Frugal Tip: Wash clothes in cold water to save on heat

Recently I started posting a more in depth look at each of the frugal tips. Over the next few weeks I will publish the frugal tips that I have collected. Please note that not every tip will work for everyone. Chose as many of the tips that will work with you and your family and start implementing them. Today we will proceed with Tip #8 Wash clothes in cold water to save on heat.

This is something I begin hearing and learning about when I was in the full -time ministry. Until I started researching this topic for this article.

Eighty to ninety percent of the energy used to wash clothes heats the water, a practice that is increasingly unnecessary as advances in clothes washers and laundry detergents have made it possible to get white and colored clothes perfectly clean in cold water. Except when washing out particularly tough stains, such as oil, every load of laundry done in hot water wastes energy.
- Charity Guide

Unfortunately my current washing machine won't let me do this. It has no temperature control knob. Instead it sets the temp automatically based on if you set it for casual or normal laundry. Still that doesn't change the facts that you can get your clothes clean in cold water.

Here's one easy way to clean green: turn the dial to cold water.

With most clothes, you really don't need hot water to get a good cleaning. Ninety percent of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating the water. The higher the temperature of the water, the more electricity you're running and the higher the cost in terms of both energy use and money.

Add in one of the earth-friendly laundry detergents available everywhere these days and chill out about any harm to your clothes or the environment.
- The Daily Green

So why not set your washing machine to cold wash/cold rinse and save yourself a few dollars on your energy bill? Your clothes will still get clean and your pocketbook will thank you (not to mention mother nature).



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