The washing machine is a household appliance that is very convenient and easy to use. However, you may need some time to get used to using it. If you've just bought your first washing machine, or are going to wash your own clothes for the first time, fear not. You can easily learn how to use a washing machine, find out which laundry soap and fabric softener is best for certain fabrics, and prevent your clothes from fading and damaging other clothes.
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Part 1 of 2: Separating Clothes
Step 1. Check the label for the specific washing method
Most clothes are machine washable, however, always check the label for complete instructions. Some clothes may shrivel if you wash them in warm or hot water. Some clothes may be bleach-resistant, while others may not. And some types of clothing are not machine washable, such as clothes made of silk and certain delicates. Always read your clothing labels carefully.
- Set aside clothes that are labeled "hand wash only" or "dry clean only".
- On most shirts, the clothing care label is located on the left side of the inner shirt, or on the neck of the inner shirt.
- On most pants, the clothing care label is located on the back of the underpants.
Step 2. Sort your clothes by "color"
The color of clothes, especially on new clothes, fades easily during washing. This faded color can get on other clothes and ruin your entire laundry. Sorting dirty clothes by "color" is usually done by grouping clothes based on shades of color. The easiest way to separate your clothes is to separate dark colored clothes from light colored clothes, and wash them separately. You can even separate them in more detail based on their color.
- Dark color include black, gray, dark blue, dark red, and dark purple.
- Bright colors includes pastel colors, such as white, pink, yellow, bright blue, bright green and lavender.
- Dark jeans or denim It fades very easily and must be washed separately from other clothes.
Step 3. Sort your clothes by weight
In addition, or as an alternative to other separation methods, you can protect your clothes from getting damaged and torn in the washing machine by separating heavy items from lighter items. Most washing machines will spin clothes in them, as a result, friction by heavy clothes can damage light clothes. After all, if you're washing light or delicate fabrics, the speed and temperature settings of the machine will be different from those of heavy fabrics.
- Light fabrics, such as washable underwear, stockings, and silk, should be washed separately.
- Heavy clothing such as pants made of thick cotton, bath towels, jackets, or sweaters.
- If you choose to separate your clothes by material only, you can save a lot of time and money from washing clothes of different colors many times.
Step 4. Put light fabrics in a mesh laundry bag
Instead of having to wash them separately, you can put lightweight clothes in a washing bag to protect them from friction and pressure. Laundry bags come in a variety of sizes, but generally can only be used to hold one or a few pieces of clothing. After that, your light clothes can be washed along with other clothes.
Wash bags don't protect clothes from color fading, so make sure to wash them with clothes of the same color. In the vast majority of cases, light fabrics will not fade and are safe to wash with bright fabrics
Step 5. Separate the stained clothes
Some stains on clothes need to be cleaned thoroughly before you put them in the washing machine. The most common stains that must be cleaned beforehand are grease and oil stains.
Avoid washing or drying stained clothes in the washing machine. Some stains will actually settle when exposed to heat, making it more difficult to clean
Part 2 of 2: Setting Up the Washing Machine
Step 1. Determine the correct wash cycle
The laundry cycle consists of two main speed options: the speed at which the clothes spin with water, and the speed at which the water is squeezed out of the clothes. Depending on the clothes you are washing, the wash cycle you choose should match the fabric type to maximize cleaning while protecting your clothes.
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Normal Cycle:
this cycle has a quick/quick setting--the washer spins and spins quickly. This setting is suitable for heavily soiled and sweaty clothes, and is the setting you will use most on a regular basis. Strong materials such as cotton, linen, denim, towels and bed sheets are suitable for normal cycle washing.
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Permanent or Perm Press:
this cycle has a fast/slow setting, perfect for materials that need to be turned quickly to clean, but squeezed slowly to prevent them from creasing. Use this setting for synthetic fabrics such as rayon, knit, polyester, and acetate. Synthetic fibers are known to clump, or form fiber coils, so a slow squeezing cycle is necessary to prevent them from clumping.
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Delicate Cycle:
this cycle uses a slow/slow setting, with softer friction, preventing damage or tearing of the fabric. It's just that the level of cleanliness will decrease because the clothes are not rotated quickly. This cycle is perfect for special or specific garments, such as underwear, sequined garments, lacy or loose-fitting garments, or garments made of thin fabrics such as stockings.
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Special cycles:
the latest models of washing machines have special cycles that can clean clothes from germs, vaporize, or are said to be able to protect white clothes and remove stains. Read the washing machine's user manual for a full description of each of the special cycle options available.
Step 2. Set the water temperature
Theoretically, the hotter the water, the cleaner your clothes will be. Hot water will clean clothes and kill germs better, dissolve laundry soap more effectively, and can remove adhering dust so clothes will look brighter and cleaner. However, in some cases, hot water can cause clothing to shrivel, discolor fabrics, and precipitate certain types of stains, and cause your electricity bill to swell. So, to get the best results, choose a water temperature that not only suits the material of your clothes, but also at a cost that you can afford.
- use cold water in the delicate cycle for washing light fabrics, colored clothes that may fade, or clothes that are not too dirty.
- use warm water in the permanent press cycle, for dark colored clothes, and clothes that are quite dirty.
- use hot water for bath towels and kitchen rags, bed sheets, tough materials, or really soiled clothes.
- Cold water is the most economical option for washing clothes. About 90% of the energy used in the hot water wash cycle is spent on heating the water. Cold water is also the gentlest option for washing your clothes.
- For some machines, the water temperature will be determined by the wash cycle you select. For example, a normal cycle generally uses hot water with temperatures between 30 °C and 40 °C.
Step 3. Pour in laundry soap and other cleaning agents such as fabric softener
Read your washing machine's manual, as this is very important, and find out what type of laundry soap fits your washing machine, and where to put it. Most washing machines today are resistant to both liquid and powdered laundry soap, as well as other cleaning agents such as bleach.
- Front load washing machines are usually equipped with a box for putting in laundry soap and have a separate box for fabric softener or bleach. Your washing machine will mix the soap with the clothes at the right time for you.
- Top load washing machines require you to pour laundry soap into them just before your wash cycle begins. It's best to put soap in before putting in dirty clothes, so the high levels of laundry soap don't stain or damage your clothes. And in some cases, turning on the water before putting the dirty clothes in is the best way to get the laundry soap to dissolve first.
- The amount of laundry soap needed varies according to the brand of soap and the type of washing machine itself, so check the back of the laundry soap package, and also look at the label on your washing machine to find out the amount of laundry soap to use.
Step 4. Put the dirty clothes in the laundry soap
This step is quite simple--you only need to load your clothes, but be careful not to overcrowd your washer. There should be room between each piece of clothing to move around so that it can be cleaned. Some washing machines even have a light, medium, or heavy load option. This option will adjust the amount of water added in the wash cycle according to the number of clothes.
- The small load fills about 1/3 of your washing machine.
- Medium load fills half (1/2) of your washing machine.
- The large load fills three quarters (3/4) of your washing machine.
Step 5. Turn on your washing machine
Safe! Now all you need to do is press a button on the machine and wait! But remember to always close your washing machine first!
Tips
- You can choose to include fabric softener during the rinse cycle.
- Some washing machines will require you to set how long you want your washing to take. Many washing machines will set the wash time automatically, but you may still have to set it manually. You should set a washing time of between one and one and a half hours, depending on how dirty the clothes you are washing are.
