Saving Money by Air Drying your Laundry
Thanks to the crappy economy we’re all looking to save a buck wherever we can. Energy usage is a great way to cut costs, and one way I’ve started cutting energy consumption in my home is by air drying the majority of the laundry! Obviously the biggest advantage to air drying your clothes is going to be the money you’ll save, but did you know that there are other advantages as well?
- Your clothes will last longer and look better.
Using the dryer not only causes color fade, shrinkage, and pilling but it can also reduce the lifespan of your clothing. The dryer causes the elastic in items such as underwear and socks to break down resulting in a shorter lifespan for these items and more money out of your pocket to replace them!
- Air drying is safer.
According to the most recent statistics available from the CPSC, dryers account for around 15,000 fires a year causing 20 deaths and 370 injuries. Air drying is not a fire hazard!
- Air drying your clothes is green.
In addition to saving money by using less energy air drying is also green. The reduction in energy consumption is good for the environment and will lessen your carbon footprint.
I picked up a folding wooden clothes rack like the one above at Walmart for around $10.00 but there are lots of options available. Check out this site for tons of great ideas!
Want more money saving tips? Visit Biblical Womanhood’s Frugal Friday!
Tags: Air Drying Laundry, Green, Saving Money
January 23rd, 2009
The more I read your posts, the more I think ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ lol. Very clever and awesome ideas! Now that I’ve read this, I’m putting the drying racks on my shopping list. I’ll be very interested to see how much money our electric bill reduces just by not using the dryer.
Have an awesome day, girly!!!
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January 23rd, 2009
I so need to do this, but with 6 of us in the house I would have to have 30 of those wooden things, plus my addiction to Gain and I can’t seem to wash and dry anything without using it….ah I have issues!
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January 23rd, 2009
That’s a great idea. I live in an apartment without personal washers/dryers and have been meaning to get a clothes rack so I don’t have to pay to dry everything.
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January 23rd, 2009
After Katrina we were without power for 16 days, so I was forced into using an outside clothes line my hubby rigged up for us. I guess it was like breaking an addiction or something because I suddenly didn’t mind going outside to hang my laundry … even when the power was restored. That was before all this energy crisis stuff and super inflated energy costs, and I noticed a $70 per month energy savings! Since then, I’ve bought the indoor rack too … for days when outdoor drying isn’t practical.
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January 23rd, 2009
I would love to have a clothes line outside, but our home ownner’s association says no. I usually hang things on hangers and then hang them from the shower rod. It keeps things from shrinking, too.
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January 23rd, 2009
You’ve got me convinced!
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January 23rd, 2009
You know, this is a simple thing that I have never really thought of. I have dryer racks that we take camping with us. I need to try this!
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