UK households could cut annual laundry costs by up to £134 by making a few simple changes, according to consumer group Which?. The savings come from washing at lower temperatures, switching detergent, cleaning tumble dryer filters, and reducing the number of small washes.
Which? found that reducing the washing temperature from 40C to 20C can cut energy use by 62%, saving around £40 a year for a household doing four washes a week. Modern machines can clean effectively at 20C or 30C, especially with liquid detergent, said Rebecca Jakeman, senior researcher at Which?.
Switching detergent can also yield significant savings. Which? testing revealed that some branded detergents cost up to 36p per wash, while top-performing alternatives can be as low as 9p per wash. For four washes a week, this difference could save around £56 annually.
Tumble dryer maintenance is another area for savings. Blocked filters can increase energy consumption by up to 50% in heat-pump dryers, according to Which? tests. Keeping filters clean could save about £27 a year. Additionally, running fewer full loads instead of daily small washes could save around £11 a year.
By combining all these measures, Which? estimates that a typical household could save £134 annually on laundry costs. The group also recommends considering energy-efficient washing machines and heat-pump tumble dryers when purchasing new appliances for further long-term savings.
