When this time of year rolls around, people understandably become more concerned about their energy usage – and how much they spend on bills too.
Having to put the heating on really eats away at your usage at home, but it’s essential to stay warm. Because of this, many people will be looking for other ways to cut costs and save money now that the weather is cooling down.
And depending on the kind of energy tariff you have, the time of day that you do your laundry could be having a massive impact on your bills.
A new study by cleaning and laundry experts, Dr. Beckmann, revealed that 85 per cent of Brits admit to washing their laundry during the most expensive time of day – between 8am and 10pm – when energy bills are highest. Moreover, one in 10 admit to washing their clothes between 4pm and 7pm, despite this being one of the most expensive times of day to use the washing machine.
Depending on the energy tariff, the time of day you wash your clothes can also drastically impact the cost of running your washing machine. Electricity suppliers usually increase their prices during peak times of day when energy usage is at its highest.
The cleaning and laundry experts suggest avoiding peak times, and instead recommend doing laundry between 7am and 8am, when energy costs are lowest – a period they’ve dubbed the ‘Magic Hour’.
People can also cut energy usage by washing at a lower temperature, because the higher the heat, the more energy used to clean the garments. Reducing your washing to 30 degrees cuts costs by 38 percent, while a 20 degree wash can reduce fees by a staggering 62 percent.
Dr. Beckmann spokesperson, Natasha Brook, said: “One of the simplest ways to cut household costs is by regularly cleaning and maintaining your washing machine and also by doing the laundry during off-peak hours.
“We recommend the optimal time for laundry as 7am to 8am. It’s also crucial to regularly service and clean your machines every 2 months or 30 washes to reduce unnecessary costs on repairs.”