Using this button on your washing machine will cut your bills and help the planet

Most of us like to get laundry done as quickly and as cheaply as possible, shoving everything in on the quick cycle and calling it a day.

However, there is one setting many of us are overlooking – the eco cycle.

Largely misunderstood as better for the planet but not for our wallets, the eco cycle could be the very thing you need to save money on laundry without adding too much extra time to your laundry routine. Here’s why we are embracing the switch.

Why you should use the Eco setting on your washer

With so many washing machine settings to choose from, it is no wonder that so many of us stick with the quick cycle as a laundry hack to save time.

A 2017 study into the energy efficiency of laundry cycles, however, concluded that ‘Reducing water temperatures in the wash phase of a washing program and increasing the over-all cycle durations are the latest trends in decreasing energy consumption of washing programs,’ but stressed that ‘consumers are [...] reluctant to use long program cycles since they do not believe that the long cycles could be energy-saving.’

So how does a longer wash equal less spent? It comes down to washing clothes in cold water.

Another study by the University of Leeds in association with laundry specialists Procter & Gamble found that ‘Washing clothing at 30 °C [85°F] rather than 40 °C [104°F] saves approximately 40% of the energy used per load, and washing at 20 °C [68°F] instead of 40 °C [104°F] saves approximately 66% of the energy used per load, hence the findings herein have significance in terms of potential energy savings and associated carbon emissions.’

Luckily, many modern detergents are formulated specifically to be effective in colder water, helping to kill odor-causing bacteria and remove stains without the need to boil your laundry. It not only helps to cut energy bills when doing laundry but extends the lifespan of your clothes, as the fibers are not worn down as quickly.

Punteha van Terheyden, head of Solved, has pushed her appliance to the limit by doing heaps of laundry for her and her family.

She shares, ‘I have never seen any difference between the results of the eco-wash setting, and the longer cotton or mixed material washes on my machine – other than the cost!

‘If I use my combined washer-dryer's auto wash function, it's a two to three-hour cycle and my clothes come out damp. If I use the eco wash, and add a 30-minute dry, that's around two hours. Running on eco gets it just as clean and dry, with half the expenditure.’

Punteha also runs her washer overnight when her energy tariffs are cheaper so if you have a delay or schedule function on your washer, use it.

This is not to say that the quick cycle is inefficient in any way, it can still help you save energy when doing laundry when used correctly. According to Hotpoint, to reap all the benefits of your best washing machine, it is generally recommended to use the eco-cycle whenever you have a full laundry load that fills the drum (don’t overload the drum to avoid a common washing machine mistake). The quick wash cycle can then be reserved for smaller washes of a few items that you can’t wash by hand.

When relying on a quick wash, it is worth noting that you may need to follow the golden rules of stain removal a little more closely, as shorter wash times make it harder for your laundry detergent to break down stains. As I almost always use the 30-minute cool wash setting on my washing machine, I usually always set a stain to soak in warm water and either a drop of detergent or a scoop of oxygen bleach, such as OxiClean from Walmart, to help lift the mark as soon as I spot it, ensuring my laundry comes out clean every time.

Now you have switched your cycles, learn about some other bad laundry habits ruining your items to ensure you don’t end up with misshapen sweaters, bleached shirts, or holey socks.