Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted.
But, according to Julie Edelman, aka
'The Accidental Housewife,' there are ways to waste less even with the most energy efficient appliances out there.
Edelman has a few surprising and simple tips and tricks to help you maintain a cleaner home, while saving energy and MONEY!
Q: With the winter months soon approaching, what is top of mind for families when it comes to maintaining their home?1. Preserve your health, bank accounts and sanity with these winter cleaning tips that will help balance your life.
2. October is "Energy Efficiency Month," which I think pretty much says it all. The most important thing on all of our minds as the weather worsens is combating energy bills while staying warm and healthy during flu season.
Most of us only know the basics for saving energy - turn out the lights when you leave a room, unplug phone chargers and computer cords when you aren't using them - but there are lots of other little things we can do in the home to conserve energy, save money and still stay healthy.
Q: What tips do you have for saving money and reducing energy costs, while also keeping a clean home?There are plenty of ways to reduce costs and keep the home in order this year. For starter's make sure you're getting the most out of your appliances.
Instead of using that oven, particularly if it's electric, do yourself a favor and put a
DO NOT DISTURB SIGN on it. Cooking with a microwave (the Accidental Housewife's fave cooking tool!), crock-pot or toaster oven vs. an oven or electric stove can use up to 75% less energy.
Turn your washing machine to the cold cycle. Did you know that 80% of the energy used in doing laundry is in heating the water?
And forget what your mother told you about washing your clothes in hot water to get 'em clean-wash them in cold water with a detergent like Tide Coldwater-it's got the right stuff to get a fresh, deep clean that'll keep your clothes looking great.
AND it actually removes stains better in cold water than the next leading detergent in warm water.
If you have a high efficiency machine you'll want to use new Tide Coldwater HE. You'll save up to 50% on energy in every load done in your HE machine by switching to cold water washing with Tide Coldwater HE.
Keep a piggy bank in your laundry room for all the money that falls out of your jeans in the spin cycle. Along with the money you'll save on your energy bill will give you a chance to finally treat yourself!
Now that we've focused on the washer, make sure to de-lint your dryer - it saves energy and traps additional dust and allergens, so it's a healthier way to dry your clothes.
Q: What do people tend to overlook when cleaning their homes during winter months?Most people only think about doing heavy cleaning as winter thaws and "spring cleaning" arrives, but there's plenty of work that needs to be done through the winter months.
The drip pan under your fridge can be a perfect breeding ground for mold. It's also a perfect drinking fountain for roaches so clean and dry the pan often.
Lots of allergies and their symptoms (sneezing, runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing) are attributed to common types of mold and mildew - keep windows open to let steam escape, toss in some vinegar in a spray bottle and cleaning counters with spritz and a wipe…if the vinegar scent irks you, you can either make it a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water or wipe with a fabric dryer sheet.
Your kids' stuffed animals are breeding grounds for bacteria and mites. Get rid of them by putting their favorite stuffed animals into a plastic bag with baking soda AND/OR PUT THEM IN FREEZER.
Q: What ideas or tricks do you have for getting the kids involved?The kids love to help you save if there's a game involved and even more so if they can earn an extra dollar or two for themselves!
Bet your kiddies a dollar to see if your fridge's door seals are airtight.
If the buck gets stuck and you can't remove it all is well and you aren't wasting energy.
The kids can treat themselves to a hot chocolate on your next Starbuck's run with the money you'll be saving.
