When Is The Best Time To Do Laundry?

How clean your clothes will get after going in the washer will largely depend on how dirty they were before, the type of laundry detergent you use, the addition of stronger cleaning aids (such as Oxi Booster) and the efficiency of your washing machine.

The exact time of day you complete your laundry won’t affect how clean your clothing gets. It can, however, affect your household energy bill!

Many electricity providers operate on a schedule of peak and non-peak hours. The energy you use during peak hours is charged at a higher rate than normal.

Doing household laundry during non-peak energy hours — in the morning or late evening — will ensure your utility bill is as low as possible.

How Does The Time Of Day Affect Energy Use?

Typically, peak hours are in the late afternoon and early evening (i.e., 4 PM to 7 PM) when the average family is getting home from work and school. This is the time of day when most people are at home using lights and appliances.

Seasonal weather can also impact peak times:

In summer, your energy company may impose additional fees on electricity used during mid-day. This is to offset the amount of A/C units and fans turned on when the outdoor temperature is hottest.

In winter — especially in particularly cold regions and during major weather events — your energy company might charge extra for electricity used in the early morning. This is because many people let their home cool down overnight and then quickly raise the thermostat settings first thing in the morning.

Do You Consume Less Energy During Non-Peak Hours?

No! The amount of electricity consumed by a load of laundry is exactly the same during peak and non-peak hours for your energy company. The difference is you’ll pay less per unit of energy by running the washer and dryer at non-peak times.

Keep this in mind when planning out your household laundry! For max energy efficiency, aim to do full loads no matter the time of day.

When Is The Best Time Of The Day To Do Laundry?

As a general rule, mid-morning is the best time of day to do laundry.

Many people have already left home for work, school, or personal activities. And, depending on the time of year, few air conditioners or furnaces are running at full capacity.

Of course, completing laundry during non-peak morning hours doesn’t work for every person’s schedule. You can also squeeze in a few loads in the late evening after most households have settled down for the night.

When Is The Best Time To Do Laundry Outside Of The Home?

In-home laundry is a luxury many of us don’t have. But strategically timing your family’s laundry can still make your life a little bit easier!

Laundromat

Weekends tend to be the busiest time for laundromats. Many establishments also see a rush of visitors in the early evening when a lot of people get off work.

If you have access to a 24-hour laundromat — and, importantly, don’t mind adjusting your sleep schedule a bit — doing laundry between 10 PM and 6 AM will usually mean having the whole place to yourself.

Dorm/Apartment

The communal laundry rooms found in many dorms and apartment complexes follow similar schedules to commercial laundromats.

The type of residents can also affect when your building’s washers and dryers are full. For example, a laundry room used by college students is rarely busy on a Friday or Saturday evening!

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you do laundry with a septic tank?

With a septic tank, you should do laundry when your household’s water use is otherwise low. Using too much water at one time can overload a septic tank, increasing the chance of leaks or overflow.

Avoid using the washing machine when someone is — to list a few examples — taking a shower, running a load of dishes, or washing a car.

When is the best time of day to air dry kaundry?

Line-drying laundry is a great way to save energy! Weather permitting, 10 AM to 4 PM is the best time to hang laundry outside.

It’s best to wash clothing and linens in the morning or early afternoon if you want to take advantage of Mother Nature’s dryer.

Is it safe to leave clothes in the washer overnight?

Yes, it’s safe to leave clothing in the washer overnight. This is great news for anyone who doesn’t have time to finish all of their laundry during non-peak evening hours!

It’s typically fine to leave damp clothes in a washer for 8 to 12 hours. As long as the clothing doesn’t smell musty, you can move it over to the dryer or air dry as usual. Just remember that the sooner you dry wet clothes the better!