Upgrade your laundry routine to conserve money, energy, and water.
Do you ponder over your laundry habits? Not the endless cycle of it, but the actual process.
Many of us perform laundry tasks without much thought: we cram in the clothes, dump in detergent, hit the button, and avoid glancing at the ever-growing pile of dirty laundry...
While your techniques might suffice, numerous individuals unwittingly commit errors that can compromise the wash quality and the efficiency of our machines.
Without realizing it, many of us commit errors that hinder the quality of our laundry and impair the efficiency of our washing machines.
1. Using Warm Water for Washing
Do you believe washing your laundry in warm water results in a significantly superior clean?
Reconsider that notion, according to Shafi. "The difference between washing in warm and cold water is minimal," he remarks.
2. Employing Fabric Softener
Fabric softener can certainly impart a fresh scent and soft touch to your garments. However, as Denis points out, the benefits end there.
Fabric softener functions by covering fabric fibers with petrochemicals like silicone, enhancing their slipperiness and making them appear more upright, thereby providing a soft and fluffy sensation.
The primary objective of washing clothes is to cleanse them, but fabric softener remains embedded in the fabric, meaning you're essentially reapplying petrochemicals to your freshly cleaned clothes and then having them come into contact with your skin.
Additionally, fabric softeners come with three additional adverse effects.
They diminish the absorbency of towels and cloth diapers, which is precisely the opposite of the desired outcome.
3. Overusing Detergent
Do you often add an extra splash of detergent for especially soiled laundry?
Or perhaps you're meticulous about following rules and always measure out the exact recommended amount?
Regardless, you might be unintentionally causing more harm than good to your clothes and washing machine
You don't need to use nearly as much detergent as the manufacturer suggests.
You can still achieve an excellent wash with just a third or even a quarter of the recommended scoop.
Moreover, overusing detergent is not only unnecessary but can lead to issues. Excessive detergent can strain your machine, potentially causing damage or even locking it up,
It may also leave behind residue in the fabric, resulting in white spots on your clothes and skin irritation.
4. Airing Out the Washer Between CyclesYou might instinctively leave the door or lid of your washer open after each wash to allow for some ventilation.
Keeping the washer closed, however, prevents air from circulating through the drum, potentially leading to mould and unpleasant odors. A washer that smells stale and musty is unlikely to produce the freshest laundry.
Moreover, keeping the door closed can harm your washer: It can cause the rubber seals to degrade, compromising their sealing ability and leading to discoloration.
5. Improper Loading of the Washing MachineDo you often overload your washing machine with soiled laundry, or use too little for the selected program? that such practices could undermine your efforts.
An overloaded machine may not clean your clothes effectively and could even cause damage to the appliance.
On the other hand, if it's not loaded sufficiently, you'll end up wasting detergent, water, and electricity unnecessarily.
6. Choose different types of washing programs
Each washing machine is equipped with specific settings tailored for different types of laundry.
Granted, perusing the instruction manual may seem incredibly dull, but understanding which cycle suits which load is invaluable, rather than blindly sticking to the same old setting due to habit.
7. Believing a Higher-Priced Detergent Guarantees Cleaner Clothes
All detergents are not of equal quality. However, our laundry detergent reviews indicate that their recommended retail price bears little correlation with their effectiveness.
The best performers are not necessarily the most expensive ones.
Several supermarket home-brand detergents fared exceptionally well in our tests, rivaling popular brands that cost much more. By consulting our reviews, you can save money while still achieving a superb clean.
8. Combining Whites with Non-Colorfast Items in One WashWhen pressed for time, it's easy to toss all your whites and non-colorfast items into the wash together.
However, if the colors bleed and stain your load, it can be a significant inconvenience to rectify, assuming the damaged items can be saved at all.
You might attempt to use a laundry product that promises to reverse color bleeding into white garments, but there's no certainty that it will restore your whites to their pristine whiteness.
Alternatively, you could wash and rewash the item, hoping that the color will eventually wash away. Or, you could simply embrace the change and dye the fabric.
9. Shelling Out Extra for Unnecessary FeaturesBefore investing in the latest washing machine loaded with every conceivable feature or one boasting a super-sized capacity, consider whether you genuinely require them.
People's needs vary, so some features might seem unnecessary to you while others could justify the additional expense.
An automatic detergent dosing system can be advantageous if you face mobility or dexterity issues, as it eliminates the need to manually add detergent each wash.
If you regularly handle larger-than-average loads of laundry, a super-fast cycle can streamline your laundry day, making it quicker and more convenient.
As for Wi-Fi connectivity, it lets you control your washing machine via an app and alerts you when the wash is done. However, you'll still need to remove and hang up the clothes – it's unlikely to drastically transform your laundry habits!
Be pragmatic about which features you'll utilize and which you won't, to ensure your money is well-spent.
