One of the many tasks every adult has to deal with on a regular basis is doing the laundry. Most adults do their laundry at home least once a week, however, they are never able to get the results professional laundry service providers give. Why? Is the public doing their laundry wrong or the professionals have some magic potions? Actually, both are true. Professionals do have access to some extraordinary laundry products but most adults are doing one of the following six things, which are producing poor results for them.
1. Overloading the cycle
Yes, it seems like a time saver, and you might think just a few extra articles in your load will not hurt, but you are wrong. Your clothes will not come out as clean as they should, and you will end up washing all those again, so what would be the point of all of this? Do not overload your washer. Here is a fun read about unusual things you can wash in your washing machine.
2. Using the wrong detergent
Top Load machines and front load machines require different detergents. Different kinds of washing machine manuals indicate what kind of detergent will work best with that particular model, yet so many people do not even bother to go through the complete manual and end up using the wrong detergent for years. This leads to the machine not performing to its best capacity of cleaning. Also, some detergents are too harsh for delicate natural fabrics, so you should keep this in mind too. Similarly, detergents designed for delicate wash might not clean the tougher garments efficiently.
3. Wrong amount of detergent
Most detergents and washing machines come with the recommendation of the optimal amount of detergent to be used per load. It should be obvious using less detergent will lead to clothes not properly cleaned, but using more detergent does not equate cleaner clothes either, in fact, it’s the other way around. Too many detergents may leave residue on your clothes which will appear as suds. Pay attention to the correct measurement of detergent recommended for each load for the best results.
4. Care labels on clothes
Just like machine manuals very few people pay any heed to care labels attached to clothes. Not all clothes can be machine washed and even if they can be, specific water temperature is more suitable to wash them or they might need to be put in a light load or require a rinse afterwards. Not paying attention to care labels may be the cause of clothes coming out slightly dirty, shrunken or overly wrinkled.
5. Using cold water and same machine settings for everything
Most people mindless get into a routine of throwing everything in cold water handset up same washing machine setting for everything. While cold water is a safe bet generally, not all stains will come off in cold water. Similarly, not all types of fabric will fir in your standard machine settings. Sort your clothes beforehand, not just the whites and colours but also sort them according to fabric type and how dirty the particular article is. Be mindful of what settings you are using for each load.
6. Not maintaining your machine
It’s important to take care of your washing machine so it can take care of your clothes. For a machine to clean your clothes to its best potential, it should be in the best shape. If you have not been inspecting your machine for faults and repairs every month you might be responsible for the poorly washed clothes. You also need to clean your washing machine from inside at least every other week. This will ensure there is no lint or residue accumulated and nothing is catching rust or mould. A machine in good condition will need less water, less detergent and will clean clothes better.
If you find all this too complicated or too demanding, you can drop your laundry at The Laundry Place to have it professionally cleaned, while you enjoy carefree time.