One load of laundry costs cents, not dollars. At the average US electricity price of $0.173 per kWh, a cold load uses about 4¢ of electricity, a warm load about 16¢, and a hot load about 31¢. The surprise is the gap between those numbers: the motor that turns the drum uses very little energy, so almost all of the extra cost of warm and hot washes is the cost of heating the water.
Below is the per-load maths at each temperature, what your water use adds on top, what a year of family laundry comes to, and the habits that cut the bill. The same maths works for any appliance — if you want to run it with your own tariff and usage, try our Electricity Cost Calculator.
Cost per load: cold, warm and hot
Temperature is the biggest lever you have. A typical load at each setting uses roughly this much electricity, including the water heating where the machine or your home’s water heater provides it:
| Wash temperature | Electricity per load | Cost per load |
|---|---|---|
| Cold wash | ≈ 0.25 kWh | ≈ $0.04 |
| Warm wash | ≈ 0.9 kWh | ≈ $0.16 |
| Hot wash | ≈ 1.8 kWh | ≈ $0.31 |
One thing the table hides: for warm and hot loads, most of the energy heats water, and most washing machines simply draw that hot water from your home’s supply — so much of the energy is really used by your water heater, not the washer. If your water is heated by gas, warm and hot loads cost less than the table suggests, because gas heat is cheaper per unit than electric heat.
Water: the quiet half of the bill
Electricity is only part of the cost of a load. Modern high-efficiency machines use about 13 to 18 gallons of water per load, while older top-loaders can use 25 to 40 gallons. Water and sewer charges are easy to overlook because they arrive on a different bill, but on a hot wash in an old machine they can rival the electricity cost. It is also why a new high-efficiency washer saves twice: less water to pay for, and less water to heat.
What a year of laundry costs
A typical family does about 300 loads a year — roughly six a week. At that pace, washing everything cold costs about $13 a year in electricity, while washing everything hot costs about $93. Most households land somewhere in the middle, mixing temperatures, for perhaps $30 to $50 a year in electricity, plus the water. The spread between the cold and hot extremes — around $80 a year — is bigger than many gadget upgrades promise, and it costs nothing to claim.
Age matters as well. An older machine uses more water per load and heats more of it, so its per-load cost sits at the top of every range above. If an ageing washer needs an expensive repair, it is worth comparing the repair bill against a modern machine’s lower running costs before you decide — our Appliance Repair vs Replace Calculator does exactly that comparison.
Drying costs more than washing
Washing is only half the laundry job. A tumble dryer uses several times the energy of the wash itself, so drying a load usually costs more than washing it did. We break those numbers down in our guide on how much it costs to run a dryer — and it is why line-drying even some of your loads is the single biggest laundry saving most homes can make.
Cut the cost of every load
- Wash cold by default. Modern detergents are made to work in cold water, and most everyday loads come out just as clean. Save warm and hot washes for bedding, towels and illness.
- Run full loads. A half-full drum uses nearly as much water and energy as a full one, so two small loads cost roughly twice as much as one big load.
- Use off-peak hours if you have them. On a time-of-use tariff, running the machine in cheap hours cuts the electricity part of every load — on a flat tariff it makes no difference.
- Spin faster. A high spin speed wrings more water out of clothes, which shortens drying time or makes line-drying practical.
- Keep the machine efficient. Clean the lint filter and the detergent drawer, and do not overdose detergent — excess suds make the machine work longer to rinse.
Want the exact figure for your own machine? Take the kWh per cycle from its energy label, multiply by your electricity price, and you have your true per-load cost — or let the Electricity Cost Calculator do the arithmetic for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does one load of laundry cost?
In electricity, about 4¢ for a cold load, 16¢ for warm and 31¢ for hot at average US prices. Water and sewer charges add a few cents more, especially on hot washes and older machines.
Is it cheaper to wash at night?
Only if you are on a time-of-use tariff that charges less during off-peak hours. On a flat-rate tariff, the time of day makes no difference to what a load costs.
How many loads does a typical family do?
About 300 loads a year — roughly six a week. At that rate, washing everything cold costs about $13 a year in electricity, and everything hot about $93.
Does cold washing clean as well?
For everyday loads, yes. Modern detergents are formulated to work in cold water. Warm or hot washes are still worth it for bedding, towels and when someone in the house has been ill.
Estimates only — your machine’s energy label gives its exact per-cycle figure.