Keeping your home clean doesn’t have to come at the expense of high energy bills. In fact, with a little planning, cleaning can be just as kind to your wallet as it is to your living space. By using an energy cost calculator, you can take the guesswork out of how much you may be spending on hoovering your floors or running your dishwasher, and discover simple ways to both save money and clean more sustainability. Using energy cost calculators and understanding energy flexibility is a fantastic way to upgrade your cleaning routine.
Intrigued? Learn how to use these handy calculators and give your cleaning an upgrade in this guide.
What is an Energy Cost Calculator?
Energy cost calculators make it simpler to work out the actual price of running different household appliances. Using the rates set under the government’s energy price cap, these calculators apply real-time costs to the average kWh consumption of devices and activities. You can use them to translate your cleaning tasks, like doing laundry or steam cleaning your carpets, into easy-to-understand cost estimations.
Which Calculator Should You Use?
For reliable calculations, make sure you’re using a calculator that’s backed by a trusted source. It should follow the government’s energy price cap and be simple to use.
This energy cost calculator, for instance, makes calculations easy by having a range of present devices you can choose from. To use it, follow these steps:
- Choose a cleaning tool and find out its kWh consumption
- Match it to the closest similar kWh consumption of the devices on the cost calculator
- Input how many times/hours you use it in a day
You’ll then see a monthly estimate of how much this adds to your electricity bill. You can also view how this compares to previous energy price caps, watching how your bills shift over time.
Power a Conscious Cleaning Routine
One of the main perks of using an energy cost calculator is that you can better predict your monthly energy bill. With insights into your cleaning costs, you prevent unexpected spikes and can make more informed decisions about the devices you use. For instance, if you’re exploring getting a carpet cleaner for your home, use the calculator to work out how much it’ll cost to power before making the right decision for your budget, your home, and your cleaning routine.
You can also use these calculators to work out the best times to switch on different devices. If you have a smart meter, you might be able to tap into off-peak energy prices (depending on both your provider and tariff). During these periods, standard energy rates may drop, meaning that you can cut back on costs while keeping up your cleaning routine.
Use off-peak hours alongside electricity cost calculations to identify the energy-heavy tasks you should be saving for lower-cost periods. This helps cut down your energy bills so that you can enjoy the comfort of a freshly cleaned home without the sting of unexpected costs. You’re consciously curating a cleaning routine that has less of an impact on your budget.
Boost the Sustainability of Your Cleaning
Alongside saving money, understanding which high-energy jobs should be done during off-peak hours also has an eco-friendly bonus.
Off-peak energy times are when either:
- There’s less demand on the national grid
- More renewable energy is being generated
In contrast, peak times are when there is a lot of demand for energy.
By saving your energy-consuming tasks for off-peak sessions, you’re making the most of the nation’s renewable energy. This small switch to your routine can reduce your personal carbon footprint and play a part in supporting national – even global – environmental goals. Energy suppliers can reduce reliance on fossil fuels, marking a shift in the industry towards a more sustainable way of powering our world.
Tips for Syncing Your Cleaning With Off-Peak Costs
Once you’ve got to grips with your energy cost calculator, it’s time to start putting what you learn into action with these tips:
Plan laundry for off-peak hours: You’ll likely find that your washing machine and tumble dryer are some of the highest energy-consuming cleaning tools. Make these a priority for off-peak hours, or wash clothes when you can put them outside to dry instead of using your dryer.
Use delay timers: Some appliances, like dishwashers and washing machines, have delay timers. This means that you can set them to run during off-peak hours, even if you’re not in to press Start.
Save your appliance-heavy tasks: Not all cleaning jobs require electricity. Clean your bathroom and dust your surfaces when energy prices are higher, and save tasks like hoovering, washing up, and pressure washing for off-peak hours.
Final Thoughts
Using an energy cost calculator isn’t just about saving money—it’s about cleaning smarter. By understanding how much energy each task or appliance consumes, you can plan your cleaning routine in a way that reduces costs, conserves energy, and makes your home more efficient. Small adjustments, guided by clear data, can add up to long-term savings and a greener household.