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Electricity and water bills can add up fast, especially when you're doing laundry for what feels like an army. Keep reading for 10 great laundry tips that will help you cut your monthly energy bills.

1. Run full loads of laundry.

It's much more cost-effective to wash a full load rather than two smaller loads. If you wind up having to run a small load because you don't have enough whites or you need the clothes quickly, always try to set the water level accordingly.

2. Wash clothes in cold water.

The majority of the cost associated with running a washing machine comes from the energy it takes to heat the water. You can cut that energy expense in half by switching to warm water, and you can cut it to zero by washing your clothes in cold. There are laundry detergents specially formulated to work in cold water. You will likely pay a little more for them, but the longer term savings benefit makes it easily worth the higher initial detergent expense.

3. Use your dryer's auto-dry function.

Most modern, energy-efficient dryers have moisture sensors that detect when your clothes are dry and automatically turn off the appliance. Instead of over-drying your clothing or running your dryer for no reason, this handy feature can reduce your utility bill significantly.

4. Hang your clothes to dry.

In sunny weather, letting your clothes air-dry costs you nothing on your monthly energy bill - just a little additional physical energy to hang and then later bring the clothes in. Plus afterward, your clothes come back smelling backyard breeze fresh.

5. Dry lightweight and heavyweight items separately.

Light items like socks and underwear will dry faster if you separate them from heavier items like towels and jeans. You'll still save money even though you're running the dryer twice.

6. Remove clothes from the dryer right away.

The sooner you remove your clothes from the dryer, the less ironing you'll have to do - which will save you energy! Shake your clothes out when they're still warm and hang them up right away. This simple step will save you time and money.

7. Clean the lint trap after every load.

A clean lint filter allows the dryer's hot air to circulate freely and will dry your clothes faster, saving you dryer time and money. It also minimizes the risk of your dryer over-heating and potentially causing it damage.

8. Dry loads back-to-back.

If you're washing several loads, wait to dry them one after the other. Your dryer won't have to heat up again and you can take advantage of that heat already stored in the appliance.

9. Inspect your dryer exhaust vent regularly.

A clogged exhaust vent is like a lint-jammed lint trap - it'll reduce your dryer's efficiency and increase drying time. Check the vent is clear by going outside and verify that the air coming out of the vent is warm and moist.

10. Install the water heater close to the washing machine.

If you can, try making the distance between your water heater and your washing machine as short as possible. The less distance hot water has to travel, the less heat that is lost through the pipes.