Cheapest times to use washing machine - and 'most expensive' period to avoid (2024)

It's no secret that energy bills have risen significantly in the last year and of course households are looking for ways to cut costs.

One appliance that sucks up a lot of energy is the washing machine, but it's also one of the most used in the home. Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks that can make it more cost efficient with each use.

And one of the biggest mistakes people are making is putting on washes at peak energy hours - times of the day when power costs the most, reports the Express. Vivien Fodor, laundry category manager at home appliance brand Indesit has revealed the "most expensive" times of day to run the appliance.

According to the expert, for those on a time of use tariff, there are three houses in the day when it is more expensive for households to run their washing machine. “The most expensive time to run your washing machine is between 4pm and 7pm," Vivien said.

"Wash your clothes for less by maximising the start delay function to programme the machine to run outside of peak energy times.”

It is more expensive at this time as this is when people finish work, cook their dinner and do laundry. This results in the demand for electricity increasing, so many suppliers put their price per kilowatt hour up at this peak time.

For those who are not sure whether their utility supplier has a variable rate based on peak and off-peak hours, contact them to find out.

As well as avoiding peak energy times, households can also cut costs by making other simple changes, like turning down the temperature, properly loading the appliance and regular cleaning.

Read below to learn four simple hacks to keep energy costs down while using the washing machine.

1. Wash on a cold temperature

Since about 80 to 90 percent of each wash cycle’s energy usage can be attributed to heating the water, one of the easiest ways to save on laundry is to turn down the temperature.

A short 30 degree cycle should be perfectly adequate and will use around 40 percent energy than a warmer one. The expert said: “Cold washes place less of a strain on your energy resources, resulting in more pounds in your purse.”

For those who are worried that a cold wash won’t remove those pesky stains, Vivien suggested: “Try dabbing the garment with lemon juice and baking soda before loading into the machine.”

2. How much the appliance can hold matters

Their laundry pro urged households to think carefully about drum-size and capacity when buying a new washing machine.

She explained: “Machines with larger drum-sizes will use more energy than their more modest counterparts. A 5kg capacity is better for those who live alone, whereas a machine with a 10kg capacity is perfect for a larger family.

“If you have a large capacity machine, you can make the most of its capacity by running fewer wash cycles, which in turn saves energy and water.”

However, no matter the size of the machine, always wait until a large enough load has accumulated before running a cycle.

3. Limescale remover is essential

Keeping a washing machine clean is a sure-fire way to help prolong its life, and more importantly save you the cost of repairs, according to Vivien.

She instructed: “To destroy (yes, destroy) any limescale, add limescale remover to a hot wash every three months. Hot washes are generally more expensive to run but this one-off cycle could save you money in the long run by maintaining your existing machine.”

4. Load the machine properly

As tempting as it is to cram a washing machine with as much as possible to reduce the total amount of cycles, keep in mind that an overfilled machine “won’t properly wash your clothes”.

Consistent overloading can even bend the washer's frame or damage the motor, which will eventually require repair or replacement.

As a rule of thumb, households should still be able to touch the top of the drum when the machine is filled with their hand placed vertically above the laundry.

Loading the machine properly will ensure households get the most out of every wash, without the need to repeat the chore.

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