Your washing machine is an appliance designed to handle a wide range of laundry tasks efficiently, but there are certain items that should never find their way into its drum. Knowing what to put in the washing machine and what to avoid is equally important when it comes to laundry, as some mistakes can damage your machine.
Today, we will discuss the top 13 important things that you should never put in your washing machine from electronic devices to delicate fabrics.
1. Lingerie
As lingerie or undergarments are often made from soft material like satin silk or lace it requires special maintenance to keep them high quality and long-lasting. Lingeries straps, hooks, and designs are mainly to get damaged while kept in the washing machine. Also, sagging might cause these fabrics’ elasticity to be damaged by the heat and vibration of the washing machine.
2. Coins and Keys
It is mostly common among people to accidentally forget coins and keys in their pants or clothing pockets, however, did you know doing so could damage the washing machine?
The drum or the other parts of the washing machine could get harmed by coins and keys, as they can cause scratches when they come in reach with the inside surfaces during the washing cycle, which might require expensive repairs or replacement.
It is important to remove any coins, keys, or other small objects from your pockets before putting the clothes in the washing machine.
3. Leather Jackets
Leather Jackets are not recommended to be washed in the washing machine, as Leather is a sensitive material that has to be handled with extra attention. The detergents and vibration of the washing machine can damage the leather. Not only leather is recommended in washing machines, but also they should never be soaked in water for long during the cleaning.
How should you clean or wash Leather Jackets?
- First, you should check the care tag for the specific instructions as the cleaning needs may differ on different types of leather.
- For the small stains or spills, use a soft sponge or a cloth and soak them in lukewarm water, however, avoid rubbing too hard as it can damage the leather.
- If there is more dirt or stains, you can use soap or a leather cleaner. Create a mixture of soapy water or cleaner, and use a clean cloth to wash away the dirt.
4. Pet Hair Covered Clothing Items
Since most people enjoy snuggling with their beloved pets- dogs or cats, they often leave hair behind in your clothes, however, this hair and fur can cause trouble as it can stick to the washer’s drum side and eventually clog drain pumps.
To prevent these issues, separate the clothes covered with pet hair before keeping them in the washing machine. Use a lint roller or a sticky tape, to remove the hair from the clothes.
5. Clothes Stained with Flammable Liquid
The next things you should remember before keeping them in the washing machine is items or clothes that are stained with flammable liquid which includes gasoline, motor oil, cooking oil, paint thinner, alcohol, and many more. These liquids give off a vapor that could ignite or explode and could create a dangerous situation while kept in the washing machine.
Consider washing such clothes by hand rather than in a Washing machine. Or, Soak and scrub them with water and detergent, and you can keep them in the washing machine when they are dry and odor-free.
6. Sandy Towels
Can we put Sandy Towels in the Washing Machine?
Spending a day at the beach is usually fun but coming home with wet swimsuits or sandy towels is not that fun, as they collect the sand particles, which could be harmful to your washing machine. Sand or dust particles can cause blocks inside of your machine’s drum, and harm the internal parts. Also, sand can get into other clothes and leave them dirty or rough.
To stop this, you should thoroughly shake off the sandy towels before putting them in the washing machine.
7. Decorated Clothes
Putting decorated clothes in a washing machine could destroy the decorations and change the overall look of the clothes. Beads, sequins, and embroidered clothes may fall off due to the motion and spinning action of the washing machine which will remove their decorative look.
In order to keep the attractiveness of decorative cloth avoid washing them in a washing machine and hand wash them with proper attention.
8. Shoes
While some types of shoes can be washable, remember that not all shoe types are suitable for machine washing. However, make sure to check the care instructions before putting them in the washing machine.
Shoes made of fabrics like canvas, nylon, or polyester are safe to wash in the machine, whereas, leather and suede shoes shouldn’t be ever washed in the machine, as they can be damaged by water and agitation, causing them to lose shape, texture or finish.
9. Memory Foam Pillows
It is normally not advised to wash memory foam pillows in the washing machine as the spinning and water exposure of the machine might cause damage to the cushion and reduce its effectiveness. As Memory Foam Pillos is absorbing, it can increase the growth of germs, mold, or mildew, if not dried completely.
However, it is recommended to clean the memory foam pillows using light detergent and water to clean them as per the manufacturer’s care or instruction.
10. Sweaters-
Not every sweater is recommended to be washed in the washing machine, some need to be washed with proper care and instructions. Sweaters made of Wool, Cashmere, Angora, or Mohair are not suitable to be washed in the machine, as this delicate natural fiber can shrink or lose its softness.
In all, it is best to avoid these clothes washing machines and handwashing will be one of the safest and most effective ways to clean this garment.
11. Too Much Laundry
Although Washing Machines are very efficient, overloading usually results in trouble. During the washing process, the machine needs enough space to move around to properly clean or remove the dirt from your clothes, on the other side if you put too much laundry in your washing machine, the clothes will not be as clean as they should be.
Also, an overloaded washing machine takes a longer time as it struggles to properly clean and rinse the laundry. Therefore, it is important to avoid keeping too much laundry at once and split into smaller and wash them.
12. Suits
Have you thought of washing your suits in washing home? Well, that could be a bad idea, and not recommended in the washing machine, as they are mainly made up of sensitive fabrics. Washing them in the machine can shrink or loosen them and degrade the look and quality of the suit. It can fade the colors of the suit and also might get transferred to other clothes too.
However, it is best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which mostly include dry cleaning without causing damage to your suits.
13. Dry Clean Items
Washing dry clean only items is not suitable for washing in the washing machine, as it can damage your product. Tags on clothes that mention “dry-clean only” are put on such materials that cannot withstand the agitation, soaking, and spin action of a regular washing machine cycle. Materials like silk, wool, or any synthetic materials can lose their shape when washed with water and detergent in a washing machine.
FAQs
1. Can I wash my shoes in the Washing machine?
Some types of shoes can be washed in the washing machine while some of the shoes made up of leather or suede are not suitable to be washed in a machine.
2. Can Pillows be washed in the machine?
Washing pillows are not suitable or recommended for washing in the machine as they might not be cleaned well and can cause an imbalance in the machine, so it is advised to handwash the pillow.
3. Can I wash the things in the washing machine that have metal or sharp edges?
Washing sharp objects in the machine can be risky as it can damage the inside part of the machine i.e. drum during the process of washing.
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