Many households across Ireland are struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis, with energy bills among people’s major concerns.
Last month, the Government announced a €2.3 billion package, which includes giving every home in Ireland €450 off energy bills. The energy credits will be paid in three instalments of €150 in December, January and March.
With the winter months fast approaching, some people may be trying to reduce their energy usage by cutting back on using appliances in a bid to save money on bills.
Tumble dryers are notorious for being one of the most expensive household appliances to run. Data from energy experts at Energia recently found that it costs €1.30 to run a tumble dryer for an hour.
During the colder months, a lot of households rely on them as they can't hang clothes outside to dry, while hanging them inside can risk damp.
However, there is one way to make sure you will never need to use the energy-guzzling appliance again, thanks to a little-known washing machine button that many people overlook.
A woman took to social media and claimed that the button had saved her lots of money over the years, Mirror UK reports.
The spin at the end of a washing machine cycle reduces the amount of water clothes retain, meaning they'll take less time to dry. The higher the RPM, or the revolutions per minute, the drier the clothes will be - reducing additional drying time.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, social media user Deanne said: "After I have done a load of washing I always put the load on an extra spin to get more water out of the clothes. Will be quicker to dry then."
The post was in response to Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis, who asked his followers for their "best, easiest home energy efficiency tips".
Another person added: "I love this one, my grandma taught me this one. Very handy if you're putting your clothes on a maiden to dry, knocks about six hours off the drying time. This will also reduce the risk of mould, as the clothes won't need to dry for as long."
Several other people shared their own laundry tips, with one person saying: "Continue to hang your washing outside in the winter when the weather allows. Might only be 80 per cent dry, but that's 80 per cent less energy required in the tumble dryer."
Other cleaning fans suggested using a dehumidifier in front of the clothes airer, as it works well to remove the moisture from the air - meaning the humidity in the room will be less whilst the clothes are drying.
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