You know you're in hot water when you get your electric bill every month, but did you know that if you stopped using so much hot water, you'd help yourself and the environment? Today we're asking you to adjust how you wash your clothes - and it's going to be easier than you think.

No, we're not going to ask you to start doing a whole bunch of manual labor…just to adjust how you use your washing machine. The US Department of Energy starts out their page on laundry with this, "About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. There are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes—use less water and use cooler water."

If that doesn't get your attention, we're not sure what will! One more time. Around 90% of the energy for washing clothes is for heating the water. So let's not heat the water! The thing is, the clothes come out clean anyway. You don't even need a "cold water" detergent - they all do the same job. So if you normally wash with hot water, switch over to warm. If warm has been your thing, give cold a try. You won't be able to tell the difference. Of course, super dirty & oily clothes are potentially a different story, but for the most of us, daily wear clothes can be washed cold.

The second part of the Department of Energy's tip was to use less water. Wash in full loads whenever possible. If you mush wash a smaller load, adjust the water level appropriately. Like so many eco-tips, when we give you energy saving advice, it's great for your wallet and the planet.

Rebecca says: I've been washing on cold for around 2 years now and haven't noticed a difference - except in my electric bill! Living in Florida, the "cold" water is never all that cold - you'll just have to play around and see what works for you. But give it a shot, I think you'll like it.

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