Hi, I'm Amy from eSpares.
In this video, I'll be sharing with you
some handy tips to help keep your washing machine more energy efficient
and save you money on your energy bills too.
We have a whole range of videos
to keep your appliances more energy efficient.
So we'll link the playlist down below in the description
and at the end of this video too.
You can also subscribe to our channel to stay in the know.
So let's talk washing machines.
Doing the laundry is no one's favourite activity
especially when it costs you more than it should in electricity bills.
Since most of us do more than a few loads of laundry per week.
Here are the steps that are worth taking to reduce your energy use.
First before you start doing your laundry
try and make sure that you have a full load
so your washing machine will use the same amount of energy
heating up the water and turning the drum
with a full load as it will with just a couple of t-shirts.
But a full load doesn't mean cramming the drum
full of as many clothes as possible.
You should try and aim to fill it about three quarters full
so that the clothes have plenty of room to move
and make sure you separate all the items
and detangle them before you put them in.
Our next tip is for washing cycles.
When choosing your wash cycle
always go for the most
eco-friendly option that suits your needs.
The quick wash cycle
is also great for saving energy on smaller lightly soiled loads
as it uses less water
and has a shorter spin cycle.
Just be aware that it won't always give the best results
on larger loads or more heavily soiled clothing.
Most washing machines have an inbuilt eco wash setting
which will also save energy compared to the regular wash settings.
You'll need to pre-plan your washes when using this though
as eco washes usually take longer than regular washes.
This is so that the clothes are washed for longer
to compensate for the fact that the water is heated
at a lower temperature.
An extra bonus of using the quick cycle and the eco wash
is that it's much kinder on your clothes
as they're either spending less time in the machine
or they've being washed at much lower temperatures.
Just make sure if you are regularly using a cold wash
that once a month you do run a hot wash.
As this will get rid of the bacteria in your machine and reduce odours.
You can join this with your maintenance wash
which we'll talk about later in the video.
For heavier items or those that are stained or soiled
make sure that you soak them first.
As this will help remove stubborn stains
and will also reduce the need for you to wash them twice
which uses double the water and energy.
To reduce drying time for heavier items
make sure you use a fast spin cycle.
As this means that you'll remove them almost dry
and it will reduce the need for you to tumble dry them.
A big energy saving tip in general
is to try and avoid using your tumble dryer
as much as possible.
Use a clothes rack or hang them outside
as much as you can.
A good tip for when you are buying heavier items such as bath towels
is to opt for a more lightweight material.
This will save you washing and drying time
which will therefore save energy and save you money.
If during your washing cycle you notice
that your machine is shaking more
or is making more noise than usual
this could be due to an uneven load.
Now uneven loads are bad for the effectiveness of the wash
and can also put unnecessary
wear and tear on the internal parts of your machine.
So take a look at our other video up here on how to prevent this.
If you do need to buy a new washing machine
make sure you opt for a model
with an efficiency "A" triple plus energy rating.
But here at eSpares
we believe that you should only ever buy a new machine
as an absolute last resort.
Hands down the most efficient way to save money
and energy if your machine does develop a fault
is to repair it, not to replace it.
This means that you won't have to fork out on a new machine
and less washing machines will be produced
which is much better for the environment.
Avoid using too much detergent in your washing machine
as it's bad for a number of different reasons.
Firstly too much detergent is a pollutant
so it affects the environment
but not only that, but it won't actually make your clothes any cleaner.
In fact it could do the opposite
as too much detergent may not dissolve properly
so you could leave residue on your clothes.
Not only that, but the more detergent you use
the more you'll be buying so it's not really efficient money-wise either.
Too much detergent can also affect
the internal parts of your washing machine.
As it can foam up
causing an overfilling error code which will appear here.
Meaning that you'll have to reset your machine
and restart the cycle.
Now I'm going to tell you
some important maintenance tips for your washing machine.
As well as the previous tips
cleaning and maintaining your washing machine properly.
Will also save energy and prolong the life of your appliance.
First of all we need to give
the internal part of your washing machine a good clean
to remove limescale and undissolved detergent build-up.
By running a monthly maintenance wash.
Choose a hot cycle over 60 degrees
and make sure that the load's empty
and that you use a specialist cleaner and descaler.
Our washing machine cleaner is the most popular product on our whole site
and comes highly recommended by our customers.
So we will link it down below for you if you want to check it out.
Another monthly job
is to make sure that you clean the washing machine filter if possible.
A clogged filter will mean that your washing machine will have to
work harder and will therefore use more energy.
On most front loading washing machines
the filter can be found on the front of the machine
and is usually at the bottom behind a flap.
To help prevent your filter from getting blocked
and to keep your machine working more efficiently
make sure that you check clothes before you put them in.
Check pockets for smaller items such as coins
as these can clog the drain pump
or the filter damaging your machine.
Washing machines really do eat socks sometimes
so make sure that when you're washing smaller items or delicate items
such as pencil socks
that you put them in a pillow case
or in a mesh laundry bag
to stop them from getting stuck in the drum or the filter.
This will also stop your socks from going missing too.
If you do find any unwanted items stuck in the drum
make sure that you check out our video up here on how to remove them.
We hope these simple tips
will help you keep your washing machine more energy efficient
and you should start to notice a difference on your next bill too.
We have a whole playlist on energy saving videos
for all the machines around your home which we'll link down below.
Subscribe to our channel for step-by-step guides
on diagnosing problems
and maintaining your appliances.
Thanks for watching.