How to save money on laundry washing?

At Nimble, we're all about supporting real parenting in their everyday lives. After all, we're parents too. So let’s talk about the elephant in the room.

Raising children can be expensive, especially these days with colder temperatures. It's the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the energy we use, and to add up to that list is the everyday cleaning tasks... 

Did you know that on average, a UK family goes through 5 laundry washes per week? And in the first year of baby, it can go as high as 4 washes just for baby garments? 

So it just makes sense to save money wherever you can!

Here are our team’s tips to keep on top of the laundry pile without spending too much

1. do fewer loads by knowing when to wash your clothes ✨

“That sweater… should I wear it one more time or should I put it in the dirty bag?” We’ve all been there!

Sometimes, it’s easier said than done, but doing fewer loads will inevitably help you reduce energy and water usage (as well as your power bill!). So, knowing how often we should wash our garments might come in handy!

This is our guide on how frequently we should wash our grown-up clothes. Of course, it will depend on everyone’s lifestyle, how’s the air pollution in your city, and your tendency to sweat.

• Jacket: once or twice per year
• Sweater: after 2 uses
• Denim: after 5 or 6 uses
• Work out garment: after 1 use
• Baby garment: after 1 use
• …or you can adopt our ops manager Alex’s tip – the “LOOK AND SMELL” test 😊

2. skip drying 💨

Tumble Drying is definitely faster but consumes a lot of energy.

If you can skip drying and opt for a drying rack, that’s a good step forward (especially on these sunny days). Of course, it depends on your house setting, we understand that not everyone has a garden to hang clothes, but if you have a clothes horse, please consider using it!

In colder temperatures, if you need to use a dryer, then our tip would be to consider doing back-to back loads so that you can take advantage of the dryer's heat. it's like using the oven for several dishes!

3. don’t use too much detergent 🤏

Because if you use too much, it won’t get your clothes cleaner. It will just add an unnecessary liquid that could damage faster your washing machine (resulting in having to change it faster) and that can leave more deposits on the fabric.

Plus, you’ll have to buy another liquid detergent quicker too!

For instance, you only need 40ml of our Laundry Lover for a 4-5 kg load.

4. You can skip softeners 🧺

When life is on a budget, we understand that we have to make compromises. Fabric softeners acts on fabrics to soften them, leaving a nice snuggly feeling. But it isn't mandatory to get rid of stains for your little one, so you could consider only using non-bio detergent to do laundry washing.  

5. try shorter, colder washes 💧

Try turning down to 30 degrees your wash cycle, and you might be surprised to see no difference! This means that your laundry detergent gets the job done equally at a colder temperature, yay! This results in less power used, and a cheaper power bill 😊.

As for shorter wash, if your washing machine has a quick setting, you might want to give it a go as it will save water while washing your clothes.

6. keep your washing machine clean 🧼

Nothing smells better than clean and fresh laundry! And keeping your washing machine squeaky clean will ensure it to be still fresh and tough on stains. This will help to keep your washing machine longer, and not damage your clothes too!

A few tips to keep the washing machine spotless:

• Don’t forget to clean every month the drawer, the door seal, the door, the filter, the descale drawer
• Check your manual to check if you have a cleaning mode
• Descale your machine using a quick empty hot wash with white vinegar or lemon juice instead of the laundry detergent.
• Between washes, keep the door open so it aerates and dries inside.

7. in the long run, understand the energy efficiency of your machine ⚡

If you need a new washing machine, have a look at their energy ratings. A label like below should appear in any product description to help you find the perfect match!