December 18, 2022, 5:40 am | Read time: 2 minutes
This ironing tip kills two birds with one stone: It saves on electricity costs–and makes a tedious household task easier. What’s it about?
Ironing consumes a relatively large amount of energy. While one kilowatt-hour can make about 70 cups of coffee or allow for around 2,000 shaves, it only powers a steam iron for half an hour. This calculation comes from HEA, the Association for Efficient Energy Use. However, you can save a lot of electricity while ironing by skipping the steam function. According to the German Environment Agency, about 90 percent of the energy is used to convert water into steam.
Dampening a Cotton Cloth Saves Energy While Ironing
The good news: You can achieve the effect of steam in other ways and save energy while ironing. For instance, by lightly misting the garment with water from a spray bottle or placing a dampened cotton dish towel on it, as recommended by Sonja Grau, a fashion consultant from Senden near Ulm. “It’s important that the cotton cloth is really thin,” says Sonja Grau. This way, the heat from the iron transfers well to the garment. “The cloth should not be too wet, just dampened.”
Also interesting: 6 Ways to Remove Wrinkles Without an Iron
Hang Clothes Directly from the Drum
Ironing can be shortened or even completely avoided if clothes are dried hanging. Nowadays, many materials and blends don’t require ironing at all. “It’s just important to take the item out of the drum immediately after washing and not leave it there,” says Grau. Her tip for hanging is a smooth rubber hanger that doesn’t leave bumps on the garment–which would need ironing again. Here you can find more tips on how to dry clothes without creases.
with material from dpa