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Washing Machines & Tumble Dryers

Washing Machine

Reduce Your Costs & Go Green

Modern washing machines are certainly labour saving but they do use more energy and water than a bucket and mangle. They also pollute with their waste water containing phosphates etc.

If you are buying a new washing machine or tumble dryer, look for the rating. All washing machines and tumble dryers have energy ratings from A to G. This covers not only energy savings, but performance and drying efficiency as well.

Make sure you can control both temperature and have a half-load option. Using a washing machine on 40 degrees rather than 60 degrees will reduce energy use by up to a third. 30 degree washes, especially short washes, will make even greater savings and you will not notice any difference unless your clothes are really dirty.

The average washing machine uses 120 litres of water in a standard cycle. However, some washes use more. For example, woollens use up to 25 litres of water per kilogram. Older machines also tend to use more water. (source: South Thames Water)

You can reduce your running costs and reduce pollution even if you have a modern machine. Buy an 'ecological' washing powder such as the Ecover range. They quickly and completely biodegrade and have minimum impact on aquatic life.

Better still, if you're washing something worn once or twice and not dirty, do you actually need any washing powder at all? You will be surprised how the clothes come out the same!

Especially in hard water areas use a Magnoball. Both economical and environmentally safe, its magnetic power crystallises limescale particles in the water, preventing them from settling in your clothes or clogging up the heating elements and pipes of your washing machine or dishwasher. You should find you no longer need anti-limescale tablets to soften your water, you’ll use around 70% less detergent and you can even lower the washing temperature – saving more money – and still get your clothes

Rather than washing powder, take a look at eco-balls. Ecoballs ® replace washing powder, as seen on the BBC. Eco balls not only save on heavy shopping loads, they are reusable for up to 1,000 washes and cost only around 3p per wash. That compares with 25p-30p for washing powder.

100% hypoallergenic, residue-free and anti-bacterial, Eco balls are a more natural alternative to conventional washing powders and are ideal for sensitive skins. If everyone switched to Eco balls, 700,000 fewer tons of detergent would end up in our water system every year.

Reduce Tumble Dryer Running Costs

Tumble dryers are not cheap to run, even the best modern ones so before using a tumble dryer, consider hanging washing on the line or using an airer indoors. Even if rain threatens, hanging out for an hour will partially dry the clothes.

Make sure the clothes are as dry as possible before using the machine. Give them a second spin in the washing machine first.

By using Dryerballs you will reduce drying time by 25% and have soft clothes naturally without fabric softeners. Dryerballs get hot inside the tumble dryer and act as another heat source, so helping to reduce the time needed to dry your clothes and saving you money.

Dryerballs are completely non-toxic and allergy-free, they are an environmentally friendly way to soften your laundry. Scientifically tested and proven to soften fabric naturally, reduce drying time, make ironing easier and reduce lint and static. Just place 2 reusable Dryerballs in the drum of the machine and switch on.

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