It’s no one’s favorite chore, so it’s no surprise that many of us like to spend as little time as possible doing laundry. In practice, this means throwing piles of sheets and sweaters into the machine and hastily folding dry clothes, ready to be worn again.
However, even the best washing machines and clothes dryers will struggle to perform at their best if you don’t use them correctly, so if your finished clothes leave a lot to be desired, it could be the case that you’re making one. of these 5 common laundry mistakes.
We spoke to laundry experts from LG and GE to learn their tips for getting the best wash every time. Following these steps can not only make your washer last longer, but will also result in cleaner, fresher sheets and clothing.
The 5 washing mistakes you are probably making
1. Do not pre-treat stains
Pulling your freshly laundered T-shirt from the dryer and seeing the faint remnants of last week’s pasta sauce is a familiar sensation to parents (and messy eaters) everywhere. Many of us would immediately put the stained garment back on another cycle, wasting energy and water, but the trick to avoiding this mistake completely is to act quickly.
“You should pre-treat stains as soon as possible,” says David Wilson, senior business director of garment care at GE Appliances. “The faster you can treat a stain, the more successful you will be in removing it!”
2. Using the wrong amount of detergent
When it comes to dirty sheets or towels, it can be tempting to add a little extra detergent to give your machine the best possible chance of cleaning each item. However, when it comes to detergent, more is not always better.
“Overdosing on detergent increases machine workload, decreases washing performance, and can cause damage to clothing,” says David Palmer, senior product specialist at LG Home Appliances. “Not only does too much detergent cost you money, it can also leave residue behind.” When dry, this could leave a crunchy texture on the clothes, which is bad for the durability of the clothes, and also a possibly unpleasant texture on the skin.
A good sign that you’ve used the right amount of detergent is to see how it responds in real time. “Dose the detergent to the point where you see just a few bubbles of suds as you wash. At that point, you’ll have it perfect,” said David Wilson.
You can also find a growing number of smart washing machines that feature automatic dosing, meaning they will hold the detergent for you and dispense the perfect amount every time.
3. Not maintaining your appliance correctly
It may seem counterintuitive to have to clean the washer or dryer. After all, you regularly run cleaning detergent through the machine, designed to kill germs and remove stains. However, if you leave it for too long, your machine may start to get dirty in places, and you wouldn’t expect a dirty machine to leave your clothes fresh and clean.
“Maintenance of your appliance is key to the longevity of your machine,” said David Wilson of GE Appliances. “We recommend emptying the dryer’s lint filter after each cycle and cleaning the dryer hose at least once a year.”
“In addition, you should periodically run your washing machine’s cleaning cycle and clean the exterior of your appliance.”
How often? Well, according to LG, you should clean your tub “every 30 cycles to ensure it can perform at its maximum capacity.”
We have a guide dedicated to how to clean a washing machine, which explains the steps you should follow when deep cleaning your appliance.
4. Overload your machine
“While it’s more cost-effective to fill your washing machine, don’t be tempted to overfill it, as this can make it less effective at cleaning your clothes properly,” says LG’s Palmer.
“The simple test to see if you are at your optimal capacity is to place your hand on the top of the drum, if you can move it freely, you are ready!”
“You should only load your washer and dryer with the number of items that move freely during the cycles,” says GE’s Wilson. Sure, it may be tempting to cram in as much as your washer or dryer can handle, but this will result in damp, still-dirty clothes, so it won’t save you time or money in the long run.
“Remember to adjust the water level in your washer based on the load. Many washer and dryer use and care manuals will also provide loading instructions.”
5. Not classifying clothes correctly
“Selecting is the most important step in laundry,” according to David Wilson. Sure, it may take longer to sort dirty sheets and clothes when you could just put the entire basket directly into the washing machine, but separating clothes properly will ensure that each item of clothing gets the specific cleaning it needs.
“Users should not only sort clothing by color, but also by fabric type and level of soiling. Additionally, it is important to check all clothing for pockets that should not be washed and close all zippers, buttons and hooks. Finally, we recommend that users turn garments inside out to reduce surface wear and because the inside of garments tends to be dirtier and dirtier than the outside.”
LG told us that “the best way to fill a washing machine is item by item, not just dumping the wash basket straight in! It helps wash performance and means there are no unwanted guests like pens or phones your kids may have forgotten”. “
“You can mix different items, but don’t wash light, delicate fabrics with anything that has Velcro!”
Some people invest in dedicated laundry baskets with ps to separate clothes, which means the task doesn’t fall solely on the person doing the laundry at home.
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