Smart HomeHow-ToAutomations

Smart Lamp + Washer Scene Ideas: Automations to Save Time and Prevent Overdrying

wwashers

2026-02-04

10 min read

Copy‑and‑paste automations that pair smart lamps and smart plugs with washers to signal completion, warn of delays, and prevent overdrying.

Stop wasting time and avoid overdrying: smart lamp + washer automations you can copy and paste

Laundry takes time — and too often it eats your day because you miss a cycle completion alert or the dryer keeps running until clothes are overdried. If you own a smart lamp (Govee RGBIC) or similar and a smart washer or a smart plug with energy monitoring, you can build simple, reliable automations that signal cycle completion, warn when clothes sit too long, and coordinate multi-step laundry routines. Below are ready-to-use recipes — from Home Assistant YAML to IFTTT and Alexa routines — that you can copy, paste and adapt in 10–30 minutes.

Why this matters in 2026

Fewer appliances ship with universal cloud hooks and more brands support local integrations or rely on standards like Matter. In late 2025 and into 2026 we've seen broader Matter and local-API adoption among light makers and smarter energy-aware plugs. That makes it easier (and more private) to connect lights and washer signals without paying for multiple cloud services. Meanwhile, affordable RGBIC smart lamps such as the updated Govee models are now cost-effective indicators for laundromats in your home — bright, programmable, and great for visual status.

Quick overview: detection methods and use cases

Native washer state (best): Use washer's cloud or SmartThings/LG ThinQ/Samsung integration when it reports "finished." Fast and reliable.
Smart plug energy monitoring (widest compatibility): Detect cycle finish by a sustained drop in power draw. Works with non-smart washers and portable/compact models plugged into smart plugs that report watts.
Manual button or app action: Press a virtual button (in Home Assistant, Alexa, or Google Home) to mark "wash done" when you take out clothes — useful in communal laundry rooms.

Key warning before automating

Safety first. Do NOT automatically cut power to dryers mid-cycle — that can create fire hazards or damage sensors. Use notifications and visual cues to prompt user action. Using smart plugs to power-cycle a washer is generally safe for off/on between cycles but avoid interfering with active heating elements in dryers. For more on device safety in laundry and kitchen spaces, see guidance on wireless and in-room safety.

Recipe 1 — Home Assistant: energy-based washer detection + Govee lamp completion and delay warning (copy/paste)

This recipe assumes you have a smart plug (Z-Wave, Zigbee or Wi‑Fi) that reports a power sensor as sensor.washer_power and a Govee lamp exposed to Home Assistant as light.govee_lamp.

Step A — create a binary sensor to mark "running"

template:
    - binary_sensor:
        - name: "Washer Running"
          state: "{{ states('sensor.washer_power')|float(0) > 12 }}"
          device_class: power

Adjust threshold (12 W) to your machine's idle vs. active signature. For many top-loaders running high-heating cycles, active power will be 200–1500 W; for delicate spins the active threshold might be 30–100 W.

Step B — automation: cycle finish & green pulse

alias: Washer finished - green pulse
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: binary_sensor.washer_running
      from: 'on'
      to: 'off'
      for: '00:00:10'
  action:
    - service: light.turn_on
      target:
        entity_id: light.govee_lamp
      data:
        rgb_color: [0,255,0]
        brightness_pct: 100
    - delay: '00:00:10'
    - service: light.turn_off
      target:
        entity_id: light.govee_lamp

Step C — automation: clothes waiting warning (amber blink after 10 minutes)

alias: Washer - clothes waiting reminder
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: binary_sensor.washer_running
      to: 'off'
      for: '00:10:00'
  action:
    - repeat:
        count: 6
        sequence:
          - service: light.turn_on
            target:
              entity_id: light.govee_lamp
            data:
              rgb_color: [255,170,0]
              brightness_pct: 80
          - delay: '00:00:02'
          - service: light.turn_off
            target:
              entity_id: light.govee_lamp
          - delay: '00:00:01'

These three blocks: sensor, finish automation, and reminder automation form a complete energy-based workflow. Paste into Home Assistant’s YAML editor, tweak thresholds, and test with a short load.

Recipe 2 — Using Govee Cloud (HTTP) to set lamp scenes from any webhook

If you don't run Home Assistant but have a Govee lamp (and have a Govee API key), you can call the Govee cloud API from IFTTT, SmartThings, or any service that supports webhooks. Below is an example HTTP request that sets the lamp to bright green when your washer finishes.

