.calculator-container {
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 8px;
max-width: 600px;
margin: 20px auto;
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
.calculator-container h2 {
text-align: center;
color: #333;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.form-group {
margin-bottom: 15px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
}
.form-group label {
flex: 1;
margin-right: 10px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #555;
}
.form-group input[type="number"],
.form-group input[type="text"],
.form-group select {
flex: 2;
padding: 8px;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 4px;
}
.form-group input[type="number"]::placeholder,
.form-group input[type="text"]::placeholder {
color: #aaa;
}
.button-container {
text-align: center;
margin-top: 20px;
}
button {
background-color: #4CAF50;
color: white;
padding: 10px 20px;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
font-size: 16px;
}
button:hover {
background-color: #45a049;
}
#result {
margin-top: 25px;
padding: 15px;
border: 1px dashed #4CAF50;
border-radius: 4px;
background-color: #e8f5e9;
text-align: center;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
color: #333;
}
#result span {
color: #4CAF50;
}
.article-content {
font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif;
margin: 20px auto;
max-width: 800px;
line-height: 1.6;
color: #333;
}
.article-content h3 {
color: #4CAF50;
margin-top: 25px;
}
function calculateLaundryCost() {
var detergentCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("detergentCost").value);
var washesPerBottle = parseFloat(document.getElementById("washesPerBottle").value);
var fabricSoftenerCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("fabricSoftenerCost").value);
var usesSoftener = document.getElementById("usesSoftener").value;
var softenerLoads = parseFloat(document.getElementById("softenerLoads").value);
var waterHeaterCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("waterHeaterCost").value);
var washCycleMinutes = parseFloat(document.getElementById("washCycleMinutes").value);
var dryerCost = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dryerCost").value);
var dryerMinutes = parseFloat(document.getElementById("dryerMinutes").value);
var loadsPerWeek = parseFloat(document.getElementById("loadsPerWeek").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
resultDiv.innerHTML = ""; // Clear previous results
if (isNaN(detergentCost) || isNaN(washesPerBottle) || isNaN(waterHeaterCost) || isNaN(washCycleMinutes) || isNaN(dryerCost) || isNaN(dryerMinutes) || isNaN(loadsPerWeek)) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for all required fields.";
return;
}
if (usesSoftener === "yes" && (isNaN(fabricSoftenerCost) || isNaN(softenerLoads))) {
resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for fabric softener cost and usage if you selected 'Yes'.";
return;
}
// Calculate cost per load for detergent
var detergentCostPerLoad = detergentCost / washesPerBottle;
// Calculate cost per load for fabric softener
var fabricSoftenerCostPerLoad = 0;
if (usesSoftener === "yes") {
fabricSoftenerCostPerLoad = fabricSoftenerCost * softenerLoads;
}
// Calculate energy cost per load for water heating
var washCycleHours = washCycleMinutes / 60;
var waterHeatingCostPerLoad = waterHeaterCost * washCycleHours;
// Calculate energy cost per load for drying
var dryerHours = dryerMinutes / 60;
var dryerCostPerLoad = dryerCost * dryerHours;
// Total cost per load
var totalCostPerLoad = detergentCostPerLoad + fabricSoftenerCostPerLoad + waterHeatingCostPerLoad + dryerCostPerLoad;
// Weekly cost
var weeklyCost = totalCostPerLoad * loadsPerWeek;
// Annual cost
var annualCost = weeklyCost * 52;
resultDiv.innerHTML =
"
Laundry Cost Calculator
Yes
No
Understanding Your Laundry Expenses
Laundry is a necessary household chore, but have you ever stopped to think about the actual cost involved? Beyond just the price of detergent, several factors contribute to the overall expense of keeping your clothes clean. This calculator helps you estimate the cost of doing laundry per load, per week, and per year, considering detergent, fabric softener, water heating, and dryer energy consumption.
Key Components of Laundry Costs:
- Detergent: The primary cleaning agent. Its cost is determined by the price per bottle and how many washes you can get out of it.
- Fabric Softener: While optional, it adds to the expense. Its cost depends on the price per bottle and how frequently it's used per load.
- Water Heating: Heating water for laundry consumes energy. The cost depends on the energy efficiency of your water heater and the duration of the wash cycle.
- Dryer Energy: Running a clothes dryer uses electricity or gas. The cost is influenced by the appliance's energy efficiency and how long you run it.
- Frequency of Laundry: The more loads you wash and dry, the higher your overall laundry expenses will be.
How the Calculator Works:
This calculator takes your input for the cost of detergent and fabric softener, their usage rates, the cost of energy for water heating and drying, and the time spent on each cycle. It then calculates the cost per load for detergent and softener, the energy cost per load for water heating and drying, and sums these up. Finally, it extrapolates this to your weekly and annual laundry expenses based on the number of loads you do.
Example Calculation:
Let's consider a common scenario:
- Detergent Cost: $10.50 per bottle
- Washes per Bottle: 50 washes
- Fabric Softener Cost: $5.00 per bottle (Optional)
- Use Fabric Softener: Yes
- Fabric Softener Use per Load: 0.01 bottles (a small amount per load)
- Water Heater Cost: $0.80 per hour
- Wash Cycle Time: 45 minutes (0.75 hours)
- Dryer Cost: $1.20 per hour
- Drying Time: 60 minutes (1 hour)
- Loads per Week: 4 loads
In this example, the calculator would determine:
- Detergent cost per load: $10.50 / 50 = $0.21
- Fabric softener cost per load: $5.00 * 0.01 = $0.05
- Water heating cost per load: $0.80 * 0.75 hours = $0.60
- Dryer cost per load: $1.20 * 1 hour = $1.20
- Total cost per load: $0.21 + $0.05 + $0.60 + $1.20 = $2.06
- Weekly cost: $2.06 * 4 loads = $8.24
- Annual cost: $8.24 * 52 weeks = $428.48
By inputting your specific costs and usage, you can get a much more accurate picture of your household's laundry expenses and identify potential areas for savings.