Green Laundry

Wash out your family’s green grass stains and wash in even more green savings. The laundry room can be the busiest room in your house, and if your washer and dryer aren’t performing at their best, it could show up on your energy bill. It may be time to give your family’s laundry habits an energy-saving makeover.

“Busy schedules and full households can cause lots of wear and tear on laundry room appliances,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance®. “Home owners should take special care when using their washer and dryer to make sure they keep working efficiently. The harder an appliance has to work to do its job, the more energy is wasted in the process.”

Follow these simple tips from Mr. Appliance to help your laundry room conserve energy and money.

Washer:

• When appropriate, wash clothes in cold water. This saves the energy needed to heat the water.
• Wash full loads. Washing machines use about the same amount of energy for all load sizes, so fill up the load to avoid wasting energy.
• Use the high-speed spin cycle, to take moisture out of your clothes resulting in less drying time and more energy saved.
• If you have an older top-loading washing machine, consider converting to a front-loading washer, which uses about 70 percent less water.

Dryer:

• Keep the lint filter clean to maximize air circulation, energy efficiency and to help prevent a potential fire.
• Dry full loads and use the moisture sensor setting. Not only does this save energy, it also protects your clothes from heat damage.
• Keep the dryer’s outside exhaust clean to prevent dryer fires and reduce drying time, which saves energy. Keep the dryer at least four inches away from the wall to prevent kinks or tears from forming in the exhaust vent.
These tips are easy for you to do yourself, and can even help prolong the life of your appliances when combined with regular visits from your local appliance repair expert.