We show you 5 tricks for the washing machine that do work and another 5 that don’t
Applying some home secrets before, during and after washing is beneficial for getting your clothes to come out spotless. But there are suggestions that are best avoided. Find out which ones are good and which ones are not.
Popular wisdom has a wide menu of home remedies and simple recommendations that promise a successful laundry. However, not all washing machine tricks are 100% effective. Many suggestions respond more to the established links with the properties of certain products, but do not apply specifically to cleaning textiles.
In general, laundry strategies are geared towards efficiency and time savings. From the wide range, which ones are worth it and which ones should you skip? We’ll tell you about them below.
What are the common problems when using the washing machine?
Laundry requires meticulous care of clothing to prolong its life and preserve the characteristics of the fabrics. Therefore, depending on the material to be cleaned, you may require non-aggressive substances, compounds that prevent wrinkles or an appropriate drying technique.
As the American Cleaning Institute notes , most laundry-related questions are tied to stain removal and poor cleaning. Other concerns include getting rid of lint and foam residue, as well as not wanting to damage fabrics.
Various washing machine tricks are based on these questions, without considering that science does not always adapt to washing clothes.
There are no “magic” formulas that will unshrink a sweater , but it is possible to find in a detergent the qualities that will prevent it from stretching. Although acetic acid removes stains, it probably won’t kill bacteria on a fabric, as it might on a floor. We will delve into these and other theories.
Take note: washing machine tricks that actually work
In order to take advantage of the tips that do work when washing, we are going to present some easy tricks to follow or the use of products that you may have at home and are appropriate for washing.
1. Vinegar to remove stains
The Encyclopedia Concepto points out that vinegar acts as a component of cleaners and stain removers, so it is common in home hygiene. In fact, Popular Science suggests heating vinegar for half an hour on low heat to deodorize the house, because when it boils, the acetic acid vaporizes and creates a mist that “collects” odors.
Vinegar is particularly useful for removing stains from clothes, including protein stains, grass stains and body fluids, according to research published by Chemistry . The argument is that a cup of white vinegar influences the decrease of pH and, in turn, promotes the denaturation of proteins.
2. Work with reduced loads
The smaller the load, the better the wash. A Consumer Reports article explains that front-loading washing machines regulate the amount of water according to the size of the load.
Their recommendation is to wash small loads, because as the drum rotates, the clothes are cleaned and then thrown into the water, unlike what happens with top-loading machines.
In conclusion, if you have a front-loading appliance, clothes will be cleaned better as long as you don’t overload the drum with too many items. And, even if it is a top-loading appliance, clothes need enough space to spin freely and facilitate cleaning.
3. Use a float to keep clothes from wrinkling
Make ironing easier as soon as you hang clothes to dry. How? Open a pool noodle in the middle and insert it along the clothesline, so the rack won’t cause creases.
4. Gather the socks in a bag
How many socks have you lost in the washing machine? This unsolved mystery is preventable by putting your socks in a mesh bag before putting them in the machine.
Delicate laundry bags can be used as a sack, or you can hang one next to the laundry basket and put your socks in it whenever you take them off. This way they will be together when you wash them. When the laundry comes out, the same bag goes into the dryer and, at the end, you will have the complete pairs.
5. Deodorize with baking soda
Baking soda is associated with maximizing and replacing bleach. ChemicalSafetyFacts.org points out that the chemical properties of the component improve the efficiency of laundry soap by increasing the pH level in the water, which is ideal for repelling dirt from fibers and making laundry fresher.
For its part, Obelisco magazine adds that bicarbonate is a deodorant, as it forms a barrier in the air that prevents the circulation of bad odors from strong or volatile substances.