The underused dishwasher setting that could save you £27 a year
Are you trying to figure out ways to curb your energy bills without having to make daily sacrifices?
This nifty calculator will figure out how much money you could save simply by putting your dishwasher on shorter, more precise washes.
It comes after research found Britain’s dishwasher owners could collectively save around £200,000,000 a YEAR – simply by switching to a shorter cycle.
A survey of 2,000 homeowners and renters found of the 56 per cent who have a dishwasher, they typically run the appliance four times a week.
Just under a third (30 per cent) usually run it on a normal cycle, while only 17 per cent tend to use a short cycle of less than 55 minutes, which costs almost half as much a go.
According to Energy Saving Trust, which verified energy use figures from 154 dishwasher units from the 10 major brands, by switching from normal to short, the average household could be saving up to £27 per year on their energy bill.
The £27 a year is based on the average UK domestic standard electricity price of 34p/kWh.
When multiplied by the 15,736,000 UK homes which have a dishwasher, and accounting for how many householders could make the change, Brits could be saving an eye-watering £200,000,000.
A spokesperson for Fairy Platinum Plus, which has launched a campaign to encourage people to switch to shorter dishwasher cycles, to save time and energy without compromising on performance, said: “Shorter cycles can be just as effective when used with fast-activating dishwasher tablets.
“For four in 10, it’s clear they have traditionally stuck with the same dishwasher cycle as it’s how they’ve always done it.
“Hopefully this research will open our eyes to the money people could be saving if they switched to a shorter cycle. It’s an easy switch we could all make, without having to change our lifestyle.”
The research also revealed dishwasher owners had a range of quirky tips and tricks to get the most out of their cleaning cycle, including adding baking powder to bring out the shine in glass.
Propping open the dishwasher door using an old wine cork to dry plates and other cutlery were some of the tips which dishwasher owners also use.
For the more traditional use of their machine, 46 per cent said the main reason behind choosing their dishwasher setting was because they believed it was the most energy and cost-efficient.
However, 43 per cent stick their dishwasher on their chosen cycle as it was the setting they always use.
And 41 per cent of dishwasher owners polled via OnePoll admitted they sometimes run their dishwasher when it’s not completely full.
A spokesperson for Fairy added: “It’s fascinating to lift the lid on our habits as a cleaning-mad nation.
“It’s clear the cost of living crisis is having an impact on our way of thinking, and perhaps explains some of the quirkier uses of the dishwashers.
“It comes down to money. Switching to a shorter cycle is an easy switch that most dishwasher users can use to their advantage. And for those who use their dishwasher more often, the savings could be even greater.”