The washing machine is an appliance that is present in most homes. Friendlier for some and less for others, its use happens to be daily in many situations. And despite the everyday hides some little tricks that can help us to save both energy and water and detergent.
And it is that washing machines offer different programs to suit the type of clothes that we are going to wash, as well as the amount of laundry. And to save, not only do you have to choose the most suitable program for the wash that you are going to carry out, but a series of guidelines can be applied to optimize the process.
The secret to a good laundry
Is about make the washing machine as efficient an appliance as possible and collaborate so that our laundry consumes less electricity, water, even detergent or fabric softener. This is what Endesa comments in this series of tips and recommendations.
And you have to think that a washing machine can consume between 40 and 60 liters of water in each wash, an amount that is added to the cost of electricity (it can be set in hours when the rate is lower) and also spends detergent and fabric softener.
In fact, if you are thinking of getting a new washing machine, it is interesting that you become familiar with energy efficiency labels. Even though the model may cost more, you should value it in the long run, the energy savings it offers to offset the extra price you paid at the beginning.
Find the time when electricity costs less
Leaving the purchase process aside, the first point goes through take into account the hours in which we are going to put the washing machine and take advantage of those time slots in which electricity has a lower price. It is essential that we wash the laundry and that is why we have to find the moment in which it is most economical.
Do not over load the drum
Another point is that you shouldn’t load the washing machine too much. It is not interesting to put the washing machine with very few clothes, but it is not interesting to load it excessively, since this last act can be harmful to the washing machine if we do it frequently and can even end up causing a malfunction.
In addition, and what is more important, having an excess of clothes prevents it from moving freely and therefore from being cleaned properly inside the drum. The more load of clothes, the longer the cycles will be, so when you are going to do the laundry, make sure that the clothes are not trapped inside the drum and that there is enough free space to put some clothes.
fold clothes before washing
This third point may seem silly, and in fact, in my case it is something that until recently I have not carried out. Is about fold clothes before putting them in the washing machine. In addition to dividing the sprues by color or by light and dark, it also It is an advantage that you previously fold the clothes before introducing them instead of having it in a basket where some clothes are bundled with others. Folding it is worth it because you avoid too many wrinkles and then having to spend more time ironing it.
Separate clothes: colours, dirt…
At the same time that you fold the clothes, it is It is more than advisable that you separate the laundry by color. It is good that you separate the light and the dark, or the light and the colored clothes. The objective of this measure is that the garments, especially when they have not been washed, can transfer the color to other clothes that we have in the drum. Imagine that you give me a red sweater and a white t-shirt and when you take it out you get a red sweater and a pink t-shirt. You can even use some color-catching wipes when washing clothes for the first time.
It is also important that together with the separation of clothes by colors, you also make a Separation of garments based on how dirty they are. If a garment has an excessive amount of dirt, we must avoid washing it with clothes that are not so dirty, since the latter can be damaged. If we have excessively dirty clothes, the most interesting thing is to carry out a separate wash with a higher temperature to get rid of that dirt.
When washing clothes, first check the pockets to avoid objects that could deteriorate or even damage the appliance. In addition, it is interesting to observe society and determine if that garment can last a little longer without the base or if it needs to go to the laundry. Sometimes, to avoid only a bad smell, it is enough to hang it up and let it air.
learn the programs
You should familiarize yourself with the different washing programs of your washing machine. Short and cold wash programs are the most economical and use less water and electricity. It is important that you read the washing instructions and the labels of each garment to adjust the necessary program. If you don’t need to wash something with hot water, don’t do it and thus, in addition to taking care of the garment, you will save energy.
Detergent: don’t go overboard with it
By Austin Kirk – Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Capsules, CC BY 2.0,
Finally, you must take care of the amount you use both detergent and fabric softener. Some obsessive of these two elements, can make the laundry need more water and more time to rinse the clothes later. Ideally, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only the amount needed.
Detergent image | Austin Kirk – Tide Pods Laundry Detergent Capsules, CC BY 2.0
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