3 ways to make your weekly wash greener than ever

First thing's first, we're by no means suggesting that your washing should turn green in the literal sense. Instead, it's all about saving energy today - and how your washing machine can play a massive part in this.

As we all know, a greener home is also a cheaper one to run. Out of all of the appliances based in our home, the washing machine is arguably the most power-heavy. Not only does it use huge amounts of water, but the electricity required to run a cycle is much more than most people imagine - particularly if you have an older machine.

As such, it's crucial to get the most out of this appliance wherever possible. We'll now take a look at some of the best ways you can achieve this and make your home greener than ever before.

Update your machine

Firstly, if your budget doesn't allow an update, at least consider an appliance service to ensure that your current device is operating as efficiently as possible.

If you are prepared to invest a little in your washing machine, it goes without saying that you should be tapping into an Energy Star-certified one as a matter of urgency. To put some of the savings into perspective, you could save as much as eight gallons of water for every load of washing you prepare.

As well as the Energy Star-factor, you should also be looking towards front-loading machines. Once again, these use much less water (over 65% less in some cases), which also has a knock-on effect on your water and heating costs.

Only run when full

Most people think that you should only run a full load of washing so you don't have to cover multiple ones over the course of time.

Well, while this is true to some degree, it's not the only reason. It has been found that washing machines use much more power in small loads versus full loads - meaning that there is a clear energy saving to be had here.

Opt for the cold wash

Some of you might immediately hit the back button as you read this next suggestion - but there is plenty of method in the supposed madness.

Sure, years ago a cold wash in a machine might not have been utterly efficient. It might not have removed all of the dirt and everything else that has accumulated in your laundry - but that was back then.

Now, advances in technology mean that cold washes are perfectly acceptable in a lot of cases. In fact, if you're looking to avoid the risk of stains, many believe that they are even more effective than turning up the temperature dial.

From an energy perspective, the benefits are endless. It's understood that you can save around 90% in energy costs just by performing a cold wash and suffice to say, this is a huge difference that can make a monumental mark on your energy bill come the end of the year.