We are lucky because nowadays we completely leave the washing of clothes to washing machines, but we often forget about basic things that either make us have to repeat washing, or cause malfunctions in the washing machine. Washing laundry is not complicated, but preparation is, as always, half the job. In order to wash clothes in the best way and use the power of the washing machine and detergents, it is necessary to follow a few tips that ensure 100% satisfaction when doing laundry every time. We bring you these tips in today’s blog.

Proper sorting of laundry

In order to properly wash the laundry and avoid unwanted colour staining or damage to the fabrics, the laundry must be properly sorted before washing. We sort laundry according to:

• Colors
• Degree of dirt
• Maintenance symbols

Based on the above guidelines, we choose the appropriate detergent and washing temperature. The rule that you always apply is that you separate light and dark laundry in different washing cycles precisely to avoid color transfer. In most cases, dark laundry is washed at a slightly lower temperature, while white laundry (depending on the fabric composition) can be washed at a slightly higher temperature, which is why mixing is not recommended. If you need to wash heavily dirty laundry (coat full of oil, for example), try not to mix this laundry with other, because you prevent the transfer of dirt to laundry that may just need to be refreshed. Also, with very dirty clothes, the dosage will be slightly higher, which can damage laundry that is only slightly dirty.

Microfibers, if washed together with cotton, tend to form lint, which reduces cleaning effect. We recommend that you always carefully separate the microfibers from the cotton or place the microfibers in a fine-mesh laundry bag.

Proper processing of laundry

Before you start putting laundry in the washing machine, it is important to check that you:

• Closed the zippers
• Turned the laundry from sensitive materials inside out
• Treated stains
• Checked and emptied pockets (eg tissues, ballpoint pens, etc.)
• Removed small pieces (toothpicks, cutlery, napkins from tablecloths, etc.)

Proper loading of the machine

Loading the washing machine is the most important step to an excellent washing result, and it is so often done wrong. A wrongly loaded washing machine can damage the laundry, but if you often put too much laundry in the drum, you can also damage washing machine itself. Optimal loading of the washing machine is as it follows:

• Load flat laundry such as bed linen or tablecloths and napkins so that the top of your palm has enough space between the laundry and the inside of the drum when you put your hand inside the machine.
• Terry cloth, such as towels, absorbs a lot of liquid, so the drum should be filled no more than 2/3
• The more delicate the laundry, the less you put in the machine. For delicate textiles, washing liquid acts as a cushion, and the laundry is soft after washing thanks to the buffering effect of the water. In this way, you also protect delicate laundry.

Correct loading is also important in the rinsing process, because detergent and dirt residues that are washed away prevent consequences such as rough laundry as well as skin irritation.

Correct dosage

When dosing manually, you should pay close attention to the recommended dosage indicated on each detergent as well as on the fabric softeners. The dosage is adapted for the different degrees of dirt and hardness of the water. If you do not follow recommended dosage, you can cause many problems.

If you do not put enough detergent, you will notice that the laundry is gray and rough after washing, and the reason for this is that the remains of dirt have not been properly removed, and the remains of scale have accumulated on the laundry and the machine. An additional problem of insufficient dosage is fixed stains. After washing cycle, they become fixed in the fabric and you will find it very difficult to remove them in the next wash. Grease stains that have begun to dissolve, but have not completely dissolved, settle on the fabric in the form of small black balls that are very difficult to remove in the next wash. In the case of insufficient dosing, the heaters are covered with scale because you used too little detergen. Remember that even a layer of 0.4 mm of limescale leads to an increased power consumption of up to 25%!

Excessive dosing of detergent causes problems with skin irritation and allergies due to detergent residues. Also, due to too much foam in the machine, the laundry seems hard. However, the biggest problem with overdosing is spending an excessive amount of cleaning products, which, in addition to being a financial blow to your budget, has a negative impact on the environment. If the detergent is dosed using an automatic dosing device, it is important to pay attention to the level in the container and replace the canister if necessary. It is especially important to match the old and new canister, i.e. the label and the suction lancet. If the wrong product is connected, it can damage the laundry and the washing machine!

Proper washing

When washing, there are three points that should be taken care of:

• Do not interrupt the washing process during washing
• Wait for the end of all rinsing cycles and do not open the machine before time
• Do not leave the laundry wet after washing, but process it immediately (dry or hang it up)

There is no worse smell, or rather, the stench of laundry you forgot in the washing machine. In addition to the laundry smelling, you have to wash it again using electricity and detergent, and mold may also appear on the clothes, which will irreversibly damage the laundry.

Maintenance

After each washing process, the door of the washing machine should be opened, and if you manually dose the detergent, you should also open the drawer where you put the detergent and fabric softener. Only this way can the inside of the washing machine dry properly. To prevent the transfer of dirt from one cycle to another, it is important to clean the door window regularly. We also advise you to disinfect and wash the containers for detergent and fabric softener every so often, and pay special attention to disinfecting and washing the laundry basket to prevent the growth and development of bacteria because there is no ideal place for their growth than a damp bathroom. Finally, after each wash, inspect the drum of the washing machine  as well as the rubber on the edge, to make sure there are no sharp objects, coins or stones that can damage the laundry and the washing machine in the next wash cycle.