Doing laundry is something that no one enjoys, but everyone has to do it. Laundry is done so much that it starts to become almost robotic and you do it without thinking about how you might be doing it wrong. Laundry mistakes are a common occurrence that most people don’t even realize they’re making! Check out these common laundry mistakes that could be harming your clothes and appliances.
Overloading the Laundry Machine
It’s tempting to shove just a few more items in a load to help finish your laundry quicker, but overloading your washer actually hurts your level of efficiency rather than helping it. An overloaded washing machine can’t thoroughly wash each item in the load. The detergent that you add won’t be evenly distributed and more often than not, some items will need to be washed again. Overloading your washer also puts a strain on the machine and causes to it wear down more quickly, which means the lifespan of your washer is decreased.
Neglecting to Clean the Washer Machine
Cleaning your oven, fridge, and microwave are pretty standard procedure, but when is the last time you cleaned your washing machine? If you’re like most people, it’s been far too long! Washers always have water in them, even when a load isn’t running. Stagnant water breeds bacteria that will then contaminate your next load of laundry. After each laundry day, take a few minutes to clean the inside of your washer with a disinfectant cleaner. It isn’t necessary to clean it between each load if you’re doing multiple loads in one day, but if it will be more than a few hours between loads, it needs to be cleaned!
Letting the Dryer Cool Down
There’s a commonly believed myth about letting the dryer have some time between loads to avoid overheating. While that might sound like a good theory, there’s no truth behind it. Allowing time between loads in the dryer actually creates more work for the dryer because it has to get all the way back up to temperature again. If you change loads quickly while the dryer is still hot, less time will be needed for each drying cycle since the dryer is closer to the temperature it needs to be. As long as the lint trap is cleaned between each load, running multiple loads close together is perfectly safe and more energy efficient!
Doing laundry is annoying enough as-is, don’t add more frustration by making these common mistakes and harming your clothes or appliances. For more laundry tips and tricks, contact Automatic Laundry today!
