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Items That Should Never See The Insides Of Your Washing Machine

As much as a washing machine is a vital appliance in your home as it makes cleaning easy, you shouldn’t wash everything using it. This is because some items can cause damage to them, and you are forced to hire an appliance repair professional.

Which are these items? Here they are:

Memory foam pillows

You can wash most synthetic, cotton, and even down pillows in the washer, but you can’t do this to memory foam pillows usually can’t. This is because foam is too fragile, and the process can easily tear it. Even if you choose not to spin, the clothes will still be heavy and wet, so don’t do it.

Most of the time, you can wash the covers in the washing machine. But use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to clean the foam pillow. If you need to clean specific spots, use a microfiber cloth, a mild dish detergent solution, and a damp cloth to clean.

Loose bras

Washing a bra can ruin its shape and hurt its underwire. On top of that, the metal clasps can easily catch on other things in the load and tear them while the cycle is running.

Use a laundry bag when you wash your bras in the washing machine. If you want to be safe and don’t want any damage, wash by hand.

Swimwear

Even if the tag on your swimsuit says it can be washed in a washing machine, you should wash it by hand if you want it to last.

You should note that when you put the swimwear material through a wash cycle, the material will stretch and sag, which means it will lose shape over time. You don’t want this, do you?

Whether your swimwear is made of nylon or spandex, the material can easily get caught on other things in the load, like zippers or clasps, and get damaged. To avoid damage and disappowashingr, wash it gently is better by hand.

Embellished items

If your clothing has sequins all over it, it’s likely to get ruined in the washing machine.

Even if you turn the item inside out, many threads can still be pulled or caught during the cycle.

If the decorations are stuck on, that won’t help either because the heat can melt the glue.

Don’t put your embellished clothing items in the washing machine to avoid all the problems that can come about.

For the same reason, you shouldn’t put anything with lace or embroidery. Lace is too fragile and can be torn easily by other things. To protect your clothing, follow the care label and take them to a dry cleaner if you need to.

Delicate sweaters

This is probably the mistake that people make the most. If the item is made of wool, cashmere, or velvet, check the care label to learn how to wash it.

The high temperatures in a washing machine can make the fabric shrink, and rubbing against other things can make it look old.

You can wash your sweater by hand with a mild detergent or take it to the dry cleaners if necessary.

Even if the care label says you can wash the sweater in a machine, use a laundry bag to protect it during the cycle and make it last longer.

Suits

It makes sense to follow ties with suits, which should also not be washed in a machine. Most are made of delicate fabrics that can easily get ruined in the wash.

Even if the suit is made of cotton or polyester, it will still have interfacing, giving it its shape. Water can break down interfacing and make it bend out of the body, so don’t wash your suits in the washing machine. Instead, take them to a dry cleaner.

Parting shot

These are some of the clothing items you shouldn’t wash in the washing machine. You protect your clothing and engine by passing the right things in your washing machine, so you don’t need a washer repair Springfield professional.

6 Things You Shouldn’t Put In Your Washing Machine

Just because something is a piece of clothing doesn’t mean that you should put it in the washing machine. This is because it might get damaged or, even worse, damage your precious and expensive appliance. Which pieces of clothing should you not put in the machine? Here they are as given by washer repair professionals:

Suits

If you have a premium suit, you shouldn’t put it in the washing machine when it gets dirty. This is because it will develop plenty of wrinkles that will be unsightly to look at. There is also the risk of damaging the premium material used in making the suit.

Instead of washing the outfit at home, take it to a dry cleaner, where it will be professionally cleaned.

Clothes covered in pet hair.

If you have cats or dogs in your house, you most likely have their hair on your clothes. A few hairpieces on the clothes aren’t a big deal, but if you have plenty of it, it’s unwise to put the outfits in the washing machine.

While the hair might come off after washing, it often sticks in the washing machine, where it might get transferred to other pieces of clothing you put there.

The best way to wash clothes covered in pet hair is using hand. First, remove all the fur if you have to wash them using a washing machine. One excellent tool you can use for the work is a lint roller.

