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Most people don’t think twice when it comes to what time of the day they do their chores, so they may not know that there is the best time to do laundry. Something as simple as shifting the time you wash your clothes can actually make a big difference. So, when is the best time to wash clothes?
Unfortunately, there isn’t just one best time to do laundry. Many factors play a role in deciding the time, and even then, it varies for every household. The good news is that there are plenty of adjustments you can incorporate into your daily life to help save money and electricity.
Covering everything from the best time to do laundry in winter to ways to save electricity, we will guide you through the best time to wash and dry clothes so you’ll be able to reap the benefits of the most efficient laundry times. If you want to learn more about when to do laundry, keep on reading!
When Is the Best Time To Do Laundry?
It’s safe to say that the best time to wash clothes is generally not during your energy company’s peak hours. The tricky thing about peak hours is that they’re different for everyone. Peak hours will depend on two factors: the season and where you live.
If you live in a warmer climate, the demand might be higher during the summer months when most people use their air conditioning and lower in the winter when there isn’t much of a need for heating. You can always contact your energy company to verify your area’s peak hours.
So, when should you do laundry? While the perfect answer will depend on your energy provider and your location, you can follow these general hours if you aren’t sure.
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General Peak Hours
Peak hours often lie between 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. People tend to do laundry after they come home from work, so it’s best to avoid these times if you’re looking to save money.
Summer Peak Hours
The peak hours change with every season. During the summer months, peak hours could take up most of the day, landing anywhere from 10 in the morning to 8 in the evening. Do your laundry outside of this window to avoid higher electricity bills.
Winter Peak Hours
When the winter comes around, electricity use tends to peak in the early morning, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. This timeframe gives you most of the day to run your washer and dryer and still save on money and energy.
Nighttime Hours
Is it cheaper to wash clothes at night? The short answer is it depends. It can be easy to assume that the peak hours are during the day, but it depends. To ensure that you’re taking full advantage of the best time to do laundry, you should confirm peak hours with your energy company while incorporating best practices.
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When Is the Best Time to Wash Clothes to Save Electricity?
If you’re concerned about saving energy, your washing machine will use the same amount regardless of your laundry schedule. Whether you choose to do laundry during peak hours or in the middle of the night, it will still affect your energy bill.
However, saving energy goes hand in hand with saving money. When your laundry requires less energy, you’ll find yourself paying less and less for your monthly bills. You can implement a few habits into your laundry routine to help you save energy and money.
Use Cold Water
Washing machines expend much of their energy on hot water. By switching your laundry temperatures and using cold water, you can save a significant amount of energy and money. In addition to these benefits, cold water is more gentle on your clothes, which can help your clothes last longer.
However, using hot or cold water have its respective benefits. Hot water can effectively remove stains, so you should consider which water temperature is best for your situation. Otherwise, cold water will be beneficial when your main goal is to save money and energy.
Air-Dry Your Clothes
Choosing to air dry instead of running the dryer is an obvious way to save energy. Using your dryer in addition to your washer will use a significant amount of energy. So if you’re looking to save money and electricity, you should air-dry your clothes when you can.
In addition to saving energy, air-drying instead of using a dryer has its own benefits. Air drying can help preserve the quality of your outfits since using a dryer contributes to clothes fading and wearing out. Although air-drying may require more time and effort, you’ll be able to save money on your bills and have more long-lasting clothes.
Switch to Energy Efficient Appliances
Making the switch to energy-efficient appliances can save you considerable money over the machines’ lifetime. While these appliances may cost you more money than other models, energy-efficient washers and dryers are well worth the money. Not only are they better for the environment, but these models also use less detergent and provide a deeper clean to save you money with every cycle.
Use the Moisture Sensor Mode
Many dryer models will be equipped with a moisture sensor mode. Drying on this mode will allow your dryer to end the cycle as soon as the clothes are dry rather than drying your clothes for the full amount of time specified. Using this mode can save you time and lower your monthly bill.
Alter Load and Washer/Dryer Settings
Regardless of whether you’re looking to save energy or money when doing laundry, you should always be sure you’re washing the right sized load. If you wash a load of laundry that is too large, you could keep your washer from efficiently cleaning your clothes on top of causing damage to your machine. However, if your load is too small, you will waste water and energy.
For more efficient washing, you can adjust the settings of your washer and dryer according to the size and type of load for each wash. Typically, the delicate and short cycle options will wash your laundry in less time while using less energy. In addition, using your dryer on a lower heat setting can save you money on your electricity bill while preventing your clothes from wearing out faster.
Clean the Dryer’s Lint Trap
You should always clean your dryer’s lint trap after each cycle. Not only is this to prevent fire for your household safety, but it can also improve air circulation, enabling your dryer to complete cycles quicker. So, cleaning the lint trap every time will help you waste less electricity by providing shorter cycles.
The Best Time To Do Laundry
To summarize, you can really benefit from washing your clothes during the best time to do laundry throughout the year. While the savings for each month may not be too significant, they definitely add up.
While you can plan around peak hours when it comes to laundry, you can also apply this knowledge to other aspects of your household, such as air conditioning and heating. If you start to schedule your energy use throughout the week, you’ll be able to save money and electricity in no time.
Overall, making these small changes to your laundry routine is easy and incredibly beneficial. If you don’t have the time or energy to do your laundry regularly, consider taking advantage of laundry services. That way, you don’t have to worry about the best time to do laundry!
Martinizing Dry Cleaning
Since 1989, our team at Martinizing Dry Cleaning has been providing high-quality cleaning services to residents across the East Bay. Offering services from pick up and delivery to laundry and alterations, our team is highly trusted in the community to deliver exceptional results every time. We are committed to making your everyday life more convenient by offering a cleaning experience geared towards quality and efficiency.
Our team at Martinizing Dry Cleaning can help you with all your dry cleaning needs. Our cleaning process is ideal for your clothes and the environment because we use green and eco-friendly cleaning methods.
If you’re currently looking for the best time to do laundry and want a more efficient way to do it, our team can help eliminate the stress of washing clothes while keeping them in perfect condition.
Get in touch with our team today to discuss your needs and learn more about our services.
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