British households could be saving a collective £200 MILLION a year on their energy bills – simply by running their dishwasher on a shorter cycle, a study has found.
The poll of 2,000 homeowners and renters found that over half of UK homes (56 per cent) have a dishwasher – which typically runs four times a week.
And three in ten usually run the appliance on a normal cycle – with 43 per cent saying they do so as this is the setting they are used to using.
Almost half (46 per cent) believe their dishwasher setting of choice is the most energy- and cost-efficient one.
However, just one in six (17 per cent) run the dishwasher on a short cycle of less than 55 minutes – which costs almost half as much a go.
According to Energy Saving Trust – which verified energy use figures from 154 dishwasher units from the 10 major brands – by switching from normal to short, the average household could be saving up to £27 per year on their energy bill.
This figure is based on the average UK domestic standard electricity price of 34p/kWh.
When multiplied by the 15,736,000 UK homes which have a dishwasher, and accounting for how many householders could make the change, Brits could be saving an eye-watering £200,000,000.
A spokesman for Fairy Platinum Plus, which has launched a campaign to encourage people to switch to shorter dishwasher cycles, to save time and energy without compromising on performance, said: “Shorter cycles can be just as effective when used with fast-activating dishwasher tablets.
“For four in ten, it’s clear they have traditionally stuck with the same dishwasher cycle as it’s how they’ve always done it.
“Hopefully this research will open our eyes to the money people could be saving if they switched to a shorter cycle. It’s an easy switch we could all make, without having to change our lifestyle.”
The research also revealed dishwasher owners had a range of quirky tips and tricks to get the most out of their cleaning cycle – including adding baking powder to bring out the shine in glass.
Propping open the dishwasher door using an old wine cork to dry plates and other cutlery were some of the tips which dishwasher owners also use.
But 41 per cent of dishwasher owners polled, via OnePoll, admitted they sometimes run their dishwasher when it’s not completely full.
The spokesman for Fairy added: “It’s fascinating to lift the lid on our habits as a cleaning-mad nation.
“It’s clear the cost-of-living crisis is having an impact on our way of thinking, and perhaps explains some of the quirkier uses of the dishwashers.
“It comes down to money – switching to a shorter cycle is an easy switch that most dishwasher users can use to their advantage. And for those who use their dishwasher more often, the savings could be even greater.”
