The average washing machine uses 40 gallons of water per load in the US, that’s a lot of water. There is a solution to ensure you do not waste water in your laundry machine. There are a couple of easy methods that can help you reduce the amount of water used when doing laundry.
Wash Full Loads
Now that you know the importance of making the most out of a full load, there are a couple of ways you can do this. If you don’t have enough clothes for a full load, either wait until you do or split the load with someone else. Another option for when you have a ton of laundry to do and, as a result, need to run back-to-back loads, is simply start another one as soon as your washer is done. This will reduce water waste, and your clothes will be ready to go at about the same time. Consistently doing these simple tasks will greatly reduce water waste in your household!
Avoid Pre-Washing
Don’t waste your time pre-washing your clothes before putting them in the washing machine. Rather than cleaning your clothes, you’re just using more water and it might set some stains. Only treat stains as necessary and make sure to use a stain remover if necessary.
If you are washing in cold water, don’t worry about stains because the dirt won’t adhere to the garment if it is washed in cold temperatures. If you have heavily soiled clothing items, use a pre-wash cycle for those items.
Use Cold Water
Cold water is a more energy-efficient option as using hot water requires extra energy to heat the water. Aside from saving energy, using cold water will make it less likely to shrink or fade clothes, is safer for most fabrics, and is also better for your washing machine.
Turn Off The Faucet
While washing clothes, try turning off the tap while you are loading detergent and clothing into your machine. It is not necessary to have running water in order to make sure that everything is getting into the washer, so why not turn off the tap until it’s time to add more suds or rinse cycles? You can also keep a small bucket or container nearby to catch water as you wait for the machine to fill up. That way, any excess water that accumulates can be easily repurposed for other tasks like watering plants or cleaning.
Set Up A Drainage System For Greywater
Greywater, in case you’re not familiar, is the water that drains from your washing machine or shower. It doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals as wastewater does and that means it can be reused for other purposes around the house — like watering your lawn. A basic greywater system is simple to set up by yourself. The best option would be to install a pump on the drain hose of your washing machine (the one leading to the greywater pipe). This will enable you to direct wastewater into a tank outside and use it later for irrigating your garden or lawn. You can also hire a professional plumber to set up a permanent drainage system for this purpose. This will allow you to simply turn on the tap and let go of all that wasted water.