Laundry Cost Calculator

Why Calculate Laundry Costs?

Doing laundry is a routine chore, but the true cost per load is easy to overlook. Every cycle uses electricity, water, and detergent, and those small amounts can add up to hundreds of dollars per year. A clear estimate of your laundry cost per load helps you:

• Set a realistic household budget for utilities and supplies.
• Decide whether upgrading to more efficient machines could save money.
• Compare the cost of doing laundry at home vs. using a laundromat.
• See how changes in habits (fewer loads, shorter cycles, cooler water) affect your bills.

This Laundry Cost Calculator focuses on the three main components of per-load cost:

• Electricity used by your washer and dryer.
• Water usage during the wash cycle.
• Detergent and other cleaning products.

How the Calculator Works

The calculator combines your appliance power ratings, run times, water use, and prices into a simple per-load cost. Behind the scenes it converts power and time into energy use, then multiplies by your local rates.

1. Washer power and wash time

Washer Power (kW) is the electrical power draw of your washing machine during the cycle. Many modern residential washers fall roughly between 0.3 kW and 2.0 kW, but you should check the label or manual for a more precise value if possible.

Wash Time (minutes) is the typical length of a wash cycle that you run most often (for example, a normal or eco cycle). To get the energy used by the washer per load, the calculator converts minutes to hours and applies this formula:

where:

• E is energy used by the washer in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
• P is washer power in kilowatts (kW).
• t is wash time in minutes.

The cost of running the washer per load is then:

Washer cost = Washer kWh × Electricity rate ($/kWh)

2. Dryer power and dry time

Dryer Power (kW) is the electrical demand of your dryer while it runs. Electric dryers commonly use 3 kW to 5 kW or more. Even if your dryer cycles the heating element on and off, this simple calculation gives a good average.

Dry Time (minutes) is how long you normally run the dryer per load. The energy used and cost are calculated the same way as for the washer:

• Dryer kWh = Dryer power (kW) × Dry time (minutes ÷ 60)
• Dryer cost = Dryer kWh × Electricity rate ($/kWh)

3. Water usage and water price

Water Usage (gallons) is the amount of water your washer uses per load. Efficient front-load washers can use around 15–20 gallons, while older or less efficient top-load models may use 30–40+ gallons per load.

Water Price per Gallon ($) comes from your water bill. Often it is listed per thousand gallons or per cubic meter. To use the calculator, convert it to a per-gallon rate, or use an approximate value if you prefer a rough estimate.

The water cost per load is simply:

Water cost = Water usage (gallons) × Water price per gallon ($/gallon)

4. Detergent and supplies

Detergent Cost per Load ($) is what you spend on detergent and any regular additives (such as fabric softener or boosters) for a single load. If you buy detergent in bulk, divide the total price by the number of loads the package states to estimate a per-load cost.

This value is added directly to your total:

Detergent cost = Entered cost per load

5. Total per-load laundry cost

Once you have all components, the calculator adds them together:

• Total laundry cost per load = Washer cost + Dryer cost + Water cost + Detergent cost

You can then multiply this per-load cost by the number of loads you do each week, month, or year to understand your overall laundry spending.

Interpreting Your Results

The result you see is the estimated cost of one complete load of laundry, including both washing and drying. How should you interpret the number?

• Under about $0.75 per load: This is typically a low cost, often seen with efficient machines, moderate electricity prices, and careful water use.
• Around $0.75–$1.50 per load: This is a common range for many households, especially with standard washers and dryers and mid-range utility rates.
• Above $1.50 per load: Costs in this range can indicate high local electricity or water prices, older or inefficient appliances, very long cycles, or expensive detergent.

To get a sense of long-term impact, consider how many loads you run:

• Weekly cost: Per-load cost × loads per week.
• Monthly cost: Per-load cost × (loads per week × 4.3).
• Yearly cost: Per-load cost × 52 weeks × loads per week.

For example, if your per-load cost is $1.00 and you do 6 loads per week, that is roughly $6 per week, about $26 per month, and more than $300 per year.

