Washing machine energy saving tips, from freezing clothes to turning them inside out
From getting a can't-shift stain on your favourite jumper, to pulling your jeans out of the machine three shades lighter, there's plenty of things that can go wrong when washing your clothes.
And with the cost of living crisis having an impact on our laundry habits, making people more conscious of their washing expense, it's not surprising that our clothes cleaning is taking a bit of a hit.
Recent research of 2,000 adults, by OnePoll and commissioned by Ariel, found that almost two thirds of us (62%) are cutting back on our washing schedules to combat rising costs.
Turns out, we're also altering how we wash our clothes with 57% claiming to be more inclined to put their laundry on a cold cycle.
Those of us turning down the temperature on their cycle believe the main benefits of a cooler wash to be saving energy (52%), money (46%) and the environment (41%).
Read more: Are we washing our clothes too often?
But how do we ensure we are washing economically while still protecting our prized clothes?
Thankfully, there are some simple science-backed tips and tricks that can help save your clothes, and those precious pennies.
Freeze your clothes first
Lipstick, make-up, wine and even deodorant can all cause damage to wardrobe favourites, but according to scientist Martin TerBekke, putting items in the freezer before popping them in the washing machine can help to remove certain stains.
"It may seem strange, but next time you get lipstick on your jumper, whack it in sub-zero temperatures in your freezer," he explains.
"It clumps the lipstick together meaning you'll easily be able to scrape it off once it's hardened.
"For particularly waxy make-up stains, place the garment in the freezer for 20 minutes, then gently scrape off any excess frozen stain," he adds.
Read more: Why you should never wash your jeans - and how to keep them clean
Zip them up
Washing clothes ‘zipped up’ will help to avoid them causing damage to other items.
"Zip up all zippers before you put garments in the wash so they don't catch on your other clothes and damage the fibres," explains TerBekke.
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Leave a fist size gap in the drum
While it is tempting to cram in as much as possible into the machine, according to TerBekke, not leaving a small gap could mean your clothes don't have room to move around.
"Fill up the machine, but leave a fist sized gap at the top so water can evenly distribute and clean clothes properly," he recommends.
Turn clothes inside out
Turns out turning your clothes inside out, especially jeans, will help protect them during the wash as it stops them rubbing against each other, helping preserve fabrics.
"Turning jeans inside out during the wash will also prevent the seams from turning white," adds TerBekke.
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Button up blouses and shirts
This will prevent stretching and misshapen and mismatched sides.
Go cool
While you might think washing on a cooler wash could impact the effectiveness of the clean, TerBekke says turning the temperature down can be just as impactful on spills and staining.
“When it comes to those stubborn stains, don't be afraid to put your clothes through a cold wash," he advises.
“Washing at cooler temperatures can save you up to 60% on your washing machine energy bills and can be better for clothes - even washing at 40 degrees can put up to double the amount of stress on fabrics.
“Protecting the quality of clothes helps keep them out of landfills and stop us needing to buy more,” he adds.
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Reach for the tape
If you've been taking on some Christmas crafting, you may well be left with some glue stains on your clothes, but there is a way to remove glue from fabrics.
"Start by brushing off any dried glue residue or dabbing the spot with clear tape to remove leftover pieces," suggests TerBekke. "Rinse fabric with cold water to dilute any remaining glue."
Additional reporting SWNS.
