5 Things to Avoid With Your Washing Machine: Washing machines are essential equipment that should be present in every home. They save time and energy.
Not everyone enjoys handwashing especially if the dirty clothes are too filthy. It gets exhausting and frustrating to be reminded that you have a pile of messy laundry that needs to be fixed – the thought of having to do all that laundry freaks many out.
However, that shouldn’t be a problem anymore as washing machines are built for this purpose, to make the chores easier and faster.
As relevant as these machines are, they should be handled properly because they are so delicate and tend to malfunction when abused.
If you have had situations where your washing machine suddenly stops functioning, then you should understand better.
It possibly reacted that way due to some reasons which you are about to find out as we go further.
We made a little write-up on why your washing machine malfunctions and 5 things you should avoid when using the machine. So, read on!
Things to Avoid When Using a Washing Machine
1. Don’t Overload The Machine
A lot of people think that by overloading the machine they get the work done faster. Little do they know that they are shortening the appliance’s life span.
Apart from that, you’d be causing the machine some bit of distress and as such, you won’t get good results. The machine’s drum will be stuffed up, not having sufficient space to wash clothes well.
A washing machine’s drum is designed to accommodate small clothes (depending on the type of clothes) with less weight.
The machine does well-washing light materials like sheets, usually anything made from cotton. Synthetic materials are a no-no!
Due to this common mistake people make with washing machines, manufacturers of this equipment have devised a better to prevent overloading.
They simply built a spec that doesn’t accept overloading. They just won’t work if overloaded with garments.
Everyone needs this type of washing machine, for your good and also that of the machine.
How To Avoid Overloading Your Machine:
- Ensure you create enough space in the machine’s drum. The clothes should be 10 to 15cm away from the top of the drum.
- Set the washing machine to quick wash. This will speed up the washing time. If it takes you 30 minutes to wash with the normal setting, it will be reduced to 10 minutes when set to quick wash.
- Get a quality washing machine with a roomy drum and get the best services.
2. Do Not Use Excess detergent
One mistake people make is using excess detergent when washing their clothes in a washing machine.
How clean clothes appear after washing is not determined by the quantity of soap used, so be careful when you pour detergent into the machine.
If the detergent used is too much, it leaves a white powdery stain on the fabric especially on cotton even after rinsing.
Also, you will notice a strong smell of soap on the clothes, this doesn’t give a good impression of you in public.
Moreso, washing your clothes with too much detergent irritates the skin due to the chemical content of the detergent. It is worse on people with delicate skin, so try to avoid it.
How to Avoid Using Too Much Detergent for Washing:
- To avoid using too much detergent for washing, check the user manual, there are guides on the right proportion of detergent to use. Read carefully so you don’t get the wrong information.
- Instead of guesstimating, follow every instruction given. Take proper measurement of the quantity of detergent before using it. If you put excess soap in the machine’s drawer, it becomes too foamy, preventing the washing machine from targeting stains on the clothes.
3. Don’t Mix Whites and Colored Materials
The fastest way of ruining your clothes is by mixing white fabrics with colored ones – the outcome is very unpleasant.
Always take out time to sort your clothes, separating the white from the colored clothes.
Read the label on the clothes, it tells you if it’s dyed or not (dyed clothes do not do well with detergent).
Do not for any reason wash different colored fabric with the same water, the color just washes off in the process of staining the bright colored ones.
How to Avoid this from Happening:
To avoid this messy situation, sort clothes before you start washing, separating them into batches.
Wash the white clothes first before the colored, or the other way, whichever you prefer.
To be on the safer side, do not wash clothes with the same water, change the water and detergent for the next round.
4. Washing at the Wrong temperature
The worst mistake you could ever make with your washing machine is washing clothes at the wrong temperature.
Maybe you normally guesswork on the temperature required to wash your clothes. This is inadvisable.
If you do that, you’ll risk damaging the clothes, overstretching or shrinking them, especially on cotton fabrics.
How to Avoid Shrinking Your Clothes:
To avoid issues like this, first, read the clothes label. The level of temperature suitable for a clothing item is written on the label. Try to follow every instruction given.
Do hand washing with cold water to prevent them from getting wrinkled while helping to maintain their look. After washing, spread them well on a line or hanger to speed up the drying process.
5. Don’t Ignore Regular Maintenance & User Manual
This should be taken seriously as it is very important not only for the washing machines but for every machine. Proper maintenance and servicing prolong the life of your washing machine.
Every washing machine comes with a user manual with guides on how to care for them so make sure you use them for more information. If you don’t adhere to the instructions in the manual be prepared to lose your machine or spend money getting it fixed.
Furthermore, ensure you repair any faults that may have developed in the machine in time. Do not ignore any issue no matter how little it is, as it may progress to a bigger problem if delayed. Your washing machine can be fixed at a low price if the problem is addressed in time.
Conclusion
Washing machines are easy devices yet tricky and complicated to use if you don’t take time to read the manual. The user manual provides every information you need to know, the dos and don’ts of the machine.
Reading the user manual of a washing machine or any other device is usually seen as a waste of time to some people. For this reason, we thought it wise to mention a few things you should avoid when using a washing machine. If you can adhere to it, then you’re good to go!