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Save energy and money when washing clothes. Leave hot water only for certain occasions

Household activities require a lot of energy. Electric showers are among those that consume the most, but washing machines are not far behind. As they are very necessary on a daily basis, reducing the impact of problems due to their constant use can be done through a conscious way of using the equipment.

But a central problem occurs with the use of hot water. According to an estimate by the US Department of Energy, up to 90% of the energy used in a laundry comes from the energy consumed to run the water heater. In addition, this warming results in the emission of tons of carbon dioxide each year (see more here).

Here in Brazil, public laundries are uncommon, as are models of machines with water heating. However, it is recommended to use heated water in certain situations. But most of the time, using cold water is more economical. Here are three tips:

Wash your clothes in cold cycles - this will greatly reduce the energy consumption of your home and your clothes will stay clean, because advances in technology have made cold water washing as effective as hot water cycles;

Use a normal amount of soap - contrary to what you may have heard you don't need to add an extra amount of soap (see here how to make yours) just because you are washing your clothes in cold cycles. Use the same amount for both hot and cold cycles;

Know when to use hot water - if you want to disinfect the machine, choose the hot water cycle. The choice of hot water should also occur when washing items such as underwear and bath towels - these items tend to carry more bacteria than other types of clothing.