How much electricity one wash uses

Short answer: A wash at thirty degrees uses about half a kilowatt hour, and at sixty degrees twice that. Over eighty percent goes to heating the water. So temperature is the most important choice if you want to use less electricity on laundry.

Temperature decides the usage

The drum's movement uses almost no power, it is heating the water that costs. The hotter the wash, the more energy it takes to reach the temperature. That is why washing bamboo T-shirts for men and the rest of your laundry cold saves by far the most. It is the simplest lever you have.

Programme length matters little

A long programme uses a little more power, but the difference is small next to the effect of temperature. Many believe a short programme saves a lot, but that is not where the gain is. It applies to everything from a bamboo tank top for men to thick joggers: choose temperature first, programme second.

Work out the yearly usage

Three washes a week at thirty instead of sixty degrees save between two and three hundred Danish kroner a year. It does not sound like much per wash, but it adds up over a year. That also goes for socks for men, which often end up in a hot wash out of habit, even though normal dirt does not need it.

What a wash costs

At a normal Danish electricity price, a wash costs one to two kroner. The lower price applies at thirty degrees, the higher at sixty. These are small sums each time, but the cost doubles every time you choose the hot wash, and over time the choice between the two temperatures makes the difference.

When sixty degrees makes sense

There are times when a hotter wash is the right choice, such as illness in the home or heavy dirt. In those cases the temperature does the work. For everyday clothes that have been worn for a day, thirty degrees is usually enough, and that is where the electricity is saved.

Fill the machine

Power use per wash is almost the same however much is in the drum, because it is the water that must be heated. A full machine therefore makes better use of the power than a half one. Collect clothes until you have a full load instead of washing small amounts several times a week.

Drying counts too

Washing is only part of the sum. If you use a tumble dryer, that costs power as well. Hanging clothes to dry is free. Many thin fabrics dry quickly on a rack, so consider whether the dryer is needed every time or can be saved for days when you are in a hurry.

The simplest lever

If you want to use less power on laundry, temperature is the key choice. Turn it down to thirty degrees for normal dirt, fill the machine and air dry when you can. It needs no new equipment, only a habit, and it halves the power used by each wash.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a wash at thirty use

About half a kilowatt hour. Most of it goes to heating the water, while the drum's movement uses almost nothing.

How much at sixty degrees

Roughly twice as much, so about one kilowatt hour. Heating the water to the higher temperature is what doubles the usage.

What does it cost

One to two Danish kroner per wash at a normal electricity price. Over a year with three washes a week, the gap between thirty and sixty degrees becomes several hundred kroner.