8 Great Ways to Save Money on Laundry Every Week

The laundry pile never seems to shrink, and every wash feels like it eats a little more of your weekly budget. You want to save money on laundry, but the advice out there sounds like hard work, and nobody wants to spend more time in the laundry room than they already do. I felt the same way, until a few small changes cut my weekly wash costs without making laundry a chore.

This post gives you eight clear ways to save money on laundry every week, with steps you can start today and keep doing without thinking twice.

Each way comes with small steps you can do today, not next month and not after a big life change. Pick one, try it this week, and watch the difference build up load by load.

Before we start, here is the deal in plain words. You do not need a new machine, a strict routine, or hours of extra work. You need a few small moves that happen on their own, a little care with each load, and a way to see progress fast so you keep going.

1. Wash In Cold Water To Save Money On Nearly Every Single Load

What if the biggest saving in your laundry room came from one small turn of a dial? Most people wash warm or hot out of habit, not because their clothes need it, and that habit quietly burns energy on every single load.

Cold water works well for everyday clothes, colours, and light soil, because modern washing powders are made to clean in cold water. Your shirts, school clothes, and work clothes come out just as clean, while the machine skips the costly job of heating a full drum of water.

Here is a fact that shows why the dial matters so much. Energy Star says that heating the water takes up about 90% of the energy a clothes washer uses, so most of what you pay for in a wash is heat, not the turning drum. What it means for you is simple: cold water cuts the biggest cost in the wash, load after load, and you will see the change in your energy use over the month.

Do it today in three steps.

1. Turn the dial to cold on your next wash and leave it there for the week.
2. Keep warm for towels and bedding, and cold for everything else.
3. Check the results after a week, and look at how clean and fresh the clothes feel.

Watch out for one trap. Do not switch everything to cold in one go and then worry when a greasy stain stays put, because oily marks and very dirty work clothes still do better with warmth. A good first result looks like this: a full week of cold washes, clothes that smell and look clean, and a machine that ran cheaper every time.

2. Wait For A Full Load Before You Press Start On The Machine

Ever catch yourself running the machine for three shirts and a pair of socks? That half empty drum costs nearly as much to run as a full one, so small loads are one of the quietest ways to waste money in the laundry room.

A full load means every wash works as hard as it can for the same effort, and fewer loads each week means less water, less energy, and less wear on your clothes. Keep a basket by the machine and let it fill up, then wash once instead of three times.

Energy Star points out that a washer uses about the same amount of energy whatever the size of the load, so a small load wastes most of that energy on a handful of clothes. Their figures also show a full size certified washer uses 14 gallons of water per load, against 20 gallons for a standard machine, so a full load in an efficient machine stretches every drop further. What it means for you is that waiting one more day for a full drum can cut your weekly loads right down without any extra work.

Try it today in three steps.

1. Put a laundry basket where everyone can reach it, so clothes gather in one place.
2. Wait until the basket is full before you start the machine.
3. Sort as you go, so lights and darks are ready when the drum is full.

• Wash towels and bedding together, since they fill a drum fast.
• Keep a small basket for darks and one for lights, so sorting takes no time.
• If the basket is only half full by wash day, wait one more day.

Watch out for stuffing the drum so full that clothes cannot move, because an overloaded wash cleans badly and you end up washing it all over again. A good first result is a drum about three quarters full, clothes with room to tumble, and one less wash on your weekly list.

3. Let Fresh Air Dry Your Clothes Whenever The Weather Allows It

Think about the last time you pegged washing on the line and it came back smelling of fresh air. That free drying is the cheapest step in this whole post, and it also keeps your clothes in better shape for longer.

A dryer is one of the hungriest machines in the home, and every load you dry on a line or a rack is a load that costs nothing to dry. Even drying half your loads outside the machine makes a real dent, and your clothes last longer too, because tumble heat wears fibres down over time.

The United States Department of Energy estimates that a clothes dryer can account for up to 6% of a home’s total energy use, which is a big slice for one machine. What it means for you is that line drying even a few loads a week takes a real bite out of that slice, and the saving grows with every load you hang up instead. Start with towels and bedding, which dry fast and take up the most dryer time.

Start today with three small steps.

1. Put a drying rack or a line where air moves freely, inside or outside.
2. Hang clothes with space between them, so air can reach each piece.
3. Bring them in as soon as they feel dry, so they stay fresh and soft.

One thing to watch is drying clothes in a damp closed room, because slow drying in still air can leave a musty smell and mean a second wash. A good first result is a rack of dry clothes, no dryer hum, and towels that feel fresh and last longer.

4. Turn The Dial Down From Hot To Warm For Sturdy Everyday Washing

Some loads do need warmth, like grubby towels and work clothes with oily marks, so what do you do when cold feels too cold? You turn the dial down one notch, from hot to warm, and you still save a solid chunk of energy.

Warm water still lifts grime and freshens towels, but it asks the heater for far less work than a hot wash. Save the hot cycle for the rare loads that truly need it, like bedding after illness, and let warm handle the rest.

Energy Star says that switching from hot to warm can cut the energy a wash uses in half, which is a huge saving from one small turn. What it means for you is that a single change on the dial can halve the heating cost of those warmer loads, and your towels will still come out fresh and clean. Try warm first for a week and see if you can even tell the difference.

Here is how to do it today.

1. Turn the dial from hot to warm on your next towel wash.
2. Keep the hot cycle only for bedding after illness or very grubby work clothes.
3. Note the results after a week, and check that towels still smell fresh.

