MARTIN Lewis has issued a warning over a home appliance that’s the biggest energy user.
Speaking on a new episode of The Martin Lewis Podcast, the MoneySavingExpert shared tips that could save on your energy bills.
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Martin explained that one of the worst energy-sucking “demon appliances” is the tumble dryer.
He said: “Do you know what the real demon appliances are in most people’s houses?
“The one that you really don’t want to use because it’s really expensive?
“Tumble dryers.”
He explained that the typical dryer costs up to £1 per load and that there are several other, more efficient, ways to dry your clothes.
The consumer expert recommended drying clothes first on a clothes horse.
He said that this will reduce the amount of time you need to put them in the tumble dryer for, or avoid having to use it completely.
Using a dehumidifier could also save you cash on your bills when drying your clothes, Martin explained.
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He said: “Those who have dehumidifiers, that can take some of the moisture out.
“It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer so it can be more effective.”
Dehumidifiers are typically used to help get rid of dampness in homes.
People normally use them to keep their homes damp-free while drying their clothes inside on a clothes horse.
According to experts at Uswitch, dehumidifiers normally use 185W – so they usually cost about 6p an hour to run.
That means it would cost £4.20 a week if you used it for one hour every week.
Of course, how much an appliance costs to run depends on how often you use it and which model you have, and the above is just an estimate.
It comes as households are searching for ways to keep costs at bay this winter as the cost of living rises.
More tips to cut the costs of doing your washing and drying
There are plenty of other ways to cut the cost of washing and drying clothes.
Firstly, it’s worth washing your clothes early to take advantage of any sunlight.
By doing your washing as early as possible you’re taking advantage of any sunlight during the day to dry your clothes.
Always turn over your clothes when they’re hanging on the airer.
As Martin said, hanging your clothes on an airer before putting them in the washing machine can save you time in the tumble dryer.
Make sure that as the clothes are drying you turn them over every couple of hours to help them dry evenly.
If your clothes airer is overcrowded the clothes will take longer to dry which can result in them smelling damp and musty.
To get rid of this smell you may end up having to wash them again, costing you more.
Instead washing fewer clothes per load will allow for more space in your washing machine and your airer so they will dry quicker and avoid having a damp smell to them.
Buy yourself a heated airer to save money over a longer period.
Heated clothes airers are like traditional ones, but you plug them in – they can cost around £45.
The cost of running an airer will depend on the model you’ve got.
We’ve worked out how much they cost to run here.
You could also save money on washing your clothes too by reducing the temperature that you wash them at.
