Energy Saving Tips: Large Appliances - Washing Machine

• Always use cold water for the rinse cycle (and ideally for the wash cycle too!). Using warm or hot water for the rinse cycle does not get your clothes any cleaner.
• Run full loads whenever possible but don't overload the machines.
• Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. 85-90% of the energy used by washing machines is used for heating the water. You can save a lot of energy by lowering the water temperature.
• Be sure to select the correct water level setting for the load of clothes that you are washing.
• Place your washing machine as close as possible to your hot water tank.

• The drums in front-loading washers only look smaller than those in top loaders. That's because traditional top-loading models need agitators - the large posts set in the middle of the drum. Both machines wash the same amount of clothes; however front-loading clothes washers use roughly half the water per load, and are more effective at squeezing the water out of the clothes - which lowers the electricity costs for drying them! Also, clothes washed in front-loading washers last longer because they are gently tumbled rather than twisted around an agitator.
• Invest a little more for an ENERGY STAR(r)-qualified clothes washer, which uses 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load than the average conventional clothes washer. The savings on your energy bill will add up quickly.

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