Clothes with open zippers

If you run your finger along an open zipper, you will notice that each of the teeth catches your skin. This is the same thing that will happen to your washing machine.

When you run a cycle with unzipped zippers, they risk catching and damaging other clothing items, especially delicate ones. There is also the risk of the zippers scratching the insides of the drum.

To protect your washing machine and delicates, zip up all of your zippers to the top before you run a cycle.

For the buttoned clothes, leave the buttons unbuttoned to avoid putting too much pressure on the button thread during the cycle.

Swimsuits

Swimsuits are delicate; even if the label might say that the outfit is machine washable, it would be wise to avoid it and wash it by hand.

The reason for this is that the swimsuit material is at risk of stretching and sagging when subjected to a washing cycle, meaning that it will eventually lose its shape.

There is also the risk of the swimsuit getting caught on other pieces of clothing and getting damaged.

As mentioned above, to avoid this, gently hand wash the outfits.

Loose bras

Similar to swimsuits, bras are also delicate, so you can easily damage them when you put them in the washing machine.

In most cases, the wash ruins the bra’s shape, not to mention damaging the underwire.

There is also the risk of the metal clasps snagging and tearing other items in the load during the cleaning cycle.

To protect your precious bra, always use a laundry bag. You should put all your bras in this bag and throw them in the washing machine.

If you don’t have a bag, go the old route and wash the bras by hand.

Delicate sweaters

It’s not just the inner wears that are delicate. Sweaters can also be delicate. If you have a sweater made from wool, velvet, or cashmere, be cautious when placing it in the washing machine, as high temperatures can shrink the material.

There is also the risk of friction between the sweater and the washing machines leaving the outfit looking worn and ugly, and you don’t want this, do you?

Wash your delicate sweater by hand using a gentle laundry detergent to stay on the safe side. If you don’t have the time for it, take your sweater to the dry cleaners.

Even if the labels on the sweater say that you can machine-wash the outfit, don’t do it. If you have to do it, appliance repair Springfield recommend that you place the sweater in a laundry bag that will protect the sweater from any form of damage.

3 Washing Machine Best Practices

For your washing machine to function optimally and last for a long time, you need to observe a set of best practices. Wondering which are these practices? Here they are as given by washer repair professionals:

Separate the garments

As much as clothes appear similar, they aren’t—they are made from different materials with different cleaning instructions. To avoid damaging your outfits, check the clothes tags for washing instructions.

While most clothes are machine washable, check the tags for further instructions as some clothes might get damaged. For example, some might shrink if you clean them using hot water, while others might not be able to handle bleach.

You should put aside clothes labeled as dry clean or hand wash only.

Besides separating the clothes by the material they are made from and their cleaning methods, also separate by color. Separate the lights from the darks and wash them separately.

If you are wondering what should go where, here is a guide:

Darks: These include dark blues, blacks, greys, dark purples, and dark reds

Lights: These are whites, yellows, pinks, light greens, light blues, and lavender.

Whites include anything that is 100% white. You should avoid washing the whites with other light colors.

Jeans or dark denims: They tend to bleed their color, and you should wash them in their separate load.

Use the right washing cycle.

The wash cycles determine the speed at which the washing machine spins. Most washing machines have two primary speeds: a speed that agitates or tumbles the clothes with water and another that spins the water out of the clothes.

The cycle you choose should match the fabric of the cloth. There are four main cycles you can use:

Delicate cycle: The delicate cycle uses the slow approach, where it’s meant to reduce agitation and prevent wear and tear. While it’s highly effective at preventing the clothes from getting damaged, it doesn’t properly clean them.

Normal cycle: This cycle goes with a fast approach where it tumbles and spins fast. It’s highly effective at cleaning extremely dirty and sweaty clothes, and it’s the cycle that most people use regularly. Using this cycle, some of the best fabrics to clean are denim, cotton, towels, and beddings.

