Laundry Costs Calculator
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joe_in_philly
Well-known member
Very interesting! Thanks for posting. Based on rough estimates, I save $102 a year with a front load washer. I'll try again later when I can consult my bills for more accurate costs.
Interesting....
If I base the statistics I use on my actual Hot/Warm/Cold usage (33%/67%/0%) for an FL versus 100% cold for a TL means I save a "whopping $38!" (Water @ AU%8.50 per 1000 US Gal, Electricity 20c/kWh, No Drying, Electric water heating for FL, no water heating for TL, No cost for detergent).
Then I realized that "Hot" is 106ºF, "Warm" is 88ºF and "Cold" is whatever you set (about 77ºF). Therefore, all our washing in the FL machine is "HOT" since we wash at AT LEAST 106ºF! Then the savings decreased to only $10 difference. So, I either wash my clothes properly, or the Algore-way in Cold water on our TL machine.
But I don't take that website seriously. Telling people to ditch their appliances and buy new ones for Energy-Star because its "Eco-Friendly" buying throw-away junk is in-excusable. And he's the "Windows Open" type too. Bleh.
If I base the statistics I use on my actual Hot/Warm/Cold usage (33%/67%/0%) for an FL versus 100% cold for a TL means I save a "whopping $38!" (Water @ AU%8.50 per 1000 US Gal, Electricity 20c/kWh, No Drying, Electric water heating for FL, no water heating for TL, No cost for detergent).
Then I realized that "Hot" is 106ºF, "Warm" is 88ºF and "Cold" is whatever you set (about 77ºF). Therefore, all our washing in the FL machine is "HOT" since we wash at AT LEAST 106ºF! Then the savings decreased to only $10 difference. So, I either wash my clothes properly, or the Algore-way in Cold water on our TL machine.
But I don't take that website seriously. Telling people to ditch their appliances and buy new ones for Energy-Star because its "Eco-Friendly" buying throw-away junk is in-excusable. And he's the "Windows Open" type too. Bleh.
Enough with this propaganda!
So you save $150/year by washing your clothes in cold rather than hot water. What's that ... 50 cents a day? So that 365 days out of the year you're wearing clothes that are loaded with bacteria?
And don't get me started on the front-loaded crap and the "just because 'other' countries do it, it must be better" argument. It's elementary physics that the less water you use, the less clean your clothes will be. Period. I don't care how technologically advanced the machine is, or how much longer the cycle is, those clothes are simply not as clean.
And I don't need some green freak telling me that I'm being "wasteful" in preferring to use an old "water hog" top-loading machine. To each his own. Let me remind you again: despite what the green freaks try to tell you, we live in a closed ecosystem. The water you use isn't "wasted"; it doesn't disappear down your drain into a black hole and into an alternate universe, never to be seen again. It's all recycled. The water you're drawing from your tap today is the same water the ancient Egyptians gathered in clay pots from the Nile.
Perhaps the most absurd suggestion is to ditch your dryer altogether. Right. Because a) we all have a place to hang our clothes out to dry (did you hear that, New Yorkers? Just hang those clothes out there to be crapped on by the pigeons!) and b) we all just have oodles of time to hang and babysit clothes on the line (and babysit is right; like I'm going to hang my $200 dress shirts and $500 Egyptian cotton sheets outside and just leave them there so that someone can drive by and make off with about $2,000 worth of clean laundry??). Never mind that c) many of us live in communities where it's actually illegal to hang clothes out on the line. Why? Probably because it screams "ghetto".
So you save $150/year by washing your clothes in cold rather than hot water. What's that ... 50 cents a day? So that 365 days out of the year you're wearing clothes that are loaded with bacteria?
And don't get me started on the front-loaded crap and the "just because 'other' countries do it, it must be better" argument. It's elementary physics that the less water you use, the less clean your clothes will be. Period. I don't care how technologically advanced the machine is, or how much longer the cycle is, those clothes are simply not as clean.
And I don't need some green freak telling me that I'm being "wasteful" in preferring to use an old "water hog" top-loading machine. To each his own. Let me remind you again: despite what the green freaks try to tell you, we live in a closed ecosystem. The water you use isn't "wasted"; it doesn't disappear down your drain into a black hole and into an alternate universe, never to be seen again. It's all recycled. The water you're drawing from your tap today is the same water the ancient Egyptians gathered in clay pots from the Nile.
