Laundry Cost Calculator
Calculate your annual laundry costs including water, electricity, detergent, and dryer expenses.
Laundry costs are often overlooked in household budgets, but they can add up to a significant amount over the course of a year. This calculator estimates the total cost of doing laundry at home, including water, electricity or gas, detergent, and dryer sheets.
Cost components per load:
1. Water cost: A standard top-loading washing machine uses approximately 30-40 gallons (114-151 liters) per load. High-efficiency (HE) front-loading machines use only 12-15 gallons (45-57 liters) per load. At an average water rate of $0.004 per gallon, each load costs $0.05-$0.16 for water.
2. Washing machine electricity: A typical washer uses about 0.5 kWh per load for a warm/cold cycle. Hot water cycles use more because heating water is energy-intensive. At $0.13 per kWh, electricity for the washer alone costs about $0.07 per load.
3. Water heating: Heating water for hot or warm cycles is the biggest energy cost. Heating 30 gallons of water from 50°F to 120°F uses about 5.1 kWh (electric) or about $0.66 per hot load. Using cold water eliminates this cost entirely and modern detergents work well in cold water.
4. Dryer cost: A standard electric dryer uses approximately 2.5-4.0 kWh per load. At $0.13/kWh, that is $0.33-$0.52 per load. Gas dryers use about $0.15-$0.25 of natural gas per load. The dryer is typically the most expensive part of doing laundry.
5. Detergent and supplies: Laundry detergent costs approximately $0.15-$0.30 per load for liquid or pod detergent. Dryer sheets add about $0.03-$0.05 per load. Fabric softener adds $0.05-$0.10 per load.
Average American household laundry statistics: The typical household does approximately 300 loads of laundry per year, which works out to about 6 loads per week. The average total cost per load ranges from $0.75 to $2.00 depending on equipment efficiency and habits.
Money-saving tips: Wash with cold water (saves $0.40-$0.65 per load on water heating). Use HE detergent in proper amounts. Clean the dryer lint filter before every load for maximum efficiency. Air dry when possible — it costs nothing and is gentler on clothes. Run full loads to maximize the water and energy per item of clothing.