Revealed - the 'magic hour' to do your laundry

Brits are literally flushing money down the drain, as 85% of the nation admit to washing their laundry at the most expensive time of day, according to new national research1.

A shocking 85% of the UK are doing their laundry when energy bills are highest - between 8am-10pm - while only 15% of Brits are saving money on their bills by washing during off-peak hours, between 10pm-8am, the new research by cleaning and laundry experts Dr. Beckmann reveals.

With households looking to cut costs amidst the cost-of-living crisis, the brand commissioned a nationwide survey to help the nation find the cheapest ways to wash their laundry.

What’s more, one in ten Brits admit to washing their clothes between 4pm-7pm, despite this being one of the most expensive times of day to use the washing machine.  

Depending on your energy tariff, the time of day you wash your clothes can drastically affect the cost to run your washing machine. Electricity suppliers usually increase their prices during peak times of day when energy usage is at its highest. In the summer this is usually between 8am-10pm.

Where possible you should avoid using your washing machine during peak times, which is why laundry experts, Dr. Beckmann is recommending households do their washing during the ‘Magic Hour’.

The ‘Magic Hour’ is the optimum time to do your laundry, when energy costs are at their lowest. During the summer this can vary between 10pm – 8am, however, the brand is recommending 7am – 8am as the best time to do your washing to save money.

Nearly half of the UK (47%) claims their monthly energy bill costs up to £200, meaning Brits could cut costs efficiently by washing at the ‘Magic Hour’ of day.

According to Money Saving Expert, the average peak rate for EDF Energy is 44.97p/kWh, whereas the off-peak rate is just 14.85p/kWh.2

The average washing machine cycle uses 0.793 kWh, which means a single load of laundry will cost you around 35.6p at peak times, and just 11.7p during off peak times.3

Almost a third of Brits wash their clothes three to four times a week (32%), so switching to the ‘Magic Hour’can make a real difference in reducing the nation’s washing machine costs month by month.

Dr. Beckmann spokesperson, Chloe Baker said: “With households struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, a simple change like switching to the Magic Hour can make a real difference to your energy bills.

“We’ve highlighted this hour as 7am – 8am, as we’d never recommend putting a load on before heading to bed, due to health and safety. This Magic Hour provides you with enough time to fill and empty your washing machine before heading out to work or for the school run.

“It’s also crucial to regularly service and clean our washing machines, to help reduce costs in repairing and replacing your white goods. In fact, we found almost one in five (19%) households never clean their washing machines, which can result in long-lasting damage.

“We’d recommend using a dedicated washing machine cleaner once every 2 months or 30 washes to help prolong your machine lifespan and ensure it’s working at peak performance.

“By implementing these day-to-day actions, and washing at the ‘Magic Hour’, you can help keep costs low while ensuring your clothes stay fresh and clean all year round.”

Brits can also cut energy usage by washing at a lower temperature, the higher the heat the more energy used to clean the garments.

Reducing your washing to 30 degrees cuts costs by 40%, while a 20 degree wash can reduce fees by a staggering 62%.4

Detergents like Dr. Beckmann’s Magic Leaves Laundry Sheets are designed to work in temperatures as low as 20 degrees, helping to reduce costs while ensuring clothing is fresh and clean.

Dr. Beckmann’s Magic Leaves are designed to fully dissolve in 60 seconds in temperatures as low as 20 °C. They come in both bio and non-bio variants, and each has its own long-lasting scent with an option of either ‘fresh blossom’ or ‘spring fresh’, leaving your clothes smelling clean and fresh all day long. 

Dr. Beckmann’s Magic Leaves Bio & Non-Bio are available at various retailers both online and in-store from £3.50.