Sure, there’s a pile of clothes in the corner that can now cast a shadow over your bedroom at midday. But what if you could beat it, while saving on energy? Now you can, with these handy hacks from our brand new ‘Here to Help’ series…
Sure, there’s a pile of clothes in the corner that can now cast a shadow over your bedroom at midday. But what if you could beat it, while saving on energy? Now you can, with these handy hacks from our brand new ‘Here to Help’ series…
As we move further into winter and the weather grows positively chilly, it’s good to have some hacks up our sleeve when it comes to reducing energy consumption around the home. There’s no doubt you’ll be flicking the heating on more frequently during winter months, but using our many clever #HelpfulHacks, you can ensure your appliances are working as efficiently as possible – saving you money in the process.
First up, laundry. While the washing machine and dryer are big consumers of energy, we've scoured the Earth, from Augher to Clogher and back again, to find tips that will help keep these two appliances in check... while you finally slay that laundry pile.
What’s more, we’ve teamed up with NI mums Sarah (AKA @life.home.loves) and Jill (@homeatrosecottage) to share these handy #HereToHelp tips on Instagram. Here are just a few pearls of wisdom…
- Cool It, Kid
Sticking on a wash? Using a lower heat - 30 degrees rather than 40 - gets most stubborn stains out, while using less power.
- (Don’t) Get Stuffed
No matter how tempting it may be to cram every stray sock and stinky jumper into the drum, you must resist: overfilling uses more energy, makes your machine less efficient, and is bad for your skin and clothes (less water available for detergent to dissolve in makes it stick to fabric). A sensible load should leave a hand’s width of space at the top, which is roughly 1/4 of the drum.
- Pick a Day, Any Day
Consolidating all your washing and drying into one or two days helps you be more efficient, by running less partial loads and drip-feeding energy costs.
- Dehumidifiers
If you’ve got the space in your house, use it: dehumidifiers are much cheaper to run than tumble dryers, drawing moisture out of the air to dry clothes in a more ‘natural’ fashion, while protecting your rooms from damp and mould which can gather with condensation.
- Great Drying Out? Use It!
Your granny would be horrified to see you using a dryer on a bright, windy day (of which we’re blessed with a few here in Northern Ireland). While using your clothesline or horse after a quick speed wash is more work and means a mouthful of pegs, it’s still the most efficient way to hold back on using energy.
- On the Ball
Wool dryer balls are a secret weapon in the war on energy waste. They prevent laundry from clumping together by tumbling around, letting warm air circulate more freely which reduces drying time and hey presto, saving you some energy. They even make clothes neater by helping reduce creases, softening fabric and preventing static. Then after about 1,000 uses, they’ll biodegrade in your compost.
- Spin it Out
Ask the pros and they shall reveal the secret of quick drying laundry: stick on an extra spin at end of your cycle to help clothing dry quicker when it comes out of the machine. It’s the equivalent of giving your hair a wee towel before using the hairdryer.
That’s it for this instalment of #HereToHelp. Want more tips? Give us a follow on Instagram or stay up to date on our website.