Perhaps the most absurd suggestion is to ditch your dryer altogether. Right. Because a) we all have a place to hang our clothes out to dry (did you hear that, New Yorkers? Just hang those clothes out there to be crapped on by the pigeons!) and b) we all just have oodles of time to hang and babysit clothes on the line (and babysit is right; like I'm going to hang my $200 dress shirts and $500 Egyptian cotton sheets outside and just leave them there so that someone can drive by and make off with about $2,000 worth of clean laundry??). Never mind that c) many of us live in communities where it's actually illegal to hang clothes out on the line. Why? Probably because it screams "ghetto".
beekeyknee
Well-known member
No. LOL.
Oh Dear Laundress...
Are you sitting back with lots of tea and cake? ha ha
NYCWriter - so the Miele it isnt then after all the good advice sought!!
Are you sitting back with lots of tea and cake? ha ha
NYCWriter - so the Miele it isnt then after all the good advice sought!!
iheartmaytag
Well-known member
Interesting information
It is nice to see where you are spending your money when you don't think of it. This helps explains the cost of Laundromat washers. Adding in cost of building etc., of course.
Thank you Laundress for sharing.
NYCWriter:
Dude!! $500 sheets? My whole linen closet isn't worth that much.
It is nice to see where you are spending your money when you don't think of it. This helps explains the cost of Laundromat washers. Adding in cost of building etc., of course.
Thank you Laundress for sharing.
NYCWriter:
Dude!! $500 sheets? My whole linen closet isn't worth that much.
mich
Well-known member
I've actually been told...
That one saves on average, about a whopping $40 a year switching to Cold from Hot (not Warm) on a Front Loading machine.
I'd prefer not to start a argument, but, Front Loading Washers, DO clean better, than traditional Top Loaders. Longer Wash times, in very-non diluted cleaning solutions to have a nice benefit and performance boost on cleaning clothes..
That one saves on average, about a whopping $40 a year switching to Cold from Hot (not Warm) on a Front Loading machine.
I'd prefer not to start a argument, but, Front Loading Washers, DO clean better, than traditional Top Loaders. Longer Wash times, in very-non diluted cleaning solutions to have a nice benefit and performance boost on cleaning clothes..
Methinks Those That Push "Energy Saving" Washing Mac
Are seeking to reap the collective benefits of a large population as opposed to the few.
You or I might not care about "$40/year" energy savings, but when multiplied by factors of thousands or even millions there is substantial savings that benefit the country or local population.
Are seeking to reap the collective benefits of a large population as opposed to the few.
You or I might not care about "$40/year" energy savings, but when multiplied by factors of thousands or even millions there is substantial savings that benefit the country or local population.
Yes, but the ulterior motive ...
... is in building crappy computer-driven machines are are designed to fail after 5 years, forcing EVERYONE to buy a new washer at least twice a decade.
Never mind the horrendous waste of energy in producing and shipping roughly FOUR times as many washers and dryers as in years past. And of course filling our landfills to overcapacity with washers that can never be fixed or refurbished.
And that fact that these eco-friendly machines are not clothes-friendly by not getting them truly clean, dramatically shortening their lives by leaving behind soil that breaks down the fibers.
Make no mistake -- there is no macro view on benefitting society at large on the part of these companies.
... is in building crappy computer-driven machines are are designed to fail after 5 years, forcing EVERYONE to buy a new washer at least twice a decade.
Never mind the horrendous waste of energy in producing and shipping roughly FOUR times as many washers and dryers as in years past. And of course filling our landfills to overcapacity with washers that can never be fixed or refurbished.
And that fact that these eco-friendly machines are not clothes-friendly by not getting them truly clean, dramatically shortening their lives by leaving behind soil that breaks down the fibers.
Make no mistake -- there is no macro view on benefitting society at large on the part of these companies.
Jesus, NYCWriter, how do you shoulder the burden of being the one human being who knows absolutely everything about absolutely everything, absolutely?
[this post was last edited: 10/19/2013-17:29]
[this post was last edited: 10/19/2013-17:29]
Correction: It's ours. Trust me, it's ours.
ronhic
Well-known member
It would appear that there is less freedom to choose
...in the land of the free right now.
I can't tell you how pleased I am that our government has taken a completely different approach to water efficiency.
Yes, mandated labeling of appliances for water and energy efficiency is here, but it's on one cycle....
