Best Time to Do Laundry on Weekends to Save Money and Energy
Are you looking to save money and energy when doing laundry on the weekends? Choosing the best time to wash and dry clothes can help reduce your electricity bill and environmental impact. This comprehensive guide explains everything you need to know about timing your weekend laundry sessions to save electricity.
Doing laundry is an essential household chore that uses a significant amount of energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, clothes washers and dryers account for about 5-10% of home energy costs. The time of day and day of the week when you run your washing machine can affect your electricity bill.
This comprehensive covers your main concern of the best time to do laundry on weekends and many more useful tips to manage your laundry load.
Table of Contents
Why Weekend Laundry Matters
Many families find it convenient to tackle piles of dirty clothes on Saturdays or Sundays. But weekends often fall during peak electricity demand hours when rates are higher. well as increased carbon dioxide emissions from power plants.
Timing is everything when it comes to saving energy and money on laundry while also being kind to the environment. This guide covers tips such as the cheapest time to wash your clothes and how to save electricity:
- Identifying off-peak vs peak hours based on your utility company
- Optimizing washer and dryer cycles for efficiency
- Leveraging smart appliances and timers
- Line drying to reduce machine loads
- Understanding Weekday vs Weekend differences in electricity costs can help you decide the cheapest time to wash and dry your clothes.
Armed with the insights below, you’ll be on your way to cheaper, greener laundry sessions every weekend.
Check Peak vs Off-Peak Hours with Your Electricity Provider
The first step in identifying the most cost-effective and energy-efficient times during the weekend to run your washer and dryer is checking with your local electric company to understand on- and off-peak hours.
What Are Peak vs Off-Peak Hours?
Peak hours refer to the daily time windows when demand on the electrical grid sees its highest loads. During weekends, peak hours tend to be in the mid-afternoon when most families are active. Increased demand strains the grid and requires firing up supplementary power plants, resulting in higher costs for energy providers that get passed onto consumers through higher per-kilowatt-hour electricity rates during peak times.
Off-peak hours occur when electrical demand drops, such as late at night or early morning on weekends. More baseline power plants can handle off-peak loads, bringing more affordable and often cleaner electricity during these times.
Identify Your Electric Company’s Peak vs Off-Peak Weekend Hours
Peak and off-peak times can vary across electricity providers and states. Rather than making assumptions, you should directly consult your electric company to learn about their specific hours.
Information on peak vs off-peak hours may be listed on your provider’s website, but you can also call their customer service line to get details. Make note of the peak and off-peak weekend hours in your utility service area.
Some examples from major electricity providers:
- Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has off-peak hours on weekends from 10 PM to 8 AM
- Florida Power & Light’s off-peak timeframe is weekdays from 10 PM to 6 AM and all day on weekends/holidays
- For Con Edison customers in New York, the cheapest time to wash your clothes is early in the morning or late at night, as peak hours occur weekdays from 10 AM to 10 PM. All other hours on weekdays plus weekends are off-peak
Once you know your regional weekend peak vs off-peak hours, plan your laundry sessions accordingly to capitalize on off-peak periods and rates.
Optimize Washer and Dryer Cycles
In addition to timing, several other factors influence the energy efficiency of your laundry appliances during weekend sessions. Be sure to optimize your washer and dryer settings and cycles for lower energy needs while still getting clothes clean and dried effectively.
Use a Colder Wash and Rinse Cycle
Heating water accounts for the vast majority—up to 90%—of the energy your washer consumes per load [5]. Turning down the temperature dial from hot to cold can net massive efficiency gains. Most detergents clean just as effectively in cooler water.
Run Full Loads
It’s understandable if throwing in a quick small load of laundry here and there on weekends seems convenient, especially after coming home from work. Remember, washing and drying your clothes outside peak hours can lower your energy usage. each load you run in your washer consumes a fixed amount of machine energy regardless of size, increasing your electricity costs. Maximizing washer capacity when practical boosts efficiency dramatically by consolidating water heating and electricity demands.
