Have you ever had a problem with your laundry coming out not as clean as you would like it to be? Lets cover some basics so that we all understand how to use washing machine properly. A few laundry tips and helpful hacks will go a long way with this household chore.
Laundry is an essential chore that we must do on a regular basis. Sometimes the laundry doesn’t smell as fresh as you would expect, and other times the stains are left behind.
Do you know on average how many loads of laundry we do per year? The average family does 400 loads of laundry per year, which narrows down to 7.7 loads per week.
Simple laundry mistakes cause damage to clothes, and also diminish the performance of the washing machine.
Start by using a homemade detergent recipes and remove stains by hand washing clothes before placing in a laundry machine. Prevent anymore laundry mistakes by learning how to use washing machine.
How To Use Washing Machine In Daily Life
From the delicate cycle for silk blouses to the cotton cycle for cotton blend sweaters, there are a few important features you need to be aware of. Using the washing machine properly will help to maintain your favorite capsule wardrobe essentials for a long time.
If your laundry isn’t getting cleaned as well as before, you probably need to evaluate your current laundry methods. There are a few simple steps to follow in order to ensure your laundry comes out perfect every time.
Are there ways to use a washing machine properly that will produce a better laundry result?
According to the US census bureau, over 85% of the nation’s households own laundry machines. Unfortunately, more than half of the people don’t know how to use the washer and dryer properly.
Laundry machines are the most popular home appliance. Laundry machines save time in daily life by helping with a major household chore. Having clean capsule wardrobe essentials makes it much easier to dress up every morning while living our busy lifestyle.
Here are important uses for a washing machine in daily life:
- Make clothes smell good instantly
- How to wash leggings so they last forever
- Shrink sweaters so it fits you perfect
- How to wash a silk blouse at home
- Clean a cotton poplin shirt
- Make down jacket puff after wash
- Wash flip-flop without damaging it
- Cleaning hacks for washing your lingerie
- Remove static from all clothes
- Reduces wrinkles on clothes
It’s a fact that the washing machine helps in many ways, beginning with washing clothes. Whether you are washing clothes or doing stain treatment, it is recommended to use homemade laundry detergent. This will prevent your clothes from coming in contact with commercial chemical detergent, which may cause damage to your garments or result in skin irritation.
Why is my washing machine not getting my clothes clean?
The most common reason why your washing machine is not cleaning clothes properly is that the detergent tray connected to the drum is clogged up with detergents.
As a result, a small amount of detergent actually enters into the drum, and the remaining parts are stuck behind the blockage.
In order to avoid a problem like this one, you need to know how to use a washing machine properly.
How To Use A Washing Machine For The First time
If you are using your brand new washing machine for the first time, you need to be sure that it is properly installed. Test before attempting to wash and care for your capsule wardrobe essentials.
When you are testing your machine, it is recommended not to load any laundry inside. Run a complete cycle to be sure that all the connections are secure.
First, press the On or Start button. And a little detergent into the detergent drawer and turn on the water connection to the washing machine.
Next, set the temperature around 104 Fahrenheit or maximum hottest setting.
This complete wash cycle will help to remove any water from the manufacturer’s test run that may be remaining in the machine.
How To Wash Clothes In Washing Machine
Laundry is a household a chore that you are not able to avoid. A wash cycle tends to take between 30-120 minutes per load with the proper cycle and temperature selected.
As you probably already know, the first step you need to do is separate clothes by color before placing then into the washer.
Cold water will reduce the color bleed less than hot water does. But, color transfer will still happen and you don’t want to risk fading or damaging your favorite capsule wardrobe essentials.
When using the washing machine to wash clothes, select the pre-wash setting in order to remove the most dirt buildup.
Next, figure out how much laundry detergent, bleach or fabric softener you need to put for the load. Always read the instructions on the detergent container to make an informed decision.
If you have any white clothes, especially for cotton and linen, it is recommended to use chlorine bleach to make whites even whiter.
Never use chlorine bleach on colored clothing. Instead, use all-fabric bleach so it won’t remove or destroy the color.
How To Rinse Clothes In Washing Machine
Wash and rinse cycle in the washer machine are not the same. Rinse option means that the washer will simply rinse your clothes. The rinse cycle uses clean water without detergent and then spins to wring out and air dry the clothing.
Rinsing clothes in washing machine takes 10-15 minutes, which is much shorter than a regular wash cycle.
The rinse cycle is not recommended as a replacement to washing clothes. This feature is to help remove soap, detergent or dirt. The rinse cycle runs automatically after the regular wash cycle.
Washing Care Symbol
Washing care symbols, are icons that are normally found on care labels or care tags attached inside of clothing. These symbols explain the recommended methods for machine washing, drying, ironing, hand washing, or dry cleaning.
Washing Machine Detergent Drawer Symbols
There are 3 compartments on the washing machine detergent drawer that are labeled with specific symbols. In order to fully understand how to use a washing machine properly, you need to place each product in the right place.
The common washing machine detergent drawer symbols are:
I: Pre-Wash
II: Main Wash
Flower symbol: Fabric Softener
The washing machine detergent drawer symbols may be slightly different based on the brand of the laundry machine. In general, the smaller container is for fabric conditioner and the largest compartment is for washing powder or laundry detergent liquid.
Best Detergent To Use In Washing Machine
From liquid to powders and pacs, there are many forms and brands of laundry detergent. In order to find the best detergent to use in washing machine, you need to evaluate based on clothing fabric, water quality, and the type of washing machine.
Is liquid or powder detergent better for a washing machine?
