Laundry Detergent / Load Calculator

Please fill in the required fields with values greater than 0.
–loads per bottle
–detergent cost per year
–water per year (gallons)
–electricity cost per year

Estimate only. Check the detergent label for the dose for your load size and water hardness. HE washers use less water.

How to use this calculator

Enter how many loads you wash a week, the size and price of your detergent bottle and how much you use per load. Add the water and electricity use per load if you want the full cost. Press Calculate to see the yearly costs.

The formula

Loads per bottle = bottle size ÷ dose per load
Detergent cost per load = bottle price ÷ bottle size × dose
Yearly loads = loads per week × 52

Example: With 6 loads a week (312 a year), a 100 oz bottle at $12 and a 1.5 oz dose, one bottle does 66 loads. Detergent costs $0.18 per load, or $56.16 a year. Water use is 6,240 gallons and electricity is $159.12.

What your laundry cost estimate tells you

The laundry calculator shows what each load really costs once you add detergent, water and electricity. The yearly totals are useful because single loads look cheap, but they add up over 52 weeks. Use the results to see which part of your laundry bill is biggest and where a small change saves the most.

What changes the cost

  • Loads per week. Every extra weekly load adds 52 loads a year.
  • Detergent dose. Overdosing is common and shrinks the number of loads per bottle.
  • Electricity per load. The dryer usually uses far more electricity than the washer, so drying choices matter most.
  • Electricity rate. Rates vary widely by state and utility. Use the number from your own bill.

Two examples

The page example uses 6 loads a week, a 100 ounce bottle at $12 and a 1.5 ounce dose. That works out to about 66 loads per bottle and $56.16 of detergent a year. At 20 gallons and 3 kWh per load, with power at $0.17 per kWh, the year adds 6,240 gallons of water and $159.12 of electricity.

A smaller household doing 4 loads a week with a 1 ounce dose gets 100 loads from the same bottle. Detergent drops to $0.12 per load, or about $24.96 a year for 208 loads. Electricity falls to about $106 a year at the same per-load numbers.

Tips and common mistakes

  • Read the dose lines on the cap. Line 1 is often enough for a normal load in an HE washer.
  • Do not count only detergent. Electricity is usually the larger cost when you use a dryer.
  • Clean the dryer lint screen every load. A clogged screen makes drying take longer.
  • Use the high-speed spin. Drier clothes need less time in the dryer.
  • Run the washer only when it is full. Small loads cost almost as much as large ones.

Buying and planning advice

Compare detergent by cost per load, not bottle price. Divide the price by the number of loads you will actually get at your dose. If you are shopping for a new washer or dryer, check the yellow EnergyGuide label for yearly energy use and run those numbers through the calculator to compare models.

Frequently asked questions

How much detergent should I use per load?
Follow the label. Most liquid detergents use 1 to 2 ounces for an HE washer, but use less for small loads and soft water.
Does using more detergent clean better?
No. Too much leaves residue, can irritate skin and makes the washer work harder.
How many loads does a bottle do?
Divide the bottle size by the dose per load. A 100 oz bottle with a 1.5 oz dose does about 66 loads.
How much water does a washer use?
A standard washer uses about 20 to 40 gallons per load. An HE washer uses 13 to 20 gallons.
How can I cut laundry costs?
Wash full loads in cold water, use the right dose and air-dry some clothes.
Is it cheaper to wash clothes in cold water?
Yes, usually. Heating water is a large part of the energy a washer uses, so cold washes cut that cost. Most modern detergents are made to work in cold water. Keep warm or hot water for heavily soiled items, bedding or cloth diapers if the care label calls for it.
How much does it cost to run a dryer per load?
Multiply the dryer’s kWh per load by your electricity rate. At 3 kWh and $0.17 per kWh, one load costs about $0.51. Gas dryers use some electricity plus natural gas, so their cost depends on both prices. Shorter cycles and fuller loads lower the cost per item.
Are laundry pods more expensive than liquid detergent?
Often, yes. Pods usually cost more per load than liquid or powder, and you cannot adjust the dose for small loads. Their benefit is convenience and less mess. To compare, divide the pack price by the number of pods, then compare that to the liquid cost per load from the calculator.