Doing laundry with less energy and water

Clothes washers and dryers are some of the biggest energy users of any home appliance. Most of a washer's energy goes to heating water, about 90 percent of it, so the temperature setting matters most. Switching from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half, and cold saves more.

What you need

• The washer and dryer manuals
• A drying rack or clothesline, if you have room
• A soft toothbrush, if you use dryer sheets

Steps

1. 1

   Wash in cold

   Cold water generally cleans well unless you're dealing with oily stains. Cold-water detergents help. Use a high-efficiency (HE) detergent if the washer's maker calls for it. Switch to hot for a while when someone in the house is sick.

   1 min

2. 2

   Skip the sanitary cycle

   This very hot cycle on some washers uses much more energy. Save it for when it's needed.

   1 min

3. 3

   Fill the washer

   A washer uses about the same energy whatever the load size, so run full loads. For a small load, set the water level to match.

   2 min

4. 4

   Use the high spin

   Choose the high or extended spin setting. Wringing out more water shortens the drying time.

   1 min

5. 5

   Air-dry when you can

   A drying rack or clothesline saves the dryer's energy and makes clothes last longer.

   5 min

6. 6

   Dry on lower heat with the sensor

   Use a lower heat setting even if the cycle runs longer. A dryer with a moisture sensor stops when the clothes are dry. Dry towels and heavy cottons apart from lighter clothes. A cool-down cycle finishes the load with the heat left in the drum.

   1 min

7. 7

   Size the dryer load

   An overstuffed dryer takes longer, and so does a tiny load. Drying one towel for 30 minutes costs about as much as a full load for the same time.

   1 min

8. 8

   Clean the lint filter

   Clean it after every load to keep the air moving, which also lowers the fire risk. If you use dryer sheets, scrub the filter with a toothbrush once a month, since the sheets leave a film that cuts airflow.

   1 min

9. 9

   Leave a front-loader's door open

   Leave it ajar for an hour or two after a wash so moisture can dry out of the seal, and keep children from climbing in.

   1 min

10. 10

    Check the dryer vent

    Make sure the vent isn't blocked.

    2 min

Keeping the machines working

Follow the maintenance in the washer's manual. Some makers call for a regular cleaning cycle with bleach to keep mold and mildew down. Now and then, run the long nozzle of a vacuum cleaner into the lint filter slot to clear lint the filter missed. Rigid vent pipe is less likely than a plastic one to collapse and block the airflow. For the full dryer safety routine, see Dryer fire safety checklist.