Example curl (replace placeholders)

curl -s -X PUT 'https://developer-api.govee.com/v1/devices/control' \
  -H 'Govee-API-Key: YOUR_GOVEE_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "device":"YOUR_DEVICE_ID",
    "model":"YOUR_MODEL",
    "cmd":{
      "name":"color",
      "value":{"r":0,"g":255,"b":0}
    }
  }'

Note: Govee's developer platform changed across 2024–2026; check your developer portal for exact model names and the current endpoint. You can put this curl call into an IFTTT Webhooks action or a SmartThings web request to trigger the scene when a washer event fires.

Recipe 3 — IFTTT: washer finished -> smart lamp color (no Home Assistant)

This method works when your washer app or smart-plug vendor supports IFTTT, or you can use Webhooks from a local hub to call IFTTT.

Create an IFTTT account and go to Create > If This.
Choose trigger: either your washer brand (if supported) or Webhooks > Receive a web request (event name: washer_finished).
Then That: choose a smart light service (Philips Hue, LIFX, TP-Link Kasa, etc.) and set the action to change color to green or trigger a saved scene.
Test: trigger the event by making an HTTP POST to the IFTTT webhook URL: https://maker.ifttt.com/trigger/washer_finished/with/key/YOUR_KEY

Tip: If you need Govee specifically, use the Webhooks > Make a web request action pointing at the Govee REST endpoint above (include API key). If your Govee lamp is locally exposed to IFTTT via a Smart Home skill, you can use the direct IFTTT action.

Recipe 4 — Alexa routine: visual and voice alerts

If you use Alexa devices and a compatible smart plug or washer skill:

Open the Alexa app > Routines > + to create a new routine.
Set When this happens: Smart Home > choose washer device > select "Cycle complete" or use a smart plug state change as the trigger.
Action 1: Custom > "Alexa, announce: The washer is finished."
Action 2: Smart Home > Control device > choose your lamp > Set color to green and brightness to 100%.

Alexa routines are simple and reliable for non-technical users. Pair with a compact portable Govee lamp or Philips Hue bulb in the laundry area for a visible cue.

Recipe 5 — Multi-step routine: wash -> transfer -> dry coordination

For families or multi-stage processes, chain automations so each step triggers the next visual and audio cue.

Washer finished: Lamp flashes green & announces "Wash done." Sets a timer entity transfer_timer = 00:03:00 for the transfer window.
If transfer_timer expires and dryer not started: Lamp blinks amber and Alexa announces "Please transfer clothes to dryer."
Dryer started: Lamp turns blue to show heating active.
Dryer near expected end (monitor energy or dryer API): Lamp pulses red 2 minutes before expected end to prevent overdrying.

Home Assistant YAML example for step 1 & 2 (concept):

# Start transfer timer when washer finishes
  alias: Washer finished - start transfer timer
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: binary_sensor.washer_running
      from: 'on'
      to: 'off'
      for: '00:00:10'
  action:
    - service: timer.start
      target:
        entity_id: timer.transfer_timer
      data:
        duration: '00:03:00'
    - service: light.turn_on
      target:
        entity_id: light.laundry_lamp
      data:
        rgb_color: [0,255,0]
        brightness_pct: 100
  
  # If timer finishes without dryer on
  alias: Transfer missed - remind
  trigger:
    - platform: event
      event_type: timer.finished
      event_data:
        entity_id: timer.transfer_timer
  condition:
    - condition: state
      entity_id: sensor.dryer_power
      state: '0'
  action:
    - service: light.turn_on
      target:
        entity_id: light.laundry_lamp
      data:
        rgb_color: [255,170,0]
        brightness_pct: 90
    - service: notify.alexa_media
      data:
        target: ["media_player.kitchen_echo"]
        message: "Laundry transfer needed. Please move clothes to dryer."

Buying guide tie‑ins: choose a washer for better automations

Automation success depends on the appliance. When choosing between washer types, consider how they affect sensing and energy:

Front-load washers: higher spin speeds mean less moisture left in clothes — shorter dryer runs and reduced overdrying risk. Many front-loaders expose detailed cycle state via vendor apps (LG ThinQ, Samsung) which simplifies direct automations.
Top-load washers: simpler mechanical design; some models have fewer smart features. Use smart plugs with energy monitoring for fall-back detection.
Compact & portable washers: excellent candidates for smart-plug detection since they often lack cloud features. Energy-sensing methods work very well here — see tips on micro-apartment efficiency when space and appliance choice matter.

