What you can do:

Line drying clothes saves on energy and your clothes. Using a spin dryer will pay for itself in one year. Other energy saving tips for drying clothes include:

• When possible consider hanging clothes out to dry. In addition to saving money your clothes will last longer. If you don’t have adequate outdoor space or live in an apartment, place a dryer rack in a sunny window.
• Use a spin dryer. A spin dryer is a little machine that spins clothes really fast to remove excess water (and detergents bonded to the water). After a couple of minutes in the spin dryer, you put your clothes in a regular clothes dryer, where they dry in 30 minutes less time than usual. Based on 5 loads a week, 30 minutes of drying time instead of 60, and 15¢ per kilowatt-hour, a spin dryer saves about $80/yr. ($85 less the $5 cost of running the spin dryer itself.) A spin dryer costs about $130.
• Plan your laundry duty so that you can dry multiple loads during each session. You'll save energy by using an already heated dryer that doesn't have to be brought up to temperature each time it is used.
• Separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber clothes.
• Clean the dryer lint filter before every use. Check the outside dryer exhaust frequently to make sure it's clean and that the flapper opens and closes freely. Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting materials, not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.

Savings:

1. Line drying ALL of your laundry loads would save as much as $100-$200/year.
2. Using a spin dryer to pre-dry and then using your regular dryer will save $50-$100/year.
3. The other tips will save anywhere from $5-$10/year each.
4. All these tips save on wear and tear on your clothes dryer as well.
   

Learn more on our Appliances and Washing Machine pages .