Some people view laundry as one of the easiest chores around the house. However, people often make very many mistakes when doing their laundry chores without realizing. Laundry mistakes can damage your clothes or the washing machine. Luckily, these mistakes are avoidable when one is keen when cleaning. Here are 7 common laundry mistakes to avoid every time you are doing your laundry;
1. Cloth Shrinkage
Heat causes certain types of cloth fabrics to shrink. This can make a cloth that is labeled as extra large become small to fit the smallest person in your house. This common laundry mistake can be avoided by setting the right temperatures. Do not set the washer too high. You must also not leave your clothes in the drier too long because that can also lead to shrinkage. To restore a cloth that to its original size, soak it in water at room temperature while gently stretching it. To avoid this problem in future, wash such clothes in colder water and line-dry them if possible.
2. Not reading the cleaning directions
All laundry products usually have cleaning directions that should guide you when cleaning. These directions are meant to help you preserve the quality of a cloth when cleaning it. Therefore, when you don’t read the instructions, it is highly likely that you will not clean a given cloth the way it is supposed to be cleaned. This can damage your clothing.
3. Forgetting about the clothes after putting them in the washing machine
This is the most common laundry blunder. Leaving clothes in a machine for too long is not a good thing. If you leave your clothes in the drier for too long, they will get too wrinkled. This can make you a have a lot of ironing work to do to straighten the clothes. If your washer or drier does not have an end cycle alarm, set alarm on your phone or watch to remind you when the time to unload your appliance comes.
4. The use of too much detergent
Using too much detergent isn’t going to make your clothes cleaner. Many people usually pour too much detergent in the washing machines either deliberately or without knowledge. Too much detergent can make clothes dingy. The excess detergent can also damage the machine. Some machines use less detergent than others. Therefore, if you have just acquired a new machine, do not assume that it is going to use the same amount of detergent like your old machine. Read the instructions on the detergent before pouring it into the machine to know how much is suitable for use in that machine.
5. Accidental coloring of white clothes
Have you ever had your favorite white cloth colored in your washing machine? This has happened many times to many people. The first thing that must always be done before putting clothes into a washing machine is separation. Separate the clothes based on the colors. Wash all dark clothes together and the lighter ones together.
You also have to check the labels on clothe to know if the color is likely to run during washing. Hot water tends to make color come out of clothes. Some detergents may also loosen the color in clothing. Hence, be careful to ensure that you use the correct water temperature and the right detergent when cleaning your clothes. Always sort your clothes based on colors before washing to avoid accidental coloring.
6. Forgetting to close zippers and emptying pockets
Leaving objects in the pockets can lead to damage of the machine or the cloth during cleaning. Therefore, it is very important to check the pockets for tissues, lipstick, coins or for any other solid objects before throwing the clothes into the washing machine. The zippers should also be closed before washing to prevent snagging.
7. Overstuffing the washing machine
The temptation to clean all the clothes at once (or in one round) will always be there. However, do not allow yourself to fall into this temptation. Overstuffing your machine not only leads to dirtier clothes, but can also lead to machine breakdown. Only put the recommended amount of clothes in one round of cleaning to ensure that you get clean clothes at the and of the cleaning cycle and to prevent breakdown of the machine due to overloading.