Cleaning hacks to save time and money

No one likes household chores, but sadly they’re a fact of life.

So if you’re going to spend half your Sunday mired in domestic misery, you may as well do it the smart way and slash some dollars off your next energy bill.

Here are some great household washing and cleaning ideas that will save you both time and money.

A foil for time wastage

When it comes to those household chores everyone hates, ironing is often at the top of the list.

What if you could halve the time it takes to get those shirts wrinkle-free whilst halving your iron energy use at the same time?

Try putting a large square of aluminium foil underneath the ironing surface, then placing your clothing on top before ironing.

The foil will conduct the iron’s heat, allowing you to iron both sides of your clothing at the same time.

Put your shower to good use

Better yet, why not forgo the iron altogether?

If you’re in the habit of taking long showers, try hanging your washed and wrinkled clothes around the bathroom – as close to the shower as possible – while you crank up the hot water.

Avoid turning on the fan or opening any windows and the build-up of steam will loosen those wrinkles right out of your shirts and pants.

Man or machine?

After years of being grilled about the energy-saving benefits of washing your dishes by hand, rather than using the dishwasher, turns out they were wrong all along.

You can thank us later for this one.

Studies show modern dishwashers significantly save more energy in comparison to washing the dishes by hand.

So load up, guilt-free! We don’t have to tell you that you’ll also save a hefty chunk of time by not handwashing.

Just make sure you fully load the dishwasher to maximise the energy-saving benefits.

Towel it up

Dryers love energy.

In fact, if you use it most days, your dryer could add anywhere up to $500 a year to your energy bill.

However, some people can’t imagine a world in which they have to wait 24 hours for their clothing to dry on a clotheshorse during winter.

So can we shave the length of time the dryer is on for? Absolutely.

Throw a dry and clean towel in with your wet clothes before starting the dryer.

It’ll absorb some of the moisture and help put a rush on the drying process. You can remove it after about 15 minutes.

Be bold with cold

Do you really need the water in your washing machine dialed right up to 60C? You know they make washing powder specifically for cold water, right?

Many washing machines use significant amounts of energy to heat water up, but you’ll achieve exactly the same results by sticking with good old cold.

Cure those coils

This one might cost you a couple of extra minutes during your annual spring clean, but it could save you big dollars when your energy bill arrives.

Fridges consume easily the most energy of any household appliance, and most rarely operate at maximum efficiency due to a buildup of dust in and around the coils at the back.

While vacuuming the rest of the house, take the time to pull out the fridge and suck all of the dust (and God knows what else) out of the coils.

Your fridge and your wallet will love you for it.

Source: EnergyAustralia