on 10 Common Mistakes We Make When Doing Laundry (and How to Avoid Them)
It doesn’t matter whether your washing machine is front-loading or top-loading, whether it’s also a dryer, or whether you have the latest model: there are some common mistakes that you probably make too .
In this article we list the 10 most common mistakes we make when doing laundry .
These mistakes can give us terrible results: laundry that is less clean than expected, smelly, wrinkled or even damaged forever. In addition to listing the mistakes, we also offer tips to prevent and avoid them.
- Don’t divide the laundry
It can happen, due to lack of time or ignorance, to put a collection of different fabrics in the washing machine. A widespread practice that damages and ages our favorite clothes. Lint and balls of fluff are only the very first and most obvious sign that you are not sorting your laundry.
In addition to sorting laundry by fabric and color, also remember to read labels and follow instructions carefully.
- Do not treat stains before washing clothes
It can happen that laundry gets stained with products that are difficult to remove. Grease stains are a clear example. This type of stain must be pre-treated before washing the laundry in the machine.
Among the most difficult stains to remove are sweat stains, which form on white linen and become practically permanent. To remove these stains, pretreat them with baking soda and vinegar.
- Overloading the washing machine
This happens more often than you might think. On the one hand, it is believed that the more you fill your washing machine, the more water and electricity you save. Washing machines are classified according to the maximum weight they support for each wash cycle. Read the instructions and follow them.
- Put in the wrong amount of detergent
You may have found detergent residue among your clothes after doing laundry: a sign that you used too much. Don’t overdo it with the amount of detergent: using too much can even have the opposite effect.
- Overdo it with bleach
Bleach is a useful product, but toxic and capable of ruining our laundry forever. Bleach should only be used with white laundry and you only need a very small amount to get the desired results.
If possible, soak your laundry in a bucket filled with water and a small amount of bleach before running a wash cycle.
- Mix underwear with the rest of the laundry
Underwear should be washed separately to prevent socks, bras or other items from being lost forever.
- Do not clean the washing machine
Bad odors, excess moisture, and mold build up in a dirty washing machine. It is important to clean your washing machine at least once a month, thoroughly cleaning the filters, seals, and detergent drawer.
Also, remember to leave the washer door open between washes to air out the inside of the washer and prevent moisture and mold buildup.
- Always run short wash cycles
Short wash cycles, with cold water or no spin are suitable for lightly soiled laundry. Although you can save money with these types of wash, they are not ideal for frequent washing.
- Overusing the centrifuge
Another common mistake is overusing the spin or setting it to spin too fast. High-speed spinning is only recommended for cotton and polyester items.
Never use the wringer on silk, linen or any other polyamide fabric: you risk damaging them.
- Do not dry laundry after washing.
Laundry that remains damp lends itself to the formation of bad odours, caused by bacteria. The laundry should be removed from the washing machine as soon as the wash cycle is finished and should always be dried.