However, as I have discussed here before, we get to choose. Manufacturers are free to sell a machine that consumes as much water and energy as they like, but the CONSUMER gets to choose what they want to buy and install. This was initially encouraged by the carrot of a rebate from their local council of up to $200 for washing machines that met a minimum 4 star water use standard (approx. 11litres per KG laundry at capacity load).
Consumers effectively decided on the overall product mix - demand for more water efficient machines went up and manufacturers and importers met the change in consumer requirements. This was not only driven by living in one of the driest countries and often being in drought, but undoubtedly by the financial incentive provided at times by council. This incentive has ceased. Demand has not.
Most importantly, there have been no financial kick-backs to manufacturers. This one is driven by the consumer, their needs, their conscience regards resource usage and financial incentives they might have received. Mind, since the start of the water efficiency push in about 2003/4, our last washing machines manufacturer has since moved to Thailand, so it's not hard for Government to avoid the temptation to incentivise the manufacturer and meddle.
We can still buy 'water hog' washing machines and certain cycles are designed to be water heavy. Many eco functions can simply be disengaged by the press of a button such as Fisher and Paykel, Simpson and Electrolux, whilst other manufacturers tell us how to increase the water usage, such as Miele - It's written in their handbooks for machines delivered here. This is mainly for 'allergy' purposes, but the effect is the same.....you can increase how much water is being used.
NYCwriter, your clothes sound as if they're cause for alarm and a potential bio-hazard!
However, you are correct - how one country launders isn't always going to translate as easily to another.
Many of our top loaders from the 1960's and 1970's had heaters in them...and I'm here to tell you that they were expensive to run. Many Australians switched to cold water washing in the late 1970's as electricity prices jumped (along with petrol shortages and petrol prices) and we're still here, kicking, breathing and not smelling. Cold water washing was still increasing in 2008 with 74% washing in cold (ABS - 4602.0.55.001)
The increase in popularity of front-load machines over the last 10 or so years has seen many move back to at least tepid, 30c washing in some cases as some machines don't offer a true 'cold' wash....though some have gone the whole way and reverted to 40c majority and 60c for sheets
We also tend to have fantastic weather with predominantly mild winters. It's very rare that a reasonably populated area even gets snow in winter and it doesn't tend to stay for the day even if we do. We leave that for the mountains and just visit. No snow ploughs, salted roads, winter tyres and extremity threatening weather here....Outdoor drying reigns supreme in oz with the vast majority living in either free-standing houses or 'town houses' (co-joined exterior walls). All of these have outdoor space. Even the majority of flats and units will have a balcony, though body corporates tend to not like washing being hung on anything other than an airer...and preferably not to be seen from the ground.
Dryers here, and for that matter in much of the rest of the world, tend to be 'wet weather' machines. We managed perfectly well in a flat in London with no dryer for 3 years.
As a bonus, less mechanical drying of items tends to mean they last longer.
It's also unusual for people to have to use a 'common' or 'share laundry' in units/flats or apartment buildings. With 97% of Australians owning a washing machine (ABS - 4602.0.55.001), each has their own laundry or space in the bathroom in each individual flat or apartment (Older buildings tend to have had their bathrooms adapted as I did years ago. Many former 'common' laundries were subsequently converted to storage rooms). In these cases, many do have a dryer - a European sized one...though it is often only used for sheets and towels.
So, you're right....it's horses for courses.
- As a consumer, I get to choose how much water my machine uses. Helped by the instruction manuals
- Most Australians wash clothes in cold water without smelling. We tend to be frugal where we can
- Our cities are not as old and we are more urban in those cities, so we tend to have outdoor space to dry
- Our weather dictates that we can dry outside most of the time, reducing our bills and increasing the life of our clothes.
Now if we can just get rid of all those deadly snakes, spiders and drop bears, the tag 'Lucky Country' will be much more easy to accept.
...in the land of the free right now.
I can't tell you how pleased I am that our government has taken a completely different approach to water efficiency.
Yes, mandated labeling of appliances for water and energy efficiency is here, but it's on one cycle....
However, as I have discussed here before, we get to choose. Manufacturers are free to sell a machine that consumes as much water and energy as they like, but the CONSUMER gets to choose what they want to buy and install. This was initially encouraged by the carrot of a rebate from their local council of up to $200 for washing machines that met a minimum 4 star water use standard (approx. 11litres per KG laundry at capacity load).
Consumers effectively decided on the overall product mix - demand for more water efficient machines went up and manufacturers and importers met the change in consumer requirements. This was not only driven by living in one of the driest countries and often being in drought, but undoubtedly by the financial incentive provided at times by council. This incentive has ceased. Demand has not.