Watch out for using warm on bright colours that bleed, because heat of any kind can fade strong dyes faster than cold. A good first result is a week of warm washes on towels and bedding, with clean results and a lower heating cost on every load.

5. Pick The Short Cycle For Clothes That Are Only Lightly Worn

Did that shirt really need a two hour wash, or was it just worn for one quiet afternoon? Most everyday clothes are only lightly worn, yet we wash them on the longest cycle out of habit.

A short cycle uses less water, less energy, and less time, and it is kinder to your clothes too. Keep the long cycle for muddy sports kit and grubby work clothes, and let the quick wash handle the rest.

Here is a simple test to try this week. Hold up each item before it goes in the basket and ask if it smells fresh enough to wear once more, because many clothes can go a second day with no wash at all. That one habit can cut a whole load from your week.

Put it into action today in three steps.

1. Look for the short or quick wash setting on your machine and learn where it sits.
2. Use it for shirts, school clothes, and anything worn for a short day.
3. Keep the long cycle only for mud, stains, and heavy work clothes.

Be careful with the short cycle on heavy soil, because a quick wash will not shift ground in mud and you will wash it twice. A good first result is a shorter wash that still comes out clean, with time and energy saved on the same load.

6. Measure Your Washing Powder And Skip The Extra Rinse Cycle

Do you pour washing powder straight from the box and guess the amount? Most people use far more than they need, and the extra powder does not make clothes cleaner, it just costs more and leaves residue behind.

I keep a small scoop in the box and use the mark on the side, which keeps every wash the same and stops the box running out early. A measured scoop cleans just as well, rinses out clean, and makes each box last weeks longer.

The extra rinse setting is another quiet cost, because it runs more water and more time for a job the first rinse already did. Turn it off for normal loads and save it for the rare wash that truly needs it, like a load with heavy soap left in the drum.

Do it this week in three steps.

1. Find the scoop that came with the box, or use any small cup and mark the level.
2. Use one level scoop for a normal load, and two only for very dirty clothes.
3. Switch the extra rinse off for normal loads, and leave it off.

• Keep the scoop inside the box, so measuring takes no extra time.
• Pour powder into the drawer, not straight onto clothes, so it dissolves well.
• Check the box each month, and see how much longer it lasts now.

Watch out for cutting the powder too far on very dirty loads, because too little soap on muddy clothes means a second wash. A good first result is a box of powder that lasts longer, clothes that rinse clean, and no extra rinse on your normal loads.

7. Treat Stains Straight Away So Nothing Ever Needs A Second Wash

Ever find a stain after the wash and realise the whole load has to go round again? That second wash costs twice the water and twice the energy, and it all starts with a stain that sat too long.

A quick dab with cold water and a little soap the moment you spot a mark stops most stains from setting. Keep a small stain stick or a bar of plain soap by the basket, so the fix takes seconds and the wash does its job the first time.

Try this first the next time food lands on a shirt. Blot the mark, do not rub it, rinse it under cold water, and put it straight in the wash. Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the cloth, while blotting lifts it out.

Make it happen today in three steps.

1. Blot the mark with a clean cloth as soon as you see it.
2. Rinse it under cold water with a little soap, and rub gently.
3. Put the item straight in the next wash, before the stain dries in.

One trap to avoid is hot water on a fresh stain, because heat can set some marks for good and leave you washing the same shirt twice. A good first result is a clean shirt after one wash, with no repeat load and no stain left behind.

8. Choose An Efficient Machine When Your Old One Finally Gives Up

Nobody buys a new washing machine for fun, so when does it make sense to think about efficiency? The answer is simple: when the old machine starts to fail, that is your one chance to pick a model that costs less on every wash for years.

A modern efficient machine uses less water and less energy on each load, and those small savings add up over hundreds of washes. Look for the Energy Star label and the water use figure on the energy guide label before you buy, because those two numbers tell you more than any sales talk.

Energy Star says certified washers use 25% less energy and 33% less water than regular washers, which is a big gap on every single load. What it means for you is that the right machine can cut your washing costs for its whole life, so the label is worth ten minutes of your time when you shop. I checked the label on my last machine, and the lower water figure was the reason I picked it.

Set it up in three steps when the time comes.

1. Check the energy guide label for water and energy use before you buy.
2. Pick a size that fits your normal loads, not a drum far bigger than you need.
3. Keep the old machine going with care until the new one arrives.

Watch out for buying a drum far bigger than your normal load, because a huge machine washed half full wastes the saving you paid for. A good first result is a machine that fits your household, with lower water and energy use on every wash.

Key Takeaways That Help You Save Money On Laundry Every Week

• Wash everyday clothes in cold water, because heating water is the biggest cost in the wash.
• Wait for a full drum before you start the machine, so each wash works at its best.
• Dry clothes on a line or rack when you can, and let the air do the work for free.
• Turn hot washes down to warm for sturdy loads, and keep hot for the rare jobs that need it.
• Use the short cycle for lightly worn clothes, and save the long wash for heavy soil.
• Measure your washing powder with a scoop, and switch the extra rinse off for normal loads.
• Treat stains the moment you spot them, so no load ever needs a second wash.
• Pick an efficient machine with a good label when the old one gives up.

What To Do First Today In Three Short Steps To Save Money

Start small and start now, because three short steps today beat a perfect plan next month.

1. Turn your next wash to cold and wait for a full drum.
2. Hang one load on the line or rack instead of using the dryer.
3. Put a scoop in the powder box and measure every wash from today.