Proper handling of your belongings is what can make them last longer and make them worth the money you have invested in the purchase. Not being careful about the items you put in your washing machine can both damage the appliance, and the items you intended to wash. I’ll try to cover some of the most common don’ts when it comes to the washing-machine loading.
When the label says you shouldn’t
Pretty much anything you buy has cleaning instructions on them. Your clothes and other belongings made of the fabric have a label attached, outlining the exact way of washing, drying, and ironing. Learn to read the labels if the instructions are not written out. A circle means that an item should be dried-cleaned and a tub of water with a hand in it means that the item should be hand-washed. For the objects which should not be soaked, there usually is a recommendation saying that only the exterior should be washed and it is to be done with a wet cloth. Also, for fitted items such as sofa and seat covers, make sure they have been pre-shrunk, most of them are, but if they aren’t, wash them by hand as you could risk not being able to put them back on if they shrink in the machine.
Clockwork toys
We like taking good care of the items our children are in contact with and this mostly refers to their toys. Stuffed toys are machine washable and you should use this advantage, provided you set the right temperature. However, there are wind-up toys that look like stuffed toys and they should not be machine washed. They are an example of the items mentioned in the previous paragraph whose exterior should be washed without soaking them. These are usually musical toys you use to put your children to sleep so do not risk damaging them, this way or another.
Tiny items
This refers to both individual small items, as well as those items which have a lot of accessories attached to them such as zippers, pins, beads, etc. The first risk is getting them lost or damaged in the process. The second and more significant risk is damaging your washing machine. They could damage the interior and block the vents and hoses. Choose to either wash these by hand, or put them in a mesh bag first before putting them in the washing machine.
Large Items
This refers to big blankets, duvets, covers, and pillows. These are usually machine-washable according to their label but the question is whether your machine can do it. These items could be too heavy for it and damage it in the process. Apart from the damage to the machine, the washing will most likely be pointless as when you cram too much in, all of the water gets soaked in the fabric, and also, your laundry cannot be tumbled. The washing will probably come out half-dry. This is why you should consider using a laundry service where they have commercial equipment intended for heavy loads.
Your flammables
Probably the worst thing you could put into your washing machine, followed by a drier, are stains made by flammable substances. Putting these in a machine could lead to an explosion. What you should do is leave the item of clothing out in fresh air to allow for the substance to evaporate. Leave it overnight and hand-wash the residue stain with the dishwashing detergent or your regular detergent, depending on how stubborn the stain is. Let it dry naturally.
Footwear
While I am sure you know that you can wash your regular sneakers in a washing machine, what you shouldn’t was are your running shoes. The running shoes could get shrunk and lose their plushness if they even survive the temperature. Even with the regular sneakers, when you wash them you should do it alongside an old towel or a cloth to buffer any potential impact from bouncing around the machine. Also, watch the temperature as temperatures too high could make them fall apart.
Too much detergent
This might be a smart alec type of a point, but once you carefully select the load, do not put too much detergent into the machine. It will not make your clothes extra-clean nor will it remove the stubborn stains. You can apply a stain treatment prior to putting the garment into the washing machine, or for extra dirty, set the pre-wash cycle. The machine will not be able to rinse the additional detergent with the normal amount of water it uses and most of it will remain in the fabric of your clothes. This means that you will probably have to wash them again anyway, as the remaining detergent could leave stains or cause allergies in those with sensitive skin. The experts from Samsung washing machine repair service advise that the amount of detergent which does not end up in the fabric will end up in the interior of your appliance building a residue that could stop it from functioning properly.
Lastly
Most of these are obvious when pointed out, but we fail to think of them when we are loading the machine. Alternatively, hand washing seems to be more hassle and a less effective way of doing things which sometimes leads us to think that machine washing is a better alternative. Labels are there for a reason and if you are concerned about the effectiveness of your handwashing, it is always better to use dry-cleaning than the machine.
I am definitely guilty of using too much detergent especially if my clothes have stains on them and other times I ignore the labels and machine washed the clothes. But these are good reminders
These are good tips. Washers and dryers are not cheap appliances and I do take care not to overload mine. I have washed sneakers in there and I did have the same experience – it came out deformed and shrunk. Never again.
I try to check the tags but I’m pretty sure I have been in a rush and put a couple of things in there that didn’t belong. I will have to print this out and put in the laundry room
These are very good reminders since a lot of use washing machine these days! It’s good to make sure that you’re taking care of your clothes properly.
I really try hard to always check the tags of things I’m not sure about before tossing them in the washer. However, I wash my kid’s sneaker in the washer all the time. Oops.
I always check the tags before placing things in the washer. However, I’m terrible about just throwing anything in there.
I usually wash our heavy bedding in a commercial laundromats. I think it’s better to manually washed shoes rather than putting it in the washing machine.
The reminder on the flammable stuff is really helpful. I guess it’s much safer to let the stain evaporate and handwash the residue. It’s also important to note washing instructions for some fabrics.
I once accidentally washed a wind up toy. Luckily it survived but I was always much more careful after that.
ARGH, I have definitely used the washing machine to wash sneakers before and that was because my mom told me too. LOL well, good to know I haven’t done it since
Too much detergent is a good point. I think a lot of people add too much detergent to their machines. It is not helpful to add too much soap to the load.
Key is to always read the labels and washing intstructions. I have an old wringer washing machine I use to was rugs and other big and heavy items. Works like a charm.
This is great information. I rarely ever look at labels before I put things into the washing machine. I will pay more attention now for sure.
Hands up I am awful for just shoving things in the washing machine and hoping for the best. I really need to be more careful with big and small items. I’m sure I’ve over weighted the machine before.
I am pretty good about keeping things out of the washing machine that shouldn’t be there. I usually take big items, even blankets, to the laundry place. I don’t want to overload my washing machine and cause any extra wear.
Never thought about stains that are flammable going in the washer. That is definitely something to consider. I do not need an explosion that’s for sure.
I’ll keep this in mind. Sometimes I have no idea what to put in there. Like, someone said I could put a pillow in there, but I don’t know how it would fit properly and wouldn’t it ruin the pillow? I have put shoes in the dryer, but never the washing machine.
My friend tried to wash a comforter once and ended up flooding her whole basement and basically ruining her washing machine because it couldn’t handle it.
I can relate, I did the same thing with a down comforter. I have not tried that again. I’d rather go to the laundry mat and use the huge washing machines, lol.
I’m guilty of washing my running shoes in the washing machine. Oops. When I switched to the pods a few years back, I realized I was not using enough detergent when I read that I needed to use 2 pods for heavy loads. Oops, again. Great info!