Clothes Iron: Ironing out the details

CLOTHES IRON
Ironing usually takes several hours to finish and may use up as much energy as ten 100-watt light bulbs. Look at the appliance's wattage rating and the number of hours it is being used. 

Dry, sort and fold clothes properly. When you do this you’ll realize that many clothing items actually require no ironing, or just a quick press. It is also unnecessary to iron towels, drip-dry shirts, etc.

Do not overheat the iron. Set the temperature appropriately for the type of clothes to avoid scorching and wasting energy.  Different type of clothes require different settings.  Also, you can switch off the iron in the last few minutes of ironing.  The remaining heat will be enough to press light materials.

Iron large batches of clothing at one time. This avoids constantly reheating the iron and wasting energy.  Also try ironing clothes during weekends when the demand for energy is lower.

Clothes Dryer: It all adds up!

CLOTHES DRYER
A clothes dryer is usually the second or third largest electricity-consuming appliance in your home. Knowing how to operate the machine efficiently will significantly help bring down your electric bill.

Place your dryer in a warm and dry space. A clothes dryer in a cold or damp basement will have to work harder to get your clothes dry. We also recommend using a clothesline. During sunny days, hang clothes to dry to lessen the use of your dryer.

Maximize the operation of your clothes dryer. Run only on full loads. Small loads are less economical. But don’t overload the machine. Air should be able to circulate around the clothes to properly dry them.

Sort clothes when drying. The dryer operates most efficiently when drying clothes of the same thickness. Different types require different settings.  Dry heavy fabrics, such as cotton towels, jeans, or jackets separately from light fabrics, such as underwear and summer clothes. Light fabrics take less drying time than a mixture of items.

Do not put soaked clothes. Make sure clothes are effectively squeezed or spin-dried before putting them inside the dryer. Dry two or more loads in a row and make use of the hot air that's already in the dryer from the first load.

Clean your dryer often. Clean the fluff out of the filter before every load to allow better air circulation. Remove the lint from vent hoods and lint kits.

Washing Machine: Cleaning out the clothes and the bills.

WASHING MACHINE
A washing machine makes laundry work a lot easier and saves you more time. Here are a few ways to be more energy efficient and get the most out of your appliance.

Switch to Inverter Technology. With Inverter washing machines, they are more efficient to run than conventional types and can save you up to 50% on washing machine costs.

Maximize the operation of your washing machine. Wash at full loads. Wait until you can have a full batch. Washing a single item or half loads use the same amount of energy as doing a full load. But don’t overload your unit.  This makes it work harder and inefficiently.  Also, use the right amount of detergent.  Too many suds require extra rinsing which makes your machine use more energy.

Use the right settings. Do not over wash clothes. Different types of clothes require different wash cycles so practice sorting clothes. Delicate clothes do not take as long as dirty heavy clothes.  You can also pre-soak soiled garments to avoid having additional wash cycles.

Spin clothes properly. When using your spinner, make sure that water is drained from the cylinder and clothes are squeezed to effectively spin-dry clothes. Properly place your clothes inside the spinner to avoid unnecessary vibrations which would prevent the spinner from functioning efficiently.