how much does it costs to dry clothes?

**Jellybeanz** · 09-30-2005, 04:59 PM

Hi Y'all :-)

I have a question and I was wondering if anyone can answer it. I've read a lot of the posts, and am hoping I didn't miss my answer, I know I'm not supposed to be reposting.. but-

Can anyone tell me what it costs on average to dry a load of clothes.( I live in southern US) I already hang out my clothes, unless we have rain for more than a few days, but my friends tell me it's no big deal, it doesn't cost that much.

Anyways, we are on a very tight budget so I'll continue to hang out clothes if it saves me a dime ( like they say) every time, but it would sure be great to tell them it saves more lol

**homesteadmamma** · 09-30-2005, 05:04 PM

I have a question and I was wondering if anyone can answer it. I've read a lot of the posts, and am hoping I didn't miss my answer, I know I'm not supposed to be reposting.. but-

We don't mind reposting in the least!!

It really depends on where you live and what your electrical rate is. When I stopped using the dryer I had in my home years ago, I saved anywhere from $20 - 25 per month on my electric bill. Thats a whopping $240.00 a year. I also found clothes last longer and they don't shrink when you hang them outside. I don't own a dryer, so my clothes are dried on clothesracks in the winter and outside line in the summer.

**Valerie in WA** · 09-30-2005, 05:39 PM

Try to google your local electrical provider. They often have this information. I recall reading somewhere that after electric heat, the clothes dryer was the biggest user of electricity in the home.

In my internet search, I found that it costs somewhere between 35c and 85c to dry a load - depending on who you ask. This averages out to 60c per load. If you do 4 loads per week, that's $10 per month. If you do a load every day and it really is 85c, then you're saving $25/month.

Besides, you're getting out in the fresh air, exercising your shoulder muscles and decreasing your family's consumption of precious resources.

**Jellybeanz** · 09-30-2005, 06:17 PM

Thanks for answering this question y'all :-)

With my family I average around two loads a day. This is not including things like bedsheets or the occasional extra things I wash such as curtains, or bed spreads etc...

According to what y'all are saying I must be saving at least between 20 to 25 dollars a month, maybe more. Wow....LOL

I actually don't mind hanging out clothes, as long as it's not too too cold. Which it is hardly ever cold enough down here to freeze them. And just knowing I'm saving this amount gives me all the incentive I need.

**bamamomto4** · 09-30-2005, 06:37 PM

During the summer when I hang my clothes out,I notice about a $20-$25 difference. Not sure where you are in the south,but I'm in Alabama and we can hang clothes out from like March thru Oct or Nov... thats of course without freezing lol
I dont ALWAYS hang mine out,but I do more than I use the dryer.

**Jellybeanz** · 09-30-2005, 07:06 PM

Bamamomto4,

I am in southeast Mississippi

Our weather is pretty much the same probably...

Seems like our "winters" here are are getting shorter, and the summers ( hot weather!) much longer. I'm anxiously awaiting a little cooling, so we can turn off the airconditioner, which as you know, is pure torture to go without during the hot summer months . LOL

( we did go without it tho after Katrina for a couple weeks, and survived , but boy was it miserable lol)

RIght now, I am battling those lovebugs getting all over my clothes that I hang out. They seem especially attracted to white clothes.

**Darlene** · 09-30-2005, 08:20 PM

I think using the dryer uses up the most electricity out of all the appliances most people use. Keep on hanging your clothes & saving $$.

**baxjul** · 10-01-2005, 06:44 AM

My electric co. says it is $.40 per load. Hope that this helps!

**heidip427** · 10-01-2005, 10:09 AM

our elec co says .40 to .70 an hour, depending on the dryer. we do a LOT of laundry, and autumn is the only time of year we use the dryer, because of allergies .. and our elec bill is $35-$50 higher in sept and oct than the rest of the year.

**peanut** · 10-01-2005, 04:02 PM

I'm in Canada, but when we switched to hang drying, I noticed a drop of $20-25cdn. in our electric bill.

I agree with the others, check with your electric provider (or on your bill) for cost/kwh. Then check your dryer for the tag that tells you how many KWh it uses. Multiply the kWh by the number of hours you use the dryer per month. then multiply this by the cost/kWh. That should tell you how much you're paying to run it each month.

HTH