Worked Example: Step-by-Step Laundry Cost

To see how all of this comes together, imagine the following scenario:

• Washer power: 0.5 kW
• Wash time: 45 minutes
• Dryer power: 4.0 kW
• Dry time: 40 minutes
• Water usage: 25 gallons
• Water price: $0.004 per gallon
• Detergent cost: $0.25 per load
• Electricity rate: $0.15 per kWh

1. Washer electricity cost

• Convert time to hours: 45 minutes ÷ 60 = 0.75 hours.
• Washer energy use: 0.5 kW × 0.75 h = 0.375 kWh.
• Washer cost: 0.375 kWh × $0.15/kWh = $0.05625 (about $0.06).

2. Dryer electricity cost

• Convert time to hours: 40 minutes ÷ 60 ≈ 0.67 hours.
• Dryer energy use: 4.0 kW × 0.67 h ≈ 2.67 kWh.
• Dryer cost: 2.67 kWh × $0.15/kWh ≈ $0.4005 (about $0.40).

3. Water cost

• Water cost: 25 gallons × $0.004/gallon = $0.10.

4. Detergent cost

• Detergent cost per load: $0.25.

5. Total per-load cost

• Total cost = Washer ($0.06) + Dryer ($0.40) + Water ($0.10) + Detergent ($0.25)
• Total cost ≈ $0.81 per load.

With these assumptions, each load of laundry costs you about 81 cents. If you run 6 loads per week, your estimated yearly cost is:

• 6 loads/week × $0.81 × 52 weeks ≈ $252.72 per year.

This simple example shows how small changes—like shorter dryer times, a more efficient washer, or cheaper detergent—can noticeably reduce your annual spending.

Typical Cost Ranges and Comparisons

Your exact numbers will vary, but it can be helpful to compare your result to some typical ranges. The table below summarizes approximate per-load costs under different conditions. These are illustrative values, not guarantees.

If your calculated cost per load is much higher than the typical home ranges above, you may want to investigate:

• Whether your cycles are longer or hotter than necessary.
• If your appliances are unusually old or inefficient.
• Whether local electricity or water rates are particularly high.

Using Your Results to Save Money

Once you know your per-load cost, you can use it to explore savings strategies.

• Adjust your schedule: If your utility offers time-of-use pricing, running loads during off-peak hours can reduce the electricity rate you enter and lower the result.
• Optimize cycles: Shorter or eco cycles, lower wash temperatures, and proper spin speeds can reduce both wash time and dry time.
• Improve drying efficiency: Cleaning the lint filter, not overloading the dryer, and air-drying some items can cut dryer run time and energy use.
• Upgrade when it makes sense: If your yearly laundry cost is high and your machines are older, comparing the annual savings from new appliances to their purchase price can help you judge whether an upgrade is worthwhile.
• Choose cost-effective detergent: Concentrated detergents used at the recommended dose can lower per-load detergent cost without sacrificing cleaning performance.

Assumptions and Limitations

This calculator is designed as a practical estimate, not a complete accounting of every possible laundry expense. It is based on several simplifying assumptions:

• Electricity focus: The tool uses your entered washer and dryer power ratings and times to estimate electricity use. It does not include gas costs for gas dryers or gas-powered water heaters.
• Average power draw: The power values you enter are treated as an average over the whole cycle, even though real machines may vary their draw during different stages.
• Water pricing: The water price per gallon is assumed to include any sewer or wastewater charges that are bundled into your utility bill, if you choose to reflect them.
• Detergent and supplies only: Only the detergent cost per load you provide is included. Other occasional items (like stain removers or dryer sheets) are not automatically factored in unless you include them in your per-load estimate.
• No equipment ownership costs: The calculator does not account for the purchase price of your washer and dryer, installation costs, maintenance, repairs, or eventual replacement.
• Taxes and fees: Any taxes, fixed service fees, or minimum charges on your utility bills are not explicitly modeled. The tool focuses on usage-based costs.

Because of these limitations, the result should be viewed as an approximate guide rather than an exact bill calculation. However, it is still very useful for comparing scenarios, such as different cycle settings, new appliances, or changes in utility prices.

Next Steps

After you have estimated your laundry cost per load, you may want to:

• Recalculate using different cycle times or power ratings to see how much you can save by changing habits.
• Estimate your monthly and yearly costs based on how many loads you run.
• Compare your home per-load cost to typical laundromat prices in your area to decide which option makes more financial sense for your situation.

Use the calculator as often as needed to test new configurations, updated utility rates, or new appliances, and keep track of how your laundry costs evolve over time.