Special cycle: You will find these cycles in modern washing machines. The cycles vary in functionality and among washing machines. For example, you will find some machines that will sanitize, others steam, and so on.

Permanent or perm press: The perm pres cycle goes in a fast/slow approach, and it’s best for fabrics that need fast agitation to clean but a slow spin to prevent wrinkles. You should use this cycle when cleaning synthetic fibers such as knits, rayons, acetates, and polyesters.

You should use this cycle because synthetic fibers are known to pill or even create small balls of fiber, and spinning the fabric slowly prevents the piling from coming about.

Use the right temperature.

The same way you should use the right cleaning cycle is the same way you should take caution and use the right cleaning temperature. If you do your research, you will find that most experts recommend that you clean your clothes with hot water, which is for a reason.

When you use hot water, you not only have cleaner clothes, but the hot water also sanitizes clothes and kills germs. It also dissolves detergents more effectively and removes any built-up grime, so your clothes look cleaner and brighter.

While hot water is great, it can shrink the clothes, fade the fabrics, or even set certain stains. Some people have even pointed to the hot water being an expensive addition to their energy bill.

If you don’t want to use hot water, appliance repair Alexandria recommends using water at different temperatures, especially if the materials in question allow it.

The common options include:

Cool water: You can use cool water if cleaning delicate items or items with dyes that might bleed. Cool water is also ideal for clothes that aren’t necessarily dirty.

Warm water is best suited for cleaning dark colors and moderately dirty loads.

If you are unsure about the right water temperature to go with, get the input of a professional.

Can You Run Washing Machine Empty?

With the ever-increasing water and electricity prices, the last thing you want is to run the machine with nothing inside.

Can you run washing machine empty? Yes, you can do it to clean it and keep it in tip-top condition.

According to washer repair professionals, when you run the washing machine empty and let the water off the interior, you clean any debris that might be there, ensuring that all the clothes coming from it are clean.

What is the best way to run an empty washing machine?

The best way to run an empty machine is to run it on a hot cycle with nothing inside. The hot wash means that you should run the machine at a cycle of at least 40 degrees, but for the best outcome, set it to the hottest option that you are aiming for.

The hot cycle is more beneficial if you regularly wash your clothes using the cold cycle. When the machine goes for a long time without coming into contact with hot water, bacteria and detergents accumulate inside.

The accumulated grime might start affecting the clothes that you wash as they might start coming out with lingering smells.

You remove bacteria when you run the hot cycle, so your clothes always come out clean and smelling fresh.

Washing machine professionals also recommend running an empty cycle on your machine before you start using it for your clothes or bedding. This is to ensure that there is no dust, oils, or any other residues inside the machine or its pipes.

Don’t use any cleaning products when running the empty cycle. If you want, you can give the cycle some power by adding two cups of vinegar into the detergent drawer.

You can also pour half a cup of bicarbonate of soda into the machine’s drum before setting it to the hottest cycle and letting the cleaning happen.

Other washing machine best practices

Besides running an empty cycle to keep the washing machine in top shape, there are plenty of other things you need to do to maintain your machine. These things include:

Put the detergents in the right place

The detergent you use can make or break your machine, so you should be cautious about how you use it. If using a liquid detergent, measure it with a measuring cup or dosing ball and place the entire ball in a washing machine drum after your clothes.

If using a powder, measure it using a scoop and pour it into the correct compartment of the detergent drawer. It’s also wise to add the washing tablets to the detergent drawer or the washing machine drum before you put your clothes.

Just like the washing machine tablets, pop the capsules at the back of the drum before the clothes and run the cycle.

Remove the clothes at the right time.

Some homeowners leave clothes in their washing machines, sometimes even overnight. This is wrong as the moisture from the wet clothes can lead to a buildup of mold in the drum or even on the clothes.

To avoid this, always remove the clothes from the washer as soon as the rinse cycle is complete, then dry the clothes naturally outside.

Remove everything from the pockets.

