Millions of people around the world do laundry each day. The average American family alone does 8-10 loads of laundry each week, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). A single load of laundry, from wash to dry, takes an average of one hour and twenty seven minutes to complete. That’s a lot of water and energy! In the spirit of saving, here are some tips to lighten that hefty burden that comes with all those loads of laundry:
- Wash Big Loads Don’t let that small pile of dirty towels make you feel overwhelmed. Wait until the pile is big enough to wash a large load in the washing machine.
- Reuse Shower Towel Think about it… you use that towel to dry your clean body. Why not let it air dry and reuse a few more times?
- Wear Clothes Twice Do you really need to wash that pair of jeans you wore for one hour to go grocery shopping? Unless you spilled your coffee on them or jumped in a puddle, wear them again before washing!
- Darks in Cold Wash dark clothes in cold water and you will save water and energy, not to mention help retain the color of your clothes!
- Match Water to Load If you are doing a medium-sized load of laundry, then only use a medium-sized amount of water. Extra water is not necessary.
We all love clean, fluffy, fresh smelling clothing, sheets and towels, but who doesn’t like to save the environment (and money)! Next time you are ready to wash those dirty socks, think about how much water can be saved by throwing in some jeans and t-shirts with them!