Not all detergents will fix every laundry problem. Concerning the price point, powder detergents are slightly cheaper per load than liquids and also less expensive than the pacs.
If you are looking to store laundry detergents for a period of time, then the powder form has the longest shelf life compared to liquids. In addition, powder performs well with hard water.
On the other hand, the liquid is the most popular detergent and results in 75% of overall sales in the market. Liquid is more convenient to treat any stain spots such as food and body oils.
Both powder and liquid detergents clean quite effectively in the washing machine.
Another detergent form trademarked by Tide, laundry pacs or Pods. The soap is contained in a compact, water soluble packet that dissolves in the wash.
When using pacs, make sure to place it at the bottom of the drum before adding your clothes to the washing machine. This ensures the packet fully dissolves into wash.
How To Used Washing Machine Tablets
Washing machine tablets are another form of pre-measured detergent. They make every load of laundry slightly easier.
Simply unwrap the correct number of tablets and put it straight into the washing machine detergent drawer.
When using tablets, always remember the water hardness determines the amount of detergent you need to use. For softer water, use fewer tablets. For harder water, used more tablets. Detergent gets less foamy in mineral-rich hard water.
Pro tip: For the best results when using tablets, wash at low temperature and use a regular wash cycle. If you have very dirty clothes, it is recommended to wash at a higher temperature.
Types Of Washing Machine
Reading care labels and understanding the right detergent is an important factor when it comes to doing the laundry. Not all laundry machines work the same. There are two common types of washing machines: top loader and front loader.
How To Use A Top Loader Washing Machine
The top loader washing machine is easier to load and doesn’t require to bend down toward the floor. Understand how to use a top loader washing machine in order to get the best results.
First, add your laundry detergent to the machine, either powder, liquid, or pods. Read the clothing care labels and assort the laundry based on color and fabrications.
Then, add your clothes. Be sure to not overload the washer.
Overloading results in soap or dirt residue being left behind. This is because the water is not able to completely rinse all of the garments.
Next, select the cycle following the fabric care labels.
Finally, unload your laundry within 2 hours of the end of the cycle. This prevents a musty mildew buildup on the clothing.
How To Use A Front Loader Washing Machine
The front loader washing machine is slightly different than the top loader. This laundry machine type has more knobs and buttons, which results in more options and features.
First, pick the right detergent for the fabric type, and load your laundry into the drum of the washing machine.
Pro tip: In order to evaluate the right amount of load, simply use the palm trick. If your palm fits sideways between the clothes and the top of the machine, you have loaded the correct amount. If your palm doesn’t fit, you have overloaded.
Next, add detergent or any other additional fabric softener to the detergent dispenser drawer. Then, choose the right temperature based upon the fabric care labels inside your clothes.
Based on the care label, select the right spin cycle. For any delicate garments, use a slower cycle. For durable heavier fabrics, use a faster cycle.
Close the door and press the Start button. Make sure to unload the laundry within 2 hours of the wash cycle completion to prevent a musty mildew buildup on the clothing.
Best Washing Machine Brand
Whether it is front loader or top loader washer machine, there are hundreds of laundry machine brands and models on the market. Choosing the best washing machine brand helps to minimize damage to your capsule wardrobe pieces. In addition, a reputable manufacturer improves the chances that the machine will last for decades.
According to the consumer report, the 3 best washing machine brands are Samsung, LG, and Whirlpool.
Samsung
The number one voted energy-saving and economical washing machine brand is Samsung. Their front loader washers only use 13 gallons of water per cycle.
With Ecobubble technology and the diamond drum, the features tend to sound very complicating. But knowing how to use Samsung washing machine reduces textile damages by 34% compared to any other brand conventional washer machine.
LG
LG washing machines are the most reliable brand of HE top-loaders. The wash cycle is faster than a comparable front loader.
With TurboWash and Steam technology, clean your clothes in just 15 minutes. Understanding how to use LG washing machine will prevent your garments from being damaged or worn out, and also kill any bacteria or germs.
Whirlpool
Whirlpool is the most economical high-efficiency washer on the market, especially compared among the top tier brands.
The water usage per cycle for the Whirlpool washing machine is surprisingly less than any other standard commercial washer.
Whether you are fixing a mechanical problem or troubleshooting an error code, learning how to use Whirlpool washing machine will increase the life expectancy of the laundry machine. In addition, you will prevent excessive damage to your capsule wardrobe essentials by washing laundry properly.
How To Sanitize Public Washing Machine
If you don’t own laundry machines, that is not a big problem. Either way, laundry is a chore that everyone has to do. No matter if you have wi-fi enabled washer machine controls through your smartphone app, or endless waiting in the laundromat to get the laundry chore done.
Even though public washing machines are exposed to water and detergent all the time, that doesn’t make them clean.
It is recommended to know how to sanitize a public washing machine before using to avoid any germs, bacteria, and mildew.
First, wet a clean cloth with white vinegar and wipe the exterior of the washing machine, under the door lid and around the top of the wash basin.
Next, pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the laundry machine and run it on a full wash cycle to clean.
After the cycle, leave the washer door open to dry, or use the machine right away.
Always make sure to read the clothing care labels first, and then pick the right detergent types before beginning the laundry process. Whether you are washing your lingerie or capsule wardrobe essentials, it is highly recommended to know how to use washing machine properly.
Using the proper clothing care goes a long way in maintaining your favorite garments for a long time. Always consider the water temperature, type of fabric, and specific care instructions. Enjoy your outfits everyday with these laundry washing instructions and tips.
Do you have any washing machine tricks?
Share your favorite clothes cleaning laundry tips with us!