The temperature is set to drop next week, and our hands are hovering over the thermostat. But before you touch that dial, switch on your heated blanket and make a fresh cuppa, you should be wary of your energy consumption.
Energy prices are going up while the temperature is coming down. So, to stop your bills from skyrocketing, we’ve rounded up 7 things you can clean now to keep your energy use in check. These each take 5 mins or less to clean, so between all of them you could save a considerable amount of energy in half an hour or so. Here’s where you need to start.
Dusty radiators
Radiators build up a thick coat of dust unless regularly cleaned. That dust obstructs the heating output and insulates the radiator, so it needs to work harder to heat your home, and costs more in energy.
It’s easy enough to clean though – you need only invest in an aptly shaped radiator brush. First, place a towel beneath to collect anything that falls through, then, while the radiator's cool and switched off, run the brush along the top, working between each fin to dislodge any dust. Angle it from side to side as you brush to reach every internal edge (a bit like flossing your teeth). Remember to cover the back of the radiator once you're done. The front can be polished with a damp microfibre cloth.
If you don’t have a radiator brush, you could always try blowing the dust out with a hairdryer on the cool setting, but that’s going to be messier!
Limescale-covered washing machine
Depending on the cycle you choose, it’s length and temperature, washing machines will consume a fair amount of energy. But if your washing machine isn’t clean, that adds to the cost. After all, if there’s mould blocking the pipes and limescale covering the heating element, the machine will have to work harder to clean.
The fix is super quick and takes minutes to apply. You need only run a proprietary washing machine cleaner through an empty hot wash cycle (following the instructions on pack). Follow that with a descaler to help shift any limescale, too.
For a home remedy, distilled white vinegar can help to clean and descale. Just add 200ml to the detergent drawer and run an empty hot wash (minimum of 60 degrees) or a service wash. But don’t do this regularly as vinegar will slowly degrade the rubber components.
Greasy oven
According to T&N Oven Cleaning Company, cooking in a dirty oven requires 10-25% more energy. That’s because the grease and baked-on residue absorb a lot of the heat, rather than it being directed at your food. T&N says that equates to an extra £40-£120 per year (although that’s likely higher now with the cost of energy going up).
Long story short, it’s better to keep your oven clean. If you’re lucky enough to have a pyrolytic cleaning setting, you need only empty it out (including the runners and rack supports), open a window and run the program. Your oven will lock itself shut and heat itself up to 480ºC, reducing any residue to ash. Once it's cooled down and unlocked, you can sweep it out in seconds and give it a quick rinse.
Note though that heavy residue will need to be removed before using pyrolytic cleaning, otherwise it's a fire hazard. You should also keep yourself, children and pets away from the oven while this setting is in use and make sure there's no tea towels or anything flammable hanging on the oven door.
Cleaning takes a little longer if you don't have this setting, but you can use one of the best oven cleaners to speed up the process. Simmering a bowl of water in the oven can also help you to wipe away light stains. Just switch it off when the window steams up, then let it cool and give it a wipe.
Leafy solar panels
Cleaning solar panels should really be done by the professionals, especially if it involves working at height. But if they’re easily accessible at ground level and you’ve noticed they’re blocked by physical debris, such as branches or fallen leaves, that can quickly be removed to increase their efficiency.
Likewise, if you’ve noticed branches on nearby trees are blocking the sun for the majority of the day, those can also be pruned back, again hiring in a professional if needed.
Frozen freezer
While a freezer runs more efficiently when it’s full, you don’t want it to be wedged full, otherwise the air can’t circulate properly and it needs to work harder to achieve a consistent temperature. In doing this, it uses more energy.
Clear out anything that’s covered in freezer burn (you’re unlikely to eat it by this stage) and any unknown items. You can also remove packaging and move items to sealed and labelled freezer bags to save on space.
It’s it needs defrosting, that can impact energy consumption as the ice insulates the space and makes the compressor run harder to maintain the temperature. You can find out our top tips on defrosting here.
Clogged dishwasher
Just like the washing machine, your dishwasher needs to be cleaned regularly to stop the limescale and soap scum from weakening the internal components. Over time, food blockages and limescale slow the water flow and make the pump work harder. Limescale can also form on the heating element, which reduces efficiency.
The heating element is where most of the energy goes, so it’s crucial to clear this. That’s also why switching to lower-temperature eco-cycles will save you significant energy.
Cleaning your dishwasher takes moments. All you need to do is run a dishwasher cleaner and descaler through a hot, empty cycle. This will clear any food debris and soap scum as well as limescale that’s built up. Like the washing machine, there’s also the option of using vinegar too. Just fill a cereal bowl with 500ml distilled white vinegar and place it upright in the upper rack. Then run it empty on a normal cycle. Make sure to let it cool once the cycle is over as the bowl will be filled with hot water.
Use this method sparingly as vinegar will degrade the rubber pipes. You need to keep emptying and rinsing the filter between each cycle to help prevent blockages in the future.
Lint-filled tumble dryer
The tumble dryer uses more energy than we’d like to think about, but it will consume even more if you don’t make the effort to clean it. Your attention should predominantly be focused on the lint trap (usually found at the bottom of the door).
With all the dust and lint that this trap holds, it can unknowingly block the air flow and make the appliance take longer (and work harder) to dry clothes. That’s why the lint trap should always be emptied after each cycle. If that weren’t enough, it’s also a serious fire hazard to leave it building up. So, take a moment to open it up and pull the fluff and strands away. It balls up well to make removal fast.
If you want to save yourself from this expense, a heated clothes airer uses much less energy and still dries clothes promptly.
The best heated clothes airers for speedy drying
Score: 94/100
Score: 86/100
