The first thing to do if you're looking to reduce the amount of money you spend on water and electricity each month is to address your laundry situation. A washing machine can be a serious energy guzzling culprit if you own the wrong one or you don't use the settings as efficiently as you could so here are some general tips on how to avoid throwing your money in with the dirty washing.
Wait until you have enough dirty laundry to do a full load as the same amount of energy and water is used no matter how much washing is in the machine. Doing a full load is the most efficient way of using your washing machine and it will also save you time in terms of hanging clothes up to dry, folding and ironing clothes and save even more energy if you use a tumble dryer as these also use the same amount of energy no matter how big the load.
If you live by yourself or you have a baby it can be difficult to wait until there's enough washing for a full load without finding yourself short of essential items such as underwear, socks or workwear and for those with children, school uniform, reusable nappies and baby grows are often in short supply. In this situation, it's important to use the half load setting on your washing machine which tells the machine to use just half of the water. If your washing machine is new but doesn't have a half load button do not despair, the likelihood is that the in-built software of a Bosch washing machine or a Hotpoint washing machine for example can sense when there is only a half load and adjusts the settings accordingly so you don't even have to think about it.
Turn the temperature dial down on your washing machine and save the energy used to heat the water to higher temperatures. Washing machines are seriously efficient these days so there's no need to turn up the temperature to get results even on stubborn stains but it's worthwhile also buying detergents that are designed specifically for lower temperatures. And stick to brand guidelines when it comes to the amount of detergent to use as many of us are guilty for using far too much and therefore wasting it and money.
In terms of lifestyle changes, if you're in the habit of wearing an item of clothing once and putting it straight in the wash, try to get out of it as often a pair of trousers or a loose fitting top or jumper can be worn three or four times before they genuinely need washing. A good habit to get into is wearing an apron while you're cooking and washing up, this will save those irritating spills and splashes which mean that item of clothing has to be washed. Following the same principle, use a napkin while you're eating and if you accidentally drop or spill your food you can throw a paper napkin away or put the cotton one in with the next wash.
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Hotpoint washing machines and Miele washing machines are available for great value low prices online so have a look today and you could be saving yourself money on your household bills before you know it.
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