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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the test procedures for consumer (residential) and commercial clothes washers, and consumer clothes dryers in response to a petition by interested persons. Specifically, DOE proposes to allow use of an alternate test cloth material, update the test cloth specifications, and seeks comments on its tentative determination to withdraw the test cloth enforcement discretion policy.

DOE last updated its test procedures on June 1, 2022, to codify procedures that had historically been used by industry; however, issues with quality and availability of the test cloth persisted. Additionally, the specified test cloth is effectively produced by a single supplier and is no longer used by other industry bodies or for any other regulatory or research and development purposes.

To alleviate an industry shortage in test cloths DOE issued the Enforcement Policy Statement Test Cloths for Clothes Washers and Clothes Dryers Due to allow manufacturers to continue to test until the test cloth issues are resolved. 

DOE is conducting this rulemaking to address specific issues and to make minor corrections to the current test procedures. However, this rulemaking does not satisfy the statutory requirement that, at least once every 7 years, DOE review the test procedures for clothes washers and consumer clothes dryers.