WE’RE all looking for easy tricks to save us money as energy prices hike up for winter.
And one expert has revealed the exact time you should wash your clothes to slash over £350 from your energy bills.
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A washing machine uses around 10% of a typical household’s energy bill and peak times of using electricity means it costs more.
But if you get your timings right you can cut 40% off your energy bills – which for the average household is a saving of £350 a year.
Nigel Bearman, home cleaning and laundry expert at Daily Poppins, said: “The biggest mistake we see people make is running their washing machines during peak hours, which are typically between 4pm and 7pm.
“This is when most people are home cooking and using other appliances, so electricity demand is at its highest, and so are the prices.”
The best time of day to wash your clothes
Firstly, you need to work out your energy tariff by checking your energy suppliers website.
If you are on a time-of-use plan, it will tell you the off-peak hours which are usually midnight until 7am.
But you don’t have to set an alarm clock or stay up all night to benefit from these cheaper timings.
Washing machines usually have a timer or delay start function so you can load your washing at anytime.
Just set it to start automatically during the cheapest hours, so the cycle finishes just as you’re waking up, reports the Mirror.
This allows you to take advantage of lower rates without having to wait to go to bed.
Switch to an Eco wash to trim down your bills
Most washing machines have an eco setting but not enough people realise the benefits.
On this cycle, your appliance will use both less water and less energy helping to trim down your bills.
Unless your laundry is heavily soiled, it will still come out sparkling clean on the eco wash.
Washing at a lower temperature also helps keeps clothes from additional stress that can wear down fibres and leave them looking more tired more quickly. You’ll also help avoid shrinking materials.
Demon appliances that drain your energy on standby
Appliances around the home can quietly guzzle energy adding extra pounds to your bill when you are not getting any use from them.
This can cost you a typical £45 a year but can be even more if you have a lot of appliances plugged in.
Here is a list of appliances that you should make sure are fully switched off or unplugged at the mains when not in use.
Leaving your TV on standby all the time can feel easier, but is costing you in the long term.
Keeping your computer switched on or on standby when you’re not using it wastes energy
A microwave is one of the appliances that will eat up electricity when left on standby. Unplug it from the walls and you could save money on your energy bill
Security lights can deter burglars by turning on automatically once someone is nearby.
But oversensitive lighting that turns on too easily can see you pay extra.
An electric towel rail can warm up your towels or help dry your clothes.
But there is a price to pay for this comfort, especially if it isn’t being used.
The exact amount you’ll save depends on your washing machine model and your energy and water tariffs.
Items such as towels, bedding and underwear should still be washed on a higher temperature cycle to help kill bacteria.
But an eco setting is perfect for clothes such as tops that have had light wear and need a light clean.
More ways to save on laundry bills
It’s not just eco settings that can slash your energy bills when doing the laundry.
Make sure you only run the machine when it’s fully loaded. Cutting down on a half full cycle each week adds up to significant savings over a year.
Consider using colder washes more frequently. A large part of the energy consumer by a machine is to simply heat the water.
When drying clothes, try to ditch the tumble drier where possible.
Drying clothes outside is easy and quick in the summer but there are lots of cheap gadgets that can help you in winter.
When temperatures are cooler, consider investing in a heated clothes airer which use far less energy than a drier.
And put your clothes on an extra spin cycle first to wring out as much water as possible.
