy eco-friendly laundry detergent. You can even make your own—recipes are readily available online.
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Step 3
Only wash full loads
Don’t do laundry until you have a full load.
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Step 4
Wash in cold water
Unless you’re washing baby clothes, wash in cold water. Ninety percent of the energy used in washing clothes comes from heating the water.
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At the very least, use cold water for the final rinse, which uses almost half the 50 gallons needed to do a load of wash.
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Step 5
Line dry
Line dry as much of your laundry as often as possible.
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Step 6
Clean the filter
When you do use the dryer, clean the lint filter every time so it runs efficiently.
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Check clothes in the dryer often so you don’t run it longer than you need to.
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Step 7
Wash at off hours
In the summer, do laundry in the early morning or late at night, when energy demand is lowest.
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The average American family does eight loads of laundry a week.
