A SIMPLE change to the way you use your tumble dryer could slash the time it takes to dry your clothes, and potentially save you a bundle.
Millions of households are looking for ways to cut their energy usage as bills rocket, and one of them could be as easy as changing how you use your tumble dryer.
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One savvy saver has shared a simple trick that she says can reduce the drying time on what is one of the most energy-hungry devices in your home.
She revealed that throwing a towel into the tumble dryer at the start of each cycle can help soak up the moisture more quickly and reduce drying time.
Posting on her blog, the woman said: “This clever little tumble dryer hack is to put a dry towel into your tumble dryer with your wet washing.
“The towel will absorb moisture in your washing and help it to dry faster – reducing the amount of time you need to run your dryer and saving you cash!”
Experts are not clear exactly how much the trick can save you but as tumble dryers are one of the most energy intensive devices at home, cutting down the time they are in use can be crucial to save costs.
A typical tumble dryer uses 4.5kWh per cycle and the average cost for electricity is 28p per kWh under the new energy price cap, meaning it costs £1.26 per tumble dryer cycle.
If you use the dryer once a day, that’s £459.90.
So if you can reduce the time you use the dryer by a third, you’ll save £153.30 – bringing your annual cost down to £306.60.
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Archie Lasseter, Utilita Energy’s sustainability lead said: “When line-drying or cheaper drying methods aren’t an option, there are ways to run tumble dryers in a more cost-effective way.
“The towel trick is an interesting one to try, but the most effective tip is to reduce the time the clothes need in the dryer – the wetter they are, the longer they’ll need.
“Leaving the clothes for a while to air dry would certainly cut costs.”
More ways to save on your laundry costs
Another way to reduce your tumble dryer use is by doing an extra 10 minute spin in the washing machine first to get it drier beforehand.
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “The longer your tumble dryer’s cycle, the more money it will cost you.
“If your clothes are dripping wet, it will have to run much longer to get them dry, increasing your energy bill dramatically.”
In addition, turning down the cycle heat, or just giving your tumble dryer a good clean could help reduce your bill.
Lisa Barber, Which? home products and services editor, said: “Maintaining your tumble dryer could trim your bill, as filters blocking up with dust and lint from clothes can add nearly £20 to annual laundry costs.”
Elsewhere, we reveal the cheapest time to wash and dry clothes to save money on energy bills – if you’re on the right tariff.
Meanwhile, here are eight “vampire appliances” that are adding £500 to your energy bills.
Plus, your TV could be unknowingly pushing up your energy costs – but we explain a simple way to bring them back down again.
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