Most importantly, there have been no financial kick-backs to manufacturers. This one is driven by the consumer, their needs, their conscience regards resource usage and financial incentives they might have received. Mind, since the start of the water efficiency push in about 2003/4, our last washing machines manufacturer has since moved to Thailand, so it's not hard for Government to avoid the temptation to incentivise the manufacturer and meddle.
We can still buy 'water hog' washing machines and certain cycles are designed to be water heavy. Many eco functions can simply be disengaged by the press of a button such as Fisher and Paykel, Simpson and Electrolux, whilst other manufacturers tell us how to increase the water usage, such as Miele - It's written in their handbooks for machines delivered here. This is mainly for 'allergy' purposes, but the effect is the same.....you can increase how much water is being used.
NYCwriter, your clothes sound as if they're cause for alarm and a potential bio-hazard!
However, you are correct - how one country launders isn't always going to translate as easily to another.
Many of our top loaders from the 1960's and 1970's had heaters in them...and I'm here to tell you that they were expensive to run. Many Australians switched to cold water washing in the late 1970's as electricity prices jumped (along with petrol shortages and petrol prices) and we're still here, kicking, breathing and not smelling. Cold water washing was still increasing in 2008 with 74% washing in cold (ABS - 4602.0.55.001)
The increase in popularity of front-load machines over the last 10 or so years has seen many move back to at least tepid, 30c washing in some cases as some machines don't offer a true 'cold' wash....though some have gone the whole way and reverted to 40c majority and 60c for sheets
We also tend to have fantastic weather with predominantly mild winters. It's very rare that a reasonably populated area even gets snow in winter and it doesn't tend to stay for the day even if we do. We leave that for the mountains and just visit. No snow ploughs, salted roads, winter tyres and extremity threatening weather here....Outdoor drying reigns supreme in oz with the vast majority living in either free-standing houses or 'town houses' (co-joined exterior walls). All of these have outdoor space. Even the majority of flats and units will have a balcony, though body corporates tend to not like washing being hung on anything other than an airer...and preferably not to be seen from the ground.
Dryers here, and for that matter in much of the rest of the world, tend to be 'wet weather' machines. We managed perfectly well in a flat in London with no dryer for 3 years.
As a bonus, less mechanical drying of items tends to mean they last longer.
It's also unusual for people to have to use a 'common' or 'share laundry' in units/flats or apartment buildings. With 97% of Australians owning a washing machine (ABS - 4602.0.55.001), each has their own laundry or space in the bathroom in each individual flat or apartment (Older buildings tend to have had their bathrooms adapted as I did years ago. Many former 'common' laundries were subsequently converted to storage rooms). In these cases, many do have a dryer - a European sized one...though it is often only used for sheets and towels.
So, you're right....it's horses for courses.
- As a consumer, I get to choose how much water my machine uses. Helped by the instruction manuals
- Most Australians wash clothes in cold water without smelling. We tend to be frugal where we can
- Our cities are not as old and we are more urban in those cities, so we tend to have outdoor space to dry
- Our weather dictates that we can dry outside most of the time, reducing our bills and increasing the life of our clothes.
Now if we can just get rid of all those deadly snakes, spiders and drop bears, the tag 'Lucky Country' will be much more easy to accept.
gus
Well-known member
@ NYCWriter, don't want to start an argument, but bear in mind that front load washers if they are good quality they DO WASH better than upper loaders, they use far less amounts of: water, detergents, clothes softeners, and of course electricity. My experience with front loaders in laudromats is not good, is mediocre, BUT since the early 90's we use at home front loaders and the results are outstanding. The difference is that at home front loaders are made in Europe and the experience in laundromats was in the USA and those machines are not good washers. Don't take me wrong I;m not against American industry, but not everything is made perfect, and they don;'t have the know how the Europeans have related front loaders. That's my experience. Hugs Gus
hoover1100
Well-known member
Interesting
Not sure how relevant the costs are for me, but apparently I only save $20 a year by owning a front loader.
The whole dryer thing intrigues me, why on Earth would I want to use a dryer in dry weather?
For those of you who do use the dryer for everything all the time, what do you do with things that cannot be tumble dried, like woollens, delicates and t shirts with delicate prints? If those go in the dryer too you're a braver man than I!
The notion of using a dryer all year round for all laundry basically only exists in the US and Canada, everywhere else dryers are for wet weather only.
