Laundry Cost Per Load Calculator
Calculate the true cost per load of laundry including electricity, water, detergent, and dryer energy.
Compare different washing settings.
Breaking Down Your Laundry Cost Most people underestimate the true cost of doing laundry because each expense is small individually. Adding them all up reveals a surprisingly significant annual expense.
Washer Energy Usage Traditional top-load washers: 0.9 - 1.3 kWh per load Energy Star front-load washers: 0.3 - 0.7 kWh per load Using cold water instead of hot reduces washer energy by up to 90%.
Dryer Energy Usage Electric dryers: 3.0 - 4.5 kWh per load (the biggest energy user) Gas dryers: 0.5 kWh electric + gas (separate cost not calculated here) Air drying: $0 — line drying saves $100-$150 per year for an average household
Water Usage Traditional top-load washers: 40-45 gallons per load Energy Star top-load: 25-35 gallons per load High-efficiency front-load: 15-25 gallons per load Average US water cost: $0.003-$0.005 per gallon (including sewer)
Detergent Cost Liquid detergent: $0.20-$0.35 per load Pods (name brand): $0.35-$0.55 per load Powder (bulk): $0.10-$0.20 per load HE formula is required for HE machines.
Ways to Reduce Laundry Costs
- Wash in cold water (same clean, 10x less energy for heating)
- Run only full loads
- Upgrade to an Energy Star machine when the time comes
- Air dry when possible — especially large items like towels and bedding
- Buy detergent in bulk (30-50% cheaper per load)
- Use the right amount of detergent — more is not cleaner