10 Common Laundry Mistakes That Spoil Things and Appliances

Over the years of washing, even innocent mistakes turn into bad and dangerous habits. If you want your appliances to last longer, and your clothes to always be clean and smell good, it's time to stop doing several things at once.

1. Rubbing stains hard

This only aggravates the situation and wears out the fabric. Better to be gentle and methodical. take care of spot immediately - the less time it spends on clothes, the better. Always use a white rag, it definitely won't stain your favorite shirt or skirt a different color. And process the stain, moving from the outer edges to the center so that it does not spread even more.

2. Wash items that can only be dry-cleaned

Of course, sometimes there is nothing wrong with washing them by hand - for example, if these are things made from natural fibers, say, silk or linen. First, you only need to check the color fastness. To do this, soak a Q-tip in a mild detergent and go over a hidden seam or other inconspicuous area to see if the paint has come off. If not, you can dip the clothes once or twice in soapy water, rinse, and then immediately wrap in a towel to get rid of excess moisture.

However, some things still cannot be washed in this way. Among them are leather, suede, some types of silk, any clothing with decorative elements, as well as with a complex cut and a rigid structure, such as jackets.

3. Use too much powder

Excess foam can collect dirt and carry it to places where it is very difficult to remove it when rinsing, for example, behind the collar of a shirt or in a jeans pocket. As a result, bacteria appear there.

To prevent this from happening, take half of the amount of powder that you usually put in the car. And if the clothes are not washed enough, try gradually increasing the consumption.

However, there are exceptions. With increased water hardness, on the contrary, it is necessary to use more product than usual. Manufacturers indicate recommendations on the packaging, so do not forget to carefully study them.

4. Don't fully zip up

The metal prongs can snag on other clothing and ruin it. Solving the problem is very simple - always zip up the zippers to the end before putting things in the washing machine. And for extra protection for particularly delicate clothes, wash them in a separate bag.

5. Button up shirts with all buttons

This seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. In fact, such a mistake leads to the fact that the buttons come off pretty quickly. That is why, before loading into the machine, you should carefully check that all the buttons on the clothes are unbuttoned.

6. Wrong way to load socks in the washing machine

Always put them in the drum first. This way they won't stick to other clothes and get lost. Or use a laundry bag to make sure no socks go to waste.

7. Do not level the washing machine

If the appliance is not installed levelly, the vibrations on the machine's feet can damage the floor covering and prematurely wear key components such as shock absorbers or bearings. In addition, in this position, the machine is terribly noisy. Therefore, adjust the legs of the device, following the instructions, or call a specialist and make sure everything is installed correctly.

8. Take a break between washes

After the end of one cycle, many people wait about an hour before starting the next one. In fact, washing without interruptions is not only convenient, but also effective. The heat that remains after the previous program reduces energy consumption, and you get an extra hour as a bonus.

9. Ignore washing machine settings

Read the instructions carefully and follow them. Try not to download too many things. They need space, otherwise they will wrinkle and not clean well. The car will also suffer - too much clothing puts pressure on the shock absorbers and bearings.

10. Do not clean dryer

Remaining threads and fluff accumulate in the appliance, which can clog the air duct and even cause a fire. Understanding that the machine is clogged is quite simple - things begin to dry for more than an hour in modes where this should not be.

Therefore, try to put the dryer in order at least once a year, referring to the instructions, and thoroughly clean the filter with a toothbrush and detergent.

Another little hack: clothes will wrinkle much less if you fold them while they are still hot after drying. Before that, each thing needs to be shaken quickly. And if you don’t have time for this, after shaking, leave things on a flat surface, carefully laying one on top of the other.