Put 3 balls of aluminum foil in the washing machine and get rid of this problem once and for all!
To prepare good baked meals, to dye or straighten hair, to preserve food or wrap leftovers… Aluminum foil is an essential tool at home and its uses are multiple. Including an unknown, but very judicious use, that you probably didn’t know about: protect your clothes with each wash and prevent them from becoming electrified. Quickly discover this brilliant trick!
In fact, when you wash clothes in the washing machine, a certain amount of electrical charge is immediately released. This can significantly damage clothing by wearing down textiles or even tearing fragile fabrics. This static electricity can come from the washing machine itself or from the clothing rubbing against it during washing. Hence the phenomenon of tissue electrification, which is usually annoying and unsightly. So why would it be useful to embed 3 balls of aluminum foil in the drum? We explain everything to you.
Why do you need to embed aluminum foil balls in the washing machine?
The washing machine is where the most static electricity accumulates, since the more clothes rub against each other when drying, the more electrical charge will be generated.
By introducing aluminum foil balls with each wash , you will notice that they absorb all the static energy, thus preventing the clothes from being damaged or electrified.
The method is very simple to do: you just have to insert three balls of aluminum foil, the size of a golf ball, and follow the usual steps for each detergent, with the detergent and the washing program that you usually do.
NB : in the case of the items that you wash on tendance to drainer beaucoup d’électricité, il est essentiel d’utiliser l’assouplissant durant le cycle de lavage, ainsi qu’un program d’essorage court afin de ne pas aggraver ce problem.
What is aluminum foil made of?
Aluminum is a chemical element that is extracted from a material called “bauxite”. It is a non-ferromagnetic metal, that is, it does not have the necessary compounds to become easily magnetized. The aluminum sheet is thus obtained thanks to the balance of iron and silicone, as well as 98.5% aluminum. In addition, the sheet of this metal is very flexible and is an excellent conductor of heat.
Other unexpected uses of aluminum foil
In addition to what we have already mentioned , aluminum foil can help us in our daily lives to simplify certain tasks or solve a lot of small annoyances.
Here are some surprising and even unusual uses:
- Cleaning a burnt pan : A simple piece of tightly crumpled aluminum foil can quickly remove burnt residue. Just scrub well and the residue will come off more easily.
- Move the living room table – Has dust collected in the living room and you plan to clean? Oops, you’re still having trouble moving the coffee table in the living room, which is too heavy for you. No problem: wrap pieces of aluminum foil under the four legs of the table and you will notice that it will slide faster.
- Shine your old, completely rusty cutlery : Have you just pulled out old cutlery from the back of the cabinet, as well as old jewelry that is completely dull and rusty? This is an amazing method to make all your silver coins shine. Simply install a sheet of aluminum at the bottom of a container, fill it with a mixture of hot water and coarse salt and submerge all your objects in it. Let it sit for a while before taking it out and drying it properly. The result is impressive: all your rooms have regained their former splendor!
- Cleaning the iron : If it is full of stains and dirt, the iron immediately becomes sticky and much slower than usual. Not to mention it leaves unsightly marks on your clothes. Jump up, roll up a big ball of aluminum foil, and vigorously rub the dirtiest areas. Here it is again ready to use!
More tips to take care of your clothes
Fading, shrinking, felting… your clothes do not deserve this fate! Here’s how to extend its lifespan.
Preserve the original colors.
Tye & dye is pretty, but only when you want to…
White fabrics: to remain white, they must be protected from light that turns them yellow. Don’t hesitate to store them in dark boxes or opaque drawers, away from direct light.
Colored fabrics: To give your colored clothes a boost, add white vinegar to the last rinse water. Or use it as a fabric softener.
Black fabrics: together and inside out is the correct way to wash them.
Add white vinegar to the rinse water to set the color and never iron them right side out so they don’t shine. To make them a deep black, bathe your dark clothes in the cold spinach cooking water (without the spinach) before washing them.
Respect the forms
A wool sweater or cotton fabric is not meant to become deformed…
Before the first wash: go through the (very) salty bath stage. Soak your cotton t-shirts (respecting the colors) in a basin of cold water with 4 handfuls of coarse salt.
For wool sweaters: avoid the machine. Proceed by hand in warm water with Marseille soap flakes. Bathe them without rubbing or wringing them and rinse them well, finishing with a rinse in diluted white vinegar. Dry your wool sweaters flat, between two terry towels.
Despite these precautions, has it shrunk?
Only solution : relax the fibers. Not just pulling it, but first soaking it in a solution of cold water and glycerin (or conditioner) gently stretching the sleeves and edges until your sweater returns to the initial size. Drain it on a towel and lay it out to dry, stretching it regularly.
Despite all this, is it felt?
Soak your sweater for an hour in vinegar, cold or warm water.
fix the colors
No, the discoloration won’t go through you!
Will it be erased, will it not be erased?
To find out, proceed with the wet swab test rubbed on the garment. This had? The color of your garment can fade during washing and stain everything in its path.
To stop bleeding: wash your garment in cold water with vinegar and liquid Marseille soap.
The basics: Sort your clothes color by color to avoid them mixing. Choose the cold wash program or 30°C maximum. If you choose to hand wash, proceed piece by piece.
Rubbed? You can repair the damage with soda crystals. Soak your faded t-shirt for a day in 1 liter of hot water with a cup of crystals. If the stain is localized, rub with a paste of baking soda and water, then let it sit before rinsing.
Erase imperfections
Time goes by…
Sweating (the marks): bathe your white cotton t-shirt in a mixture of water and lemon juice. You can also immerse it in a container filled with cold water and white vinegar (1 glass).
Bis perspiration (the smell): melt several aspirin tablets in a container and immerse the garment in it.
Shine (for black fabric): iron it with a cloth soaked in household vinegar.
Puffs: shave them with a razor. Or catch them with scotch.
Yellowing: Cook your gray t-shirt in a mixture of water, Marseille soap flakes and lemon juice.
Five techniques for ironing without an iron
Vaporization. Place her clothes on a hanger, spray them with warm water, and let them dry. You will see that the wrinkles will disappear.
Shower. Take advantage of the hot steam to hang your outfit of the day on a hanger and straighten it as if by magic.
A wet towel. A wrinkled garment can be smoothed out by “ironing” it with a damp sponge, placed flat on the garment.
Above a saucepan. Okay, the trick requires a little high ceilings, but you can place your shirt over a pot of boiling water to enjoy the softening effects of hot steam.
In the hair dryer . Spray with water and dry. Be careful not to touch the nozzle so as not to burn the fabric and use gentle heat.
(His) grandmother’s trick: Wash with a net
My grandmother, who was very chic, collected cashmere jackets.
He gave me some, with very good advice: before putting the cardigan in the washing machine, wrap the buttons tightly in aluminum foil. Wash the vests very frequently because the more you wash them, the softer and more beautiful they become. Wash them only in cold or lukewarm water, or at 30°C. And above all, above all, put them in a net, like lingerie.