The amount of money washing clothes at 30C saves you compared with 40C

14 July 2023 , 12:08

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Washing machines can be energy-guzzline (Image: Getty Images)

Energy bills have rocketed over the last year - leaving many households looking for ways to slash their costs.

One tip that is often floated around is washing your clothes on a cooler setting - but just how much money can they save?

We asked the experts at comparison site Uswitch.com to find out.

It comes after the Ofgem price cap finally fell and now sits at £2,074 a year for a typical household paying by direct debit from July 1.

This is down from £2,500 a year that was set under the Energy Price Guarantee, which was introduced by the Government.

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But energy bills are still massively higher than they used to be - the Ofgem price cap was set at £1,042 in October 2020.

The Ofgem price cap limits what you pay for each unit of gas and electricity you use, plus the maximum daily standing charge.

There isn’t a total amount on how much energy you pay - the headline figures are used to illustrate what someone with typical usage can expect to pay over a year.

You can end up paying more or less, depending on how much energy you use.

How much money can washing clothes at 30C save you?

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, explained how a washing machine using 0.71kW of energy per cycle, used three times a week, would cost households around £33.38 a year to run.

This is if you wash your clothes regularly on a 40C wash.

But switching from 40C washes to 30C could cut your electricity use by 40% - reducing the £33 annual cost by about £13.

Of course, you may want to consider a hotter wash if your clothes are particularly dirty.

Mr Gallizzi said: “Running a cooler cycle means the washing machine is using less energy, and so can help households save money on their bills.

“Ideally, you should wash your clothes on the shortest cycle that's practical for your needs.

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“A shorter cycle means using less water, heated to a lower temperature and a shorter spin cycle.

“As a bonus, this cycle causes less damage to your clothes over time so helps them last longer.”

Levi Winchester