Economy mode in a washing machine: what is it and what is it used for?

Knowing about the operating modes of the washing machine will help not only to effectively and carefully remove dirt from your favorite things, but also to extend the service life of the automatic machine. We are talking about one of the most popular modes for today - economy mode.

Economy mode in a washing machine is a very convenient option, especially now when the price of consumed electricity is constantly growing. In addition, not every housewife can afford to waste time on a long wash. There are times when you need to put things in order quickly and efficiently, spending a minimum of time on it.

Washing in economy mode significantly shortens the duration of the cleaning process, reduces water and energy consumption. The complete washing process is reduced to 25-30 minutes. During this time, the laundry goes through several cleaning cycles: washing, rinsing, spinning. Economy mode for different manufacturers of washing machines can be referred to as "Economy / Efficiency" (Asko), ECO + (Samsung). The "Eco Time" function allows you to set the automatic mode of the machine for washing at the time of the minimum cost of electricity during the day (if there is a two-tariff meter). In this case, the price of consumed electricity will be significantly lower.

The "Cotton Eco" mode is almost the most demanded in the automatic washing machine. Thanks to a special drum rotation algorithm, it provides good results while saving electricity.

The economical wash program has a number of positive aspects, which consist in a significant reduction in the time for the entire process, water, and electricity. Eco-program contains several economical washing options and has certain characteristics.

• Does not heat water to a hot state, uses a low temperature regime to clean things from dirt and stains. At the same time, the reduction in electricity costs can be up to 40%.
• A short wash cycle takes an average of 28–35 minutes and saves a lot of time.
• A short but very effective program in different models is called “New things” (Miele), “Daily wash” (Ariston, Indesit), “Express wash” (Samsung).
• Modes "Quick wash", "15-minute", "Express" and others have an even more shortened cycle of cleaning, rinsing and spinning.
• It combines 2 options: "Intensive wash" and "Biophase" - these wash modes require the use of special powders with enzymes. The process takes place in two stages: first, enzyme granules come into play at a temperature not higher than +40 degrees, at the next stage of the process, the water heats up more, and the final cleaning of the laundry takes place with the help of other components of the detergent powder.
• Eco mode allows you to wash different items by type of fabric and color at the same time. In warm water + 20-30 degrees, the products retain their natural color, do not stretch, and keep their shape well.
• Eco-mode washing requires special eco-certified detergents - eco-powders, eco-gels, phosphate-free laundry detergents and other cleaning agents.

The eco-program is sometimes called "Bio-care" - this washing mode easily copes with the most severe dirt, is suitable for all types of fabrics (with the exception of thin, delicate fabrics). The Eco program includes a certain time frame for the washing process of some things - synthetic products (about 1 hour 45 minutes), children's clothes (about 2 hours).

The described mode in the washing machine is necessary to save time, water consumption, electrical energy and, accordingly, money. There are several rules for this type of washing, which must be adhered to.

• The model of an automatic washing machine should be economical in terms of its main characteristics and capabilities.... The most profitable cars are class "A", they use little water and consume little electricity. A car with a load of 3-4 kg is suitable for a family of two or three people.
• Load the machine drum completely for the amount of kg for which it is designed. Incomplete loading leads to excessive consumption of electricity.
• Use the Quick Wash program thanks to which the cycle of each stage of cleansing is significantly shortened in time.
• Wash at an average temperature of water - + 30-40 degrees. Use very hot water if things are heavily soiled. Strong heating of water requires additional consumption of electrical energy.
• Use the Soak mode before the main wash. In this mode, the laundry lies in the drum of the washing machine for some time at a temperature of +30 degrees, which allows dirt to partially escape from the fibers of the fabric. After soaking, you can start the Quick Wash program.
• If your washing machine has a choice of rinsing in cold or hot water, choose cold water. Cold water is no worse than warm or hot water, washing powder and other detergents from the laundry, and its cost is much cheaper.
• Save detergentsDo not add too much powder, gel or other special products to the cuvette. Too much detergent will cause the program to use more water when rinsing.
• Use the Eco Time program to set the wash time for the night. This step will significantly reduce the consumption of electricity, because at night it costs much less. Delayed wash machines also do this at a minimal rate. Some models of automatic machines in their arsenal have an additional option "Silent wash mode", which is very appropriate when everyone is asleep (Gorenje).
• Be sure to unplug the washing machine after washing. Many people are very mistaken, believing that a machine that is not working, but connected to the power supply, does not consume electricity. A stand-by machine invisibly uses 5-10% of the total energy consumption of all appliances in the house. For a month and a year, a pleasantly saved amount will come up.

For information on how to use the modes correctly, see below.