Use High Spin Speeds for Less Dryer Time
After washing, spin clothes on the highest spin setting compatible with the fabric type. The more water your washing machine can extract, the less time is required to dry your clothes using the energy-intensive clothes dryer afterward, lowering your energy usage.
Dry Multiple Loads Back-to-Back
If drying several loads of laundry, run them consecutively to take advantage of an already warm dryer. Avoid reheating a cooled-down dryer between each load. Program settings properly so clothes don’t over-dry unnecessarily.
Use Moisture Sensor Settings
Make the most of your dryer’s built-in moisture sensors to automatically stop when clothes reach the desired dryness, which prevents over-drying. Periodically clean the lint filters and vents of your dryer for maximum efficiency and drying power, reducing your energy usage.
Leverage Smart Laundry Appliances and Timers
Beyond programming settings for energy-efficient wash and dry cycles, emerging smart appliances and timers give greater control over managing weekend laundry sessions.
Delay Start Functions
Many newer washers and some dryers offer delay start functions allowing you to preset scheduled run times for several hours or even a day in advance. Make use of these features by programming off-peak start times.
Connected Smart Washers and Dryers
Internet-connected smart laundry machines go a step further by allowing remote start and monitoring from your smartphone. Better yet, products like Samsung’s SmartThings Washer [6] automatically select ideal wash/dry settings per load while giving weeknight vs weekend schedule recommendations based on electricity rates.
Smart Plugs
For older appliances lacking built-in smart capabilities, inexpensive plug-in timer switches provide automated scheduling. Program off-peak weekend hours and even staggered machine run times to avoid simultaneous washer and dryer loads drawing too much current.
Line Dry Strategically
Hanging garments to air dry is an age-old energy and cost-saving laundry technique made even more impactful when strategically timed on weekends.
Launder Early, Line Dry Later
Knock out washing early during off-peak hours on weekend mornings, then move loads from the washer directly to the clothesline. Come afternoon as outdoor relative humidity drops, garments line dried outside won’t reabsorb as much residual moisture compared to hanging indoors overnight.
Alternate Machine Drying
If some laundry loads require machine drying or the weather forces you to line dry inside, avoid running both the washer and dryer simultaneously, which could overload your home’s electrical circuit. Stagger operation so the dryer runs during off-peak hours and only as needed.
Supplement With an Indoor Drying Rack
An indoor drying rack lets you machine wash or line dry extra loads later on weekends. Using your dryer early in the morning can help expedite moisture evaporation due to the residual heat from drying the previous batch. Just be mindful to avoid dampness and increased humidity indoors for too long to discourage mold growth.
Weekday vs Weekend Considerations
While the focus of this guide is weekend-specific laundry tips for energy/cost savings, keep in mind tactics that work on Saturdays and Sundays may differ from best practices for washing clothes during the workweek.
Weekday Off-Peak Hours
Consult your electricity provider to learn off-peak hours on weekdays, typically starting late night post-primetime and running through mornings before most people rise and major appliance use ramps up. Scheduling overnight laundry allows for getting started sooner.
Work Schedules
Assuming a fairly normal Monday to Friday work schedule, you can begin staging full washer loads in the morning before leaving the house so cycles finish midday in time to line dry outside on any available backyard clotheslines or racks. For weekend sessions, the same approach lets you sleep in while getting a jump start on laundry.
Weekend Weather Conditions
Apart from work calendars, weekend weather brings additional scheduling nuances. While accepting some drizzle or overcast conditions, too much rain or snow naturally makes extensive line drying difficult. And cold temperatures significantly retard moisture evaporation, although dry winter months with wind at least help wicked some dampness from heavier items like sheets and towels.
Best Time to do Laundry on Weekends: Solution
Weekends: your haven for relaxation, rejuvenation… and laundry mountains? Let’s face it, the weekly clothes avalanche doesn’t magically disappear just because it’s Saturday. But fret not, laundry warriors! By strategically timing your washing wars, you can reclaim your precious leisure hours and emerge victorious.
Sunrise Spartans: Rise and shine with the washing machine! Early mornings often boast off-peak energy rates, making this the most budget-friendly option. Plus, it gets the chore out of the way before the day heats up, leaving you free to enjoy the sunshine (and avoid the weekend laundry rush).