Practical buying tips (2026): prefer models with documented local APIs or official integrations (SmartThings, HomeKit via Matter, or Home Assistant community support). If reducing dryer time is a priority, prioritize models with higher spin RPMs and moisture sensors.

2026 trends and future predictions — what to expect next

Stronger Matter adoption across lights and plugs will make cross-brand automations simpler and reduce cloud-hopping.
More appliance makers will offer time-to-dry and moisture data through APIs — enabling smarter end-to-end laundry automation that prevents overdrying without manual thresholds.
AI-based cycle suggestions: expect apps that suggest exact spin/dry combos to reduce energy consumption and time — watch perceptual and model-led image/AI tooling for recommendations (Perceptual AI).
Lighting brands such as Govee will continue to undercut premium bulbs with feature-rich RGBIC lamps, making status lights inexpensive and visually customizable.

Troubleshooting & best practices

False positives: If your automations trigger when the washer is idle, raise the power threshold or average the power over a longer window (e.g., 30 sec) to avoid spikes.
Communications lag: Cloud-based washer notifications can be delayed. Energy detection is usually faster for real-time alerts.
Shared laundry rooms: Use a manual "claim" button in Home Assistant or an Alexa routine to avoid confusing multiple users. Or add a per-load tag (virtual input_boolean) for ownership.
Battery-powered lamps: If the lamp is portable, ensure it stays charged — otherwise visual cues fail. For battery and charging best practices consider portable-power and wireless-safety guides.

Real-world example: In a 3-bedroom rental we deployed a smart plug + Home Assistant energy detection. Result: 45% fewer missed transfers and a 12% reduction in dryer runtime because residents started switching to higher-spin washer cycles after seeing the visual cues.

Privacy and minimal cloud exposure

Want to limit cloud usage? Use local power sensing and a Home Assistant instance on a mini PC or Raspberry Pi. Where possible, use local integrations (Zigbee/Z-Wave/Matter) for lights and plugs. When using third‑party cloud APIs (IFTTT, Govee cloud), be aware of token management and rotate API keys if supported. Also read about the hidden costs of cloud and free hosting if you’re evaluating small home servers vs hosted convenience.

Final checklist before you automate

Decide detection method: native API vs. energy monitoring.
Choose your indicator: lamp color, blink, voice announcement, or a combination.
Set safe behaviors: never power-cycle a dryer mid-cycle; prefer notifications.
Test with short loads and log false triggers for 48 hours to adjust thresholds.
Document automations for housemates so everyone knows what each color means (green = done, amber = waiting, red = action required).

Actionable takeaways

If you want the fastest setup: Use an Alexa routine with a washer skill or smart plug as trigger and a lamp as the action.
If you want the most reliable, local solution: Use Home Assistant with a smart plug energy sensor and Home Assistant-exposed Govee or Zigbee light.
If you require non-cloud control for Govee: Use Home Assistant’s Govee integration or call the Govee developer API from a local server.

Ready-made color scheme suggestion (standardize for the household)

Green (0,255,0): Wash complete.
Blue (0,120,255): Dryer running.
Amber (255,170,0): Clothes waiting — reminder.
Red (255,0,0): Action needed — e.g., suspected error or dryer near over-dry risk.

Wrap-up and next steps

Pairing a smart lamp with your washer (or a smart plug) is one of the highest-impact, low-effort automations you can add at home. It saves time, reduces overdrying and dryer energy use, and makes laundry less of a chore — especially for families and busy households. Start with the Home Assistant energy-based recipe if you want maximum reliability; use IFTTT or Alexa routines for the simplest cloud-based path. And if you own a Govee RGBIC lamp, check the developer portal or Home Assistant integration to build vivid, unmistakable laundry scenes. For lighting choices and how circadian strategies are evolving in 2026, see resources on circadian lighting.

Call to action

Try one recipe today: install a smart plug, copy the Home Assistant YAML above, and run a 10-minute test load. If you want help tailoring automations to your washer model and lamp, share your devices (brand + model) — I’ll provide a customized, copy-ready automation for your setup.

washers

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