Washing dirty clothes is a chore that nobody can avoid. We wear our clothes, they get dirty, we do the laundry and repeat this cycle every single day. But what you might not think about while cleaning your clothes is the environmental impact multiple loads per day can have. If you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint or simply lower your monthly energy bills, changing how you do your laundry is an excellent place to start. These tricks are guaranteed to improve your environmental sustainability:
- Use a clothes line: Having your clothes dry outside is a wonderful way to reduce the energy you use. The sun and wind can be very effective at drying laundry, particularly in the warmth of the spring and summer months.
- Only wash full loads: Many homeowners are guilty of washing loads of laundry that do not fill the machine to capacity. A washing machine will use the same amount of energy regardless of how full it is, so all that extra energy will be spent for no reason. Let your clothes accumulate before washing them.
- Wear your clothes longer: The easiest way to cut down on the amount of laundry you do is to wear your clothes longer between washes. While this tip should not be applied to socks or underwear – though that is entirely up to you – only cleaning clothes that are noticeably dirty cuts down on the amount of energy spent. Generally, pants and shirts can be worn at least twice before having to go through a laundry cycle. Try and purchase clothes in colors that do not show stains easily.
If you are looking for other ways to help increase your home's energy efficiency, contact Alban Inspections today to figure out where to get started.