Running your washing machine or dryer between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. could be quietly inflating your utility bills and leaving your clothes with a stale smell, according to a house cleaning expert. Petya Holevich, a supervisor at the London-based service company Fantastic Services, says those evening hours are the worst possible window for laundry, both for your wallet and for the quality of the wash.
The warning comes as households across the country face rising energy costs. During the late afternoon and evening, most homes are simultaneously running appliances, heating or cooling systems, and lighting. That concentrated demand pushes up the price of electricity, and running a washer or dryer during that peak window means you are paying a premium for every load.
But the financial hit is not the only drawback. Holevich points out that evening laundry can also be less effective. In cooler or more humid climates, clothes hung on an outdoor line often fail to dry completely and can develop a musty odor. Even for machine drying, the timing can matter: many modern washers and dryers adjust their cycles based on incoming voltage and water temperature. During peak usage hours, voltage fluctuations can interfere with how thoroughly clothes are rinsed and dried, leaving them damp or less clean than they should be.
Why Morning Loads Win on Efficiency and Results
For households that can shift their laundry schedule, Holevich recommends the morning as the ideal time. Temperatures are generally moderate, humidity is lower, and electricity demand is still relatively light. That combination makes the morning both more energy-efficient and more effective for washing and drying.
Midday can be even better for those who rely on solar panels or prefer outdoor line drying. Stronger sunlight and better air circulation at midday help clothes dry faster and more thoroughly, reducing the risk of musty smells and cutting down on the need for a second drying cycle.
The advice is particularly relevant for people who have been in the habit of doing laundry after work or after dinner. Switching to a morning or midday routine may require a small adjustment, but the potential savings on energy bills and the improvement in laundry quality could make it worthwhile.
Holevich's guidance aligns with broader energy-saving practices, though the specific impact on an individual bill will vary depending on local utility rates, the efficiency of the appliances, and household usage patterns. Still, for anyone looking to cut costs without buying new equipment, simply changing the time of day for laundry is a low-effort step that can add up over time.
As energy prices remain a concern for many families, small changes like this one are part of a larger conversation about household efficiency. While no single adjustment will transform a utility bill, the cumulative effect of shifting high-energy tasks to off-peak hours can be noticeable.
For now, the takeaway from the expert is straightforward: if you can, move your laundry to the morning or midday. Your clothes will smell fresher, and your energy bill may reflect the change.
