Electrolux announce results of university study that reveals 30% of dishwasher owners fail to read user manual – potentially wasting water and energy.
A recent study* by the University of Bonn, showed 30% of respondents in 160 homes across Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK admitted to not reading the manual that came with their dishwasher, whilst 86% of users stuck to only one or two different wash settings from an average availability of 5 programmes, potentially causing inefficient use.
“More could be done to improve dishwasher efficiency by spending just a little time to figure out what each dedicated setting provides. It will ensure you get clean dishes every time with optimal water and energy consumption saving both the planet and your bank balance” says Elena Breda, Dish Care Manager at Electrolux.
Furthermore, the study showed many consumers over or underestimate the presence of an ecological setting on their dishwasher. 42% of Swede’s assume their dishwasher automatically washes on the greenest setting, apparently unaware that they needed to specify washing on an ‘eco’ programme. In fact, only 9% of Swede’s actively chose such a setting. Conversely, UK respondents assumed their dishwasher didn’t have an eco-setting, with 29% wrongly dismissing the existence of such a function.
The survey was originally carried out to establish the most effective and efficient way to clean dishes. It was shown that a dishwasher reduced water and energy consumption (by almost 50% on both counts for two person households vs manual washing).
Electrolux have a dedicated website that calculates how a dishwasher can help you save the environment and money www.electrolux.com/watersavings
* A 2009 University of Bonn Survey compared the washing-up habits of households with a dishwasher against those without a dishwasher in 160 homes across Germany, Italy, Sweden and the UK.
International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.
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