It would be tough for any of us to live without a washing machine to keep our clothes fresh. But many people worry that they are spending too much every time they initiate a cycle. But what measures can you take to improve the efficiency of a washing machine?
It’s long been rumoured that running your washing machine at night is actually much cheaper. But before you schedule your next laundry task to finish overnight, let’s find out if it’s actually worth doing.
Is It Cheaper To Put Your Washing Machine On At Night?
Luckily, there is truth to this rumour! Once the clock goes past 11 PM, and most people turn in for the night, there is much less demand placed on the grid. With fewer appliances in the UK using electricity at that time, it costs less to power your washing machine.
If you want to save a little bit of extra money, it can be worth scheduling your washing machine to kick in between the hours of 11 PM to 7 AM. Of course, this is often easier said than done. For those early risers with busy schedules, the idea of turning on the washing machine at night can be a tough sell.
While running your washing machine at night saves money, it’s not right for everyone. Those with smaller homes might find the sound of a washing machine a little too distracting late at night.
In the hours between 11 PM and 7 AM, there’s far less demand put on the grid. As such, you can save a lot of money by running your washing machine at this time!
If you can afford to stay up a little later or wake up a little earlier to put your washing machine on, it’s more than worth it! It might also be worth you looking into a time specific energy tariffs. For people with an electric car there are EV tariffs which have much lower electricity charges overnight.
When Is It Most Expensive To Put Your Washing Machine On?
While it’s great to make use of this off-peak period for electricity, it’s also a great idea to avoid peak times. Peak times are when electricity is in heavy use across the grid. This means that electricity is much more expensive between these times.
Between the hours of 4 PM to 7 PM, electricity is in high demand in homes across the UK. Therefore, it’s best to wait for a moment outside of this time frame to activate your washing machine.
Is It Safe To Leave Your Washing Machine Running Unsupervised?
Unfortunately, leaving your appliance on while it is unsupervised is not recommended. You might be shocked to hear that a large number of house fires actually originate from appliances that have been left unattended.
As such, while nighttime is great for cutting down the costs of running your washing machine, we would recommend that you do not head to bed with the appliance still running. This is in the best interests of your health and safety.
It’s not recommended to leave your washing machine unattended while it’s running. Though the risk is low, unattended washing machines have been linked to many domestic fires! For your safety, it’s best to use your washing machine while you’re around!
If you’re a night owl, then turning on your washing machine after 11 PM should not be a big ask. If you need to head to bed much sooner than 11 PM, then we would recommend only activating it after 7 PM. This way, you’ll avoid the peak times, and you can ensure you’re around to supervise the washing machine!
How Can You Make Your Washing Machine Cost Less?
The best way to ensure your washing machine is cost-effective is to make full use of the drum capacity. It’s better to wash a full laundry load than half a laundry load. This way, you can make use of every drop of water while also cutting down on the number of cycles you need to do.
It’s also worth toning down the temperature of the water. Even dropping the temperature down to 30 degrees can go a long way towards reducing energy use by half. If you need to clean heavily soiled clothing, we’d recommend raising the temperature again. Temperatures above 60 degrees are able to sanitise your clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Cheaper To Put A Washing Machine On At Night?
Generally, it is much cheaper to run a washing machine at night. During the night, there is less electricity being demanded from the grid. This means that energy-consuming appliances like washing machines are cheaper to use overnight. However, we would not recommend leaving your washing machine unattended overnight. When left unattended, washing machines can pose a great fire risk.
What Is The Most Economical Setting On A Washing Machine?
The best way to lower the energy consumption of your washing machine is to lower the water temperature. Much of the energy used by a washing machine is put toward heating up the water. By lowering the temperature, you lower the amount of energy consumed by your washing machine. Just make sure to pump the temperature back up when it comes time to wash heavily soiled products.
Does A Quick Wash Use More Energy?
It’s always best to fill up your washing machine before activating it. However, if you only need to wash a small number of items, you can save money by making use of the quick wash mode. Quick wash reduces how long the central drum spins, and reduces the water temperature. This then results in much less energy use.
Does A 15 Minute Wash Clean Clothes?
A 15-minute wash is great for reducing the amount of energy that is consumed by your washing machine. However, you must make sure not to use it for significantly soiled clothing. Clothing that is significantly soiled will need to be washed for a lot longer, at higher temperatures for good sanitation.
