Save $500 a year on your laundry costs

Laundry is a chore that’s impossible to avoid and costs such as laundry detergent, water bills and electricity bills can make up a significant part of your household budget.

Consumer advocate Choice’s Ashley Iredale shared her tips to save more than $500 a year on your laundry costs.

Run full loads of washing

Instead of doing smaller washes every day, try doing a full load every few days.

“Your washing machine can fit far more clothes than you think, so fill it up as much as you can,” Ms Iredale said.

“A full laundry basket is only about 3.5kg of laundry and your typical machine will fit much more than that.”

Wash your clothes in cold water

Cold water washes clothes almost as well as warm water.

“The difference is so small that the energy and cost of a warm cycle is just not worth it,” Ms Iredale said.

“Modern enzyme-based laundry detergents are designed for cold-water washing, so your clothes will get a great clean.”

Choice found that if you switched from washing a half load every day on a warm wash to washing a full load every day on a cold wash, you would save $135.85 a year.

Switch to a cheaper laundry detergent

Switching to a cheaper laundry detergent can be a significant saving.

“We’ve found that top-performing laundry detergents can range in price from 13-86 cents per wash, so there are lots of savings to be made,” Ms Iredale said.

“Omo Active Powder Front Loader and Aldi Almat Concentrate Arctic Breeze both scored 77% in our testing. The Omo power sets you back 50 cents per wash, while the Aldi powder costs just 13 cents per wash.

“Assuming you run a wash each day, you would save $134.55 a year just by switching from Omo to Aldi.”

Use less detergent

You really don’t need to add a lot of detergent to your washing machine for a great result.

“We’ve found that you can get a great wash using only a third of the recommended amount of laundry detergent,” Ms Iredale said.

“Using a third of a scoop of detergent means that your detergent will last three times longer, saving you even more money.”

Skip the fabric softener

Fabric softeners aren’t a necessary part of your laundry routine.

“They reduce the moisture absorbency of your laundry, which isn’t great for towels,” Ms Iredale said.

“Fabric softeners also build up in your washing machine, which can make it run less efficiently.

“If you want to save money on your laundry costs, getting rid of fabric softener is a great idea.”

Reduce your dryer use

Take advantage of Queensland’s warm weather to dry your washing for free.

“If you do need to use a dryer regularly, consider buying an energy-efficient heat pump dryer, which will save you money on electricity,” Ms Iredale said.

Choose your washing machine and dryer carefully

You don’t need to spend big on a washer or dryer.

“Choice testing often finds that cheaper washing machines and dryers can perform better than the more expensive machines,” Ms Iredale said.

“Have a look at reviews to find the most cost-effective appliances.”

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The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and not as specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice and does not take into account any person's particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives, financial situations and needs.