Washing machines are essential, however, they contribute a lot to your energy bill spend.
The Energy Saving Trust has listed it as number one for “energy guzzling” appliances in homes. They noted that this appliance accounts for 14 percent of a typical energy bill.
Actively choosing to wash clothes at a lower temperature can help reduce your energy consumption.
However, using the washing machine at a certain time of day – specifically hour – can provide some assistance too.
According to experts at Dr Beckmann, most of the nation washes their laundry at the most expensive time of the day.
About 85 percent of the UK are doing their laundry when energy bills are highest, between 8am and 10pm.
One in 10 Britons admitted to washing their clothes between 4pm and 7pm, despite this being one of the most expensive times of day to use the washing machine.
Only 15 percent of Britons are saving money on their bills by washing during off-peak hours. For those who want to cut costs, do this chore between 10pm and 8am.
According to the pros, depending on your energy tariff, the time of day you wash your clothes can drastically affect the cost to run your washing machine.
Electricity suppliers usually increase their prices during peak times of day when energy usage is at its highest. In the summer this is usually between 8am and 10pm.
Dr. Beckmann experts recommended households do their washing during the “magic hour”, the optimum time to do your laundry when energy costs are at their lowest.
During the summer this can vary between 10pm and 8am, however, it is typically recommended to do your washing between 7am and 8am to cut costs.
This would mean saving money and getting an important chore done before the working day begins.
Around 47 percent of the UK claims that their monthly energy bill costs up to £200, and they could cut costs efficiently with this simple tip.
Speaking about the “magic hour” Dr. Beckmann spokesperson, Chloe Baker stated: “With households struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, a simple change like switching to the magic hour can make a real difference to your energy bills.
“We’ve highlighted this hour as 7am to 8am, as we’d never recommend putting a load on before heading to bed, due to health and safety. This ‘magic hour’ provides you with enough time to fill and empty your washing machine before heading out to work or for the school run.”
It’s also crucial to regularly service and clean washing machines, to help reduce costs in repairing and replacing your white goods.
Use a dedicated washing machine cleaner once every two months or 30 washes to help “prolong your machine lifespan and ensure it’s working at peak performance”.
Chloe added: “By implementing these day-to-day actions, and washing at the ‘magic hour’, you can help keep costs low while ensuring your clothes stay fresh and clean all year round.”