Britain has the smallest average sized homes in the developed world, and a notoriously cold and wet climate, yet only around 50% of households have a dryer (and that, I presume, includes the many with compact dryers or washer/dryers) and the vast majority of those only use them when it's raining, yet we manage perfectly fine to get our clothes dry.
I live in one of the coldest, least sunny parts of Britain and whilst I do own a dryer I have coped without one just fine in previous properties. Whilst I average around 5 loads a week, even in the coldest and wettest times of midwinter the dryer will be on no more than twice a week, solely for sheets and towels. When I can catch a dry day all my washing is hung on the line year round and the dryer is not used at all in these times.
I have a large airer in the spare bedroom which I use to dry my clothes when they cannot be hung outside, it is not intrusive and does not get in the way, most clothes dry on it in a day. I might add I have never once had bird poo on my line dried clothes!
I have used several top loading washers and they clean, at best, on par with my front loaders, so the idea that the more water used the cleaner the clothes will be is simply false.
Matt
Not sure how relevant the costs are for me, but apparently I only save $20 a year by owning a front loader.
The whole dryer thing intrigues me, why on Earth would I want to use a dryer in dry weather?
For those of you who do use the dryer for everything all the time, what do you do with things that cannot be tumble dried, like woollens, delicates and t shirts with delicate prints? If those go in the dryer too you're a braver man than I!
The notion of using a dryer all year round for all laundry basically only exists in the US and Canada, everywhere else dryers are for wet weather only.
Britain has the smallest average sized homes in the developed world, and a notoriously cold and wet climate, yet only around 50% of households have a dryer (and that, I presume, includes the many with compact dryers or washer/dryers) and the vast majority of those only use them when it's raining, yet we manage perfectly fine to get our clothes dry.
I live in one of the coldest, least sunny parts of Britain and whilst I do own a dryer I have coped without one just fine in previous properties. Whilst I average around 5 loads a week, even in the coldest and wettest times of midwinter the dryer will be on no more than twice a week, solely for sheets and towels. When I can catch a dry day all my washing is hung on the line year round and the dryer is not used at all in these times.
I have a large airer in the spare bedroom which I use to dry my clothes when they cannot be hung outside, it is not intrusive and does not get in the way, most clothes dry on it in a day. I might add I have never once had bird poo on my line dried clothes!
I have used several top loading washers and they clean, at best, on par with my front loaders, so the idea that the more water used the cleaner the clothes will be is simply false.
Matt
And Mike ...
... no, it looks like I'm still getting the Miele 3039i washing machine with matching dryer, because it's what will fit best in my kitchen in my NYC apartment.
But I will be building a second home out in the "country", and I'd love buy a couple of refurbished vintage matching washer/dryer sets.
... no, it looks like I'm still getting the Miele 3039i washing machine with matching dryer, because it's what will fit best in my kitchen in my NYC apartment.
But I will be building a second home out in the "country", and I'd love buy a couple of refurbished vintage matching washer/dryer sets.
Is there
A actual definition of a "green freak" I'm not sure?
I line dry (because I can) about 85% of the time (have the whether here to do that) I do re cycle, I use very few commercially made cleaning products (make my own) I hand wash dishes, (no dishwasher, or garbage disposer)
My washers (both are water hogs by today's standards) the furnace is original to the house (1934) very very old stove, and very old refrigerator, so they may use, or increase my carbon footprint? Both cars are also quite old, and are not fuel efficient, and there is no smog control. I not buying, or consuming more... That may be "green" in of itself ...So I'm confused... I'm I a green freak, or am I a...whatever the counterpart is?
Oh and I use hot wash, and warm rinse 50% of the time everything else is mostly warm/warm. Cold washing just don't seem right LOL
A actual definition of a "green freak" I'm not sure?
I line dry (because I can) about 85% of the time (have the whether here to do that) I do re cycle, I use very few commercially made cleaning products (make my own) I hand wash dishes, (no dishwasher, or garbage disposer)
My washers (both are water hogs by today's standards) the furnace is original to the house (1934) very very old stove, and very old refrigerator, so they may use, or increase my carbon footprint? Both cars are also quite old, and are not fuel efficient, and there is no smog control. I not buying, or consuming more... That may be "green" in of itself ...So I'm confused... I'm I a green freak, or am I a...whatever the counterpart is?
Oh and I use hot wash, and warm rinse 50% of the time everything else is mostly warm/warm. Cold washing just don't seem right LOL
