High energy consumption due to the high water temperature
In German households, an average of 18 million tons of linen washed. The washing cycle alone consumes about 5.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.
Additionally, some families are literally throwing their money out the window due to high water temperatures and old, half-empty cars. To avoid this, you should follow the tips below!
Low energy consumption and respect for the environment with cold washes
When the water temperature is low, washing clothes consumes less electricity. The machine does not have to heat the water as much and therefore requires less energy than a 60 degree wash.
So if you wash at 30 or 40 degrees, saves a lot of electricity and moneyas the Hamburg Consumer Advice Center explains:
When you go from 60 to 40 degrees, the energy consumption decreases by up to 45%. Washing at 30 degrees instead of 40 degrees saves up to 40 percent.
On this topic he also has the Industry Association for Personal Care and Detergents (IKW) has published a graph. This shows the costs for a load of laundry at different temperatures:
What laundry can I cold wash?
Lightly soiled laundry such as sweaters, shirts, shirts or trousers can be washed well at temperatures below 30 degrees, i.e. Wash at 20 degrees. Just pay attention to the minimum temperature specified on the detergent.
However, the Hamburg Consumer Advice Center recommends pre-treating intense stains before the wash cycle, for example with Gallseife.
For normally soiled laundry it is sufficient to set the temperature control to 10 degrees more. At the Washing cycle at 30 degrees today’s detergents already develop their full cleaning power.
Heavily soiled laundry can already be done nowadays at 40 instead of 60 degrees – and clean with a good detergent.
In addition, washing at low temperatures not only saves money, but it also protects the laundry. Garments fade less quickly and retain their structure and shape.
Wash hygienically at 60 degrees
Washing at 60 degrees consumes a lot of energy unnecessarily, because heating the water here involves the highest costs, but with some garments it is not possible to avoid the washing cycle with a higher water temperature.
The Industry Association for Toiletries and Detergents recommends that you always clean dishcloths, dish sponges, dishcloths, towels, underwear and bedding of people allergic to house dust washed at 60 degrees they should be made to render microorganisms harmless.
This also applies if the residents of a household there is a risk of infection – have a gastrointestinal or fungal infection. Bacteria and fungi are rendered harmless and the spread of the disease avoided only with a wash cycle of 60 degrees or more.
Also to Prevention of excessive nucleation In the washing machine, IKW recommends washing once or twice a month at 60 degrees.
How much does your laundry cost?
To keep track of the costs and consumption of water and electricity, the “Washing Forum” has one “Online Laundry Calculator” on its website posted on which with a few clicks calculate how much you save by changing your washing habits.
General tips for doing laundry and saving energy
- Load the washing machine as completely as possible: Reduces the number of washing loads and thus the overall costs!
- Wash at the lowest possible temperature: The higher the temperature, the higher the energy costs.
- On Washing machine with good energy efficiency class (A to D) reassemble
- Use the Eco program instead of the short wash: It may take longer, but electricity costs are lower.
- Dry the laundry in the open air instead of in the dryer: Easy on the wallet and on the laundry.
Source: BRISANT / Industrial Association for Personal Care and Detergents / Consumer Center Hamburg
