Washing & Drying

Water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor. Switching to cold water can save the average household more than $40 annually (with an electric water heater) and more than $30 annually (with a gas water heater). Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified washing machine and save 30% energy while using 50% less water than you would with a standard model.

One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load. This step can save you up to $34 each year. Also, hang drying your clothes can save a lot of energy.