Washing your clothes in cold water is an easy way to save energy and prevent carbon pollution. Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor.
Depending on the clothes and local water quality (hardness), many homeowners can effectively do laundry exclusively with cold water, using cold water laundry detergents. Switching to cold water can save the average household as much as $40 annually.
Much like running the dishwasher with only a full load [link to dishwasher post], washing clothing in full loads can save more than 3,400 gallons of water each year!
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So what about hot showers versus cold showers? How much energy goes into heating the water versus running the shower? Could we save 100% of the energy the shower saves in washing persons and prevent carbon pollution? What about using solar or wind energy? Should we take cold showers to save energy from these sources too?
Apr 30, 2014 @ 21:49:35
Also change the lint filter frequently to get a better drying cycle.
May 03, 2014 @ 05:38:19
EPA’s Home Energy Yardstick provides a simple assessment of your home’s annual energy use compared to similar homes
May 13, 2014 @ 14:38:10
Agreed, but what about energy used in the dryer when using cold water only vs. warm water as rinse step.
May 05, 2015 @ 16:38:04
So what about hot showers versus cold showers? How much energy goes into heating the water versus running the shower? Could we save 100% of the energy the shower saves in washing persons and prevent carbon pollution? What about using solar or wind energy? Should we take cold showers to save energy from these sources too?