Midday Multitaskers: Turn lunch into laundry time! While you grab a bite, toss in a quick load. This efficient approach lets you conquer clothes while conquering hunger, maximizing your weekend minutes.
Post-Brunch Bliss: Brunch with friends? Extend the social buzz with a post-meal laundry session. The afternoon sun is still high, ideal for natural light drying on balconies or clotheslines, saving you both energy and moolah.
Night Owl Nirvana: Are you a nocturnal ninja? Embrace the peace and quiet after everyone else has turned in. Crank up the washer while you unwind with a good book or movie. The silence will make the chore strangely serene.
Bonus Tip: No matter your timing, remember these energy-saving hacks:
- Full Loads Matter: Avoid running half-empty machines.
- Cold Water Warriors: Most laundry thrives in cold water, saving precious energy.
- Sun Power: Skip the dryer and let the sun do its magic (weather permitting).
By planning your weekend laundry assault and using these tips, you can transform the chore from a time-consuming tyrant into a manageable mission. Remember, a little strategy goes a long way in reclaiming your precious leisure hours and emerging victorious from the battle against the laundry pile.
Key Weekend Laundry Energy/Money-Saving Tips Summary:
To conclude this comprehensive guide on reducing energy use, costs, and environmental impact doing weekend laundry, keep these top tips in mind:
- Verify your regional peak vs off-peak weekend hours by contacting your electric company – Concentrate washer/dryer loads during off-peak times when lower-cost and cleaner electricity supply is more plentiful
- Optimize washer settings for colder temperatures, full loads, and high-speed spins – Strategically operate the dryer leveraging moisture sensors, cleaning exhaust ducts, and running multiple loads consecutively
- Delay start or schedule weekend laundry sessions in advance using smart washer/dryer functions or plug-in timers
- Use clothes drying racks or clotheslines to substitute or supplement machine drying
- Distinguish the best weekday overnight schedules from weekend weather-dependent sessions
Following the guidance outlined here will soon have you mastering cheaper, greener laundry every Saturday and Sunday while maintaining fresh wardrobes and linens.
FAQs: Best Time to do Laundry to Save Money
What day of the weekend is best for doing laundry?
Either Saturday morning or during off-peak hours late Sunday can work equally well. Pick the specific day based on your family’s at-home schedule and when full washer loads accumulate. Also, factor if weather conditions better favor indoor or outdoor drying.
Is Sunday or Monday better for laundry?
Mondays could present an advantage for off-peak overnight wash cycles in your washing machine since people often stay up later on Sunday nights. However, Monday morning machine drying and work commutes may conflict. Sundays allow starting laundry earlier while providing flexible indoor/outdoor dry times.
Should I separate weekend laundry loads by color?
Pre-sorting cottons from delicates and lights from darks always helps laundry outcomes. But keeping similar colors grouped in consolidated weekend loads aligns with running energy-efficient full washer batches during off-peak hours. Just be mindful of bleeding or discoloration issues.
What about doing laundry at night on weekends?
Nighttime laundering aligns well with off-peak electricity rates after most household members go to bed. Smart washer settings, moisture sensors, and overnight timers enable effective overnight weekend sessions. Plan drying schedules accordingly and minimize machine noise if washing late.
Conclusion: Best Time to Wash Clothes to Save Energy
Woohoo! We’ve cracked the code on conquering weekend laundry! Using smart tips and planning ahead, we’ve turned that dreaded chore into a smooth victory dance. Remember, Weekends are your golden tickets to relax and also the best time to have your laundry day. recharge, and have some fun. Taking back those hours spent wrestling with dirty clothes on laundry day is a big win, especially when done early in the morning when electricity costs are lower. opening the door to all the cool stuff you really want to do.
So ditch the laundry anxiety, folks! Grab those overflowing hampers and get ready to celebrate your newfound freedom. Whether it’s a lazy brunch with your crew, a cozy afternoon with a good book, or an adventure hike in the sun, a ton of awesome possibilities are waiting for you. And the best part? You earned them all by outsmaring the laundry monster! Way to go!
