One of the largest uses of water in American households is laundry. Approximately 16% of household water usage is consumed just to do the laundry. There are numerous ways to reduce water usage in the laundry room. The extra benefit of protecting this natural resource: you’ll save money as well, especially if you purchase water and sewage treatment from a municipality. The design of a front load washer gives clothes a thorough wash using only a fraction of the water used in a top-loader thanks to the gentle tumbling action provided by gravity. If you can’t give up a top-load washer, choose one that is high efficiency. These washers use an impeller to move clothes around in the detergent/water solution rather than a central agitator. One of the most important factors in selecting a washer for water savings is the water factor rating. The smaller the rating, the more water efficient the clothes washer. The rating is based on the amount of water used per cubic feet (load capacity) of the washer. The EPA provides a list of the highest efficiency washers for each model year. Unless you have a specific problem, skip the extra rinse cycle on your washer. If you are using the correct amount of detergent and loading the washer properly, you don’t need it. Another water saving strategy is to pre-treat stains correctly to avoid having to rewash clothing. Follow some simple guidelines on how often to wash men’s clothes and women’s clothes to conserve water and save money by helping your clothes last longer. Take a few minutes to do a bit of laundry room maintenance. Check your washer for leaks and drips, paying special attention to the hose connections and similar vulnerable spots. Be sure to check the floor around and underneath the appliances, too—if you find puddles, you’ve found problems. Washer hoses should be replaced every 5 years as part of regular household maintenance. A burst hose can result in very expensive water bills and extensive damage to your home. Select the best quality you can afford. Don’t skip an inspection of your home’s plumbing lines. The problem may not be your washer!
Limit the amount of detergent that you use. A little bit will go a long way and fewer suds means less need for water for rinsing.Put a stopper in the sink or basin for both wash and rinse tasks.Don’t let the faucet run continuously.Gather items that need hand-washing and use the same detergent/water solution for several different garments. Save all rinsing for last.
While collecting grey water from your washing machine won’t directly affect your laundry’s water efficiency, it can have a positive effect on your home’s overall water consumption. The simplest way to collect grey water from your washing machine is to use a bucket at the machine’s drain. Alternatively, contact a plumber or your local water department and ask about the local regulations and how to get a greywater treatment system installed in your home, to collect, clean and filter your recycled water so it can be safely used for gardening and more. Chemicals and salts found in some detergents can be bad for plants and soil, so if you use grey water for gardening, you may wish to stick to all-natural detergents or collect only the machine’s rinse water. While it’s not always a practical option, in some areas a rainwater tank can be used to supply water to your washing machine and make a big difference to your home’s water usage. Tank water can also be used for gardening and flushing toilets. The reason that laundromats result in water savings is that the machines are typically larger capacity and more clothes can be washed in each load. Also, the inconvenience of going to a central laundry site trains us to be more efficient in our laundry habits. You can even make your own homemade laundry products that include significantly less water.
