For a lot of homeowners, doing laundry seems to be a no-brainer. Most just buy a washing machine, follow the basic instructions, and go on about their day doing other chores. But what others may not realize is that there are some mistakes you may be committing that’s making laundry more tedious. It’s not enough to just buy an automatic washing machine anymore. You also need to be conscious of the manual things you’re doing to ensure laundry time is a breeze.
Here are six laundry mistakes you may be making that you need to correct.
Too much detergent
Contrary to popular belief, using too much detergent is counterproductive to cleaning your clothes. Rather than removing the stains, it just results in lots of suds, making it harder to wash away dirt and stains. The residue left behind just attracts more dirt and bacteria. Not to mention this can clog up the machine, leading it to break if not cleaned properly. Always follow the detergent limit indicated in the machine to avoid such cases.
Mixing everything
One of the basics taught when doing laundry is never to mix white clothes with colored ones. But it doesn’t stop there. You also need to consider the material used on different clothes and fabrics. The washing machine options that work for thick sweaters and jackets may be harmful to t-shirts with more delicate cloth, and vice versa. So it’s best to separate them to avoid damage.
Leaving zippers open and buttons closed
The zippers need to be closed at all times when you’re doing your laundry with a washing machine. The fabrics can get caught in the teeth of the zipper, and their threads can get frayed. Aside from that, metal zippers can damage the inside of the washing machine as well. On the other hand, buttons should be open to prevent them from going loose and the buttonholes torn during the wash.
Putting too much or too little clothes
It can be tempting to put all the clothes in one go if you’re rushing to get laundry done. However, this isn’t recommended as overloading the washing machine can cause the clothes not to wash or dry evenly. On the other hand, too few clothes in the washer are also not ideal. It can cause imbalance due to spinning too hard for the weight inside. Moreover, washing machine usage can be quite costly for your electricity bill, so underloading is a waste of electricity. To avoid any of these issues, just put the ideal load in before washing.
Not checking the label
With so many clothes and fabrics to clean, you may have forgotten which ones you can machine wash and which ones you can only hand wash. There are those you can only wash with warm water and those that you can only wash with cold water. Some of them you can’t even wash at all! When in doubt, always check the label first. Don’t take a chance if you do not remember, as doing so can irreversibly damage your clothes.
Not cleaning your machine regularly
As efficient as your washing machine is, it still needs maintenance and cleaning. Grime, mold, leftover residue, loose threads, and more - these are all things you need to remove from your machine for it to clean, wash, and dry properly. You need to clean the dryer lint as well as leaving it there is a potential fire hazard. Regularly clean your machines after every few washes (or even a regular check to see any built-up gunk) to avoid it from breaking down.
If you’ve been making these mistakes, now is the time to correct your way of doing laundry. Your laundry tasks will be hassle-free by steering clear of said mistakes above and buying a good washing machine.
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