How changing your laundry habits can save you money

There’s a laundry list of tips out there to help you save money on your washing. Photos / Getty Images
Can changing your laundry habits save you money? The answer is yes, finds Lana Andelane. Here’s what you need to know.
As many of us look for simple ways to save a buck or two amid the skyrocketing cost of living, one overlooked area could be your washing machine – and not just in terms of cleaning.
For those not in the know, there’s actually a laundry list – sorry – of ways you can cut costs on your weekly washing, making it an easy household chore to economise when times are tough and penny-pinching is required.
Most of us are well aware of how the cost of living is impacting Kiwi families, particularly amid the country’s current energy crisis. Record-low hydro-lake levels and diminishing gas supplies during winter have depleted the supply of electricity, pushing up the price of energy as a result.
Meanwhile, water bills for Auckland households went up 7.2% from July 1, and rates were hiked by 6.8%; increasing the combined weekly cost from $94 to $100.
Data collected by the Household Economic Survey also found housing and household utilities were up 15.5% from June 2019 to June 2023, jumping to $398 per week.
Soaring power prices are significantly affecting many Kiwi households. Data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment shows residential power prices rose 6.4% in the year to March, while findings indicate one in five Kiwis already can’t afford their energy bill.
According to data from the Economic Living Standards Index, almost 14,000 New Zealand households in 2007 said they didn’t own a washing machine because of the cost – that number rose to 17,000 in 2010. Amid the cost of living crisis, it can be assumed that number is now higher.
The good news is, there are a number of ways to bring down the cost of laundry that aren’t related to the products you use. Small, mindful changes like temperature, load size and regular machine maintenance could, in the long run, help the cost come tumbling down.
Pablo Kraus, CEO of Ecostore – a local manufacturer of eco-friendly household and personal care products – spoke to the Herald ahead of the brand’s No Laundry Day initiative on August 30, and shared his top tips for more economical washing.
The simplest way to scrimp on laundry is by, you guessed it, doing less of it. With an average 4.5 star washing machine using 69 litres of water per load of laundry, reducing your washing by one load a week could save 3588 litres a year. Good for the planet, and your water bill.
One underrated tip to help reduce costs in the long run is opting for a concentrated, high-performance laundry liquid that requires a smaller dose than standard detergents.
“These products require less energy and resources to produce and transport, and are cost-effective per use,” Kraus said. “If you’re using less of a product each time, then it lasts longer; you’re not needing to chuck another one into your cart each week.”
Kraus also recommends checking the recommended dosage on the packaging of your preferred laundry products before dumping an entire cup in the detergent drawer.
“Often people use more than they need, meaning you go through the product quicker than necessary and have to purchase more in the long run.”
Another eco-friendly (and bank-friendly) tip is using lower temperatures – try the cold setting, we dare you – for regular washes. Warmer temperatures should typically be reserved for heavily soiled garments; a low setting is not only better for maintaining clothes, but will reduce your energy consumption – and in turn, your power bill.
As hot water accounts for about 30% of the average household’s energy bill, switching from hot to cold on the washing machine could save about $50 a year, Consumer NZ spokesperson Abby Damen told the Herald. According to the EECA’s Energy End Use Database, in 2021 the majority of electricity in New Zealand homes was consumed by heating water. Clothes washing and drying were further down the list, but accounted for a decent amount.
“Modern detergents are formulated to work in cold water, so save the warm washes for the really dirty loads that need it,” Damen explained.
Additional savings can be garnered in the long run by drying clothes on a washing line instead of in the dryer, again reducing your energy – and account – expenditure. Consumer NZ recommends that before using the dryer, give the laundry a higher spin in the washing machine first to get out as much water as possible. Keeping the filter clean will also ensure the dryer isn’t working harder than it needs to.
Meanwhile, Damen noted that Consumer NZ testing has proven front loader washing machines perform better than top loaders, making them a good investment for households looking to upgrade their laundry nook. The watchdog found a warm wash in a front loader has an average power cost of 19 cents per load; comparatively, a warm wash in a top loader has an average power cost of 31 cents per load. Cold washes are about equal; 6 cents and 5 cents per load respectively.
“Top loaders are tougher on fabrics, guzzle more water and don’t remove dirt as well as front loaders do, so particularly for those on metered water, a front loader will be more economical in the long run,” Damen explained.
How you use your machine can also impact your utilities. Simple changes like pre-treating stains, instead of running a garment multiple times through the wash, can help save on water, as well as filling up the machine before doing a wash. Two half-empty loads could be condensed into one – that alone is saving 69 litres.
“In general, New Zealanders tend to over-wash our garments, and under-fill our machines. Consider how often you wash your clothes and household linen, and wash full loads where you can,” Damen added.
While almost no one wants to add another chore to their to-do list, maintaining your washing machine – yes, that means cleaning that dreaded mould trap – could impact its longevity. Consumer NZ member surveys indicate the average life expectancy of a washing machine is 10 years, a lifespan that can be reached – or exceeded – with proper preventative maintenance.
“That’s simple tasks like wiping the door seals, cleaning the detergent drawer to prevent the build-up of residue, cleaning the drain pump, and an easy one – running an empty hot wash once a month to prevent mould and bacteria growth,” Damen said.
Washing machines that have an auto-dosing feature can also save money. Auto-dosing takes the guesswork out of detergent; instead, the user fills the compartment to the top, and the system doses the correct amount into the drum, depending on the load’s weight, the selected cycle programme and type of fabric. Some systems even adjust for the degree of soiling.
For example, Miele claims its TwinDos system can save up to 30% on detergent, compared with manual dispensing. Auto-dosing could also use less water, as there won’t be as much rinsing required to remove the excess product. Alternatively, the Bosch i-DOS machine takes about 1.3 litres of detergent – that means at about 50ml per standard load, you can do about 26 washes before having to refill the dispenser.
However, some downsides of auto-dosing machines include the higher price-point, and the fact only liquid detergent is compatible with the system.
First launched in 2023, the No Laundry Day initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable habits, and the impact even one load of washing can have. The truth of the matter is that laundry isn’t just costing us dollars – it’s costing our environment.
A scary stat is that collectively, New Zealanders use an estimated 107 million litres of water per day on washing; that’s enough to fill over 40 Olympic-sized swimming pools. There are more than 1.5 million household washing machines in New Zealand, according to the available figures, with an estimated 567,319,500 domestic loads of washing completed each year. Based on the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002, it’s assumed a washing machine is used 365 times a year – that’s a load every day.
If the 107 million litres weren’t staggering enough, it’s estimated New Zealanders use more than 39 billion litres of water a year – just for washing laundry, according to Ecostore.
As well as the water waste, another significant environmental impact of clothes-washing is the proliferation of microfibres. Shed from synthetic fabrics, studies suggest these fibres are among the most common microplastics polluting our environment. Every load of laundry can release thousands, which subsequently enter our waterways and infiltrate even the most unexpected of areas – from ocean trenches to mountaintops, to our own blood and organs.
If you aren’t concerned about cutting utility bills, doing less laundry is also doing your bit for the planet.
“Small changes can lead to big impacts, especially when we’re all in the same waka, moving toward the same goal,” Kraus said.
“Whether the only day you skip doing a load of washing is No Laundry Day or you challenge yourself to one less load a week, you’ll be reducing your impact on the environment while also saving money.”
Lana Andelane is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist covering lifestyle and entertainment stories. She joined the Herald in 2024 and enjoys anything related to pop culture, fashion, beauty and music.