Plenty of washing machines have been reported getting damaged by coins, nails, and other materials after they have hit the insides of the washing machine. As you can tell, this leads to expensive repairs, and you don’t get to use your machine for some time.

To avoid this, always double-check your pockets and remove any materials there. From the tissues to plastic toys, remove all of them. You don’t want a stray tissue leaving your entire load covered in white fluff, do you?

Hire a professional when issues come about

Your washing machine will develop problems such as blocked water pipe and others. While you can fix some of these issues by yourself, always avoid doing so as the chances are high that you will cause more problems than were there.

To be safe, always hire an appliance repair Alexandria professional to fix any problem, regardless of its magnitude.

How Do You Fix An Unbalanced Washing Machine?

An unbalanced washing machine not only fails to clean the clothes properly, but it also makes a lot of noise that makes the washing experience unpleasant. In some cases, the unbalanced load damages the machine.

Have you noticed that your washing machine is unbalanced and are wondering how do you fix an unstable washing machine? There are plenty of ways to go about it, and the beauty is you don’t need to hire a washer repair professional to help you out.

Level the feet

When the washing machine feet are unbalanced, they cause a lot of vibration that is off-putting, so if your appliance is vibrating too much during a cycle, the first place to check is the appliance’s feet.

If some of the feet are too short, turn them to “loosen,” and they will come downward and contact the floor. The vibration should stop when all four feet come into contact with the ground.

Remove the shipping materials.

If you recently installed the washing machine and it’s already vibrating, the chances are high that it’s due to the shipping materials still in place.

In top loading washers, there is usually a shipping bolt at the bottom center of the machine that you are supposed to remove, and if you don’t remove it, the washer tends to vibrate when running a cycle.

Top-loading washers also have three shipping bolts, metal clamps, and spacers at the back of the washer. Some models even have other materials that you need to remove before you run a cycle.

You should refer to the installation instruction for your appliance and ensure that you remove all the shipping materials before using the machine.

Check for overloading

If your appliance doesn’t vibrate and the vibration just started after placing a new load, chances are this is due to overloading. Remove the clothes and run the cycle with a smaller load.

To avoid this problem from coming about in the future, never load the dishwasher more than it’s designed to carry. You also should avoid stocking large items that get spun on one side, causing loud knocking and shaking of the machine.

Leave these items out and hand wash or dry clean them instead.

Watch out for damaged components.

If your appliance is old, chances are the unbalance is due to damaged parts. Some of the damaged parts that will cause vibrations include:

Suspension springs: Both top and front-loading machines have springs that hold the tub to the base or suspend it from the top. Ensure that these springs are connected, and none is distended. To maintain balance, don’t replace only one of the shocks—replace all.

Snubber ring: The snubber ring is made from plastic or felt, and it provides a cushion for the tub of the top-loading unit. When it wears out, the tub contacts the metal base.

Telltale signs that your snubber ring is worn out are dust on the plastic snubber or clumps. If you have the skills, you can replace the ring but if you have never done it before, let the work be done by a professional.

Driver bearings: Some front-loading washing machines have ball bearings between the motor shaft and tub spindle. If the casting wears out and one or more of the bearings get dislodged, the tub vibrates.

Fixing the driver bearings requires high skill levels, so if you have never handled a similar problem before, let an expert do the work. If your unit is old, disassembling it might be too costly, making it logical to replace it.

Check for laundry caught below the tub.

Sometimes the laundry can be caught below the tub or between the agitator and the inner tub, causing the washer to operate off balance with every load you run. According to appliance repair Northern VA professionals, this problem can be brought about by plenty of factors such as a penny, a button that fell off a shirt, a sock, or any other article of clothing.

If you can’t find the source of the problem, you may have to remove the front or top panel and sometimes even the agitator.

To get rid of the problem, remove the offending item and clean out any debris. You should then replace the agitator and panel before rerunning the machine.

Do Washing Machines Consume A Lot Of Electricity?

Have you just bought a washing machine and wondering, do washing machines consume a lot of electricity? Well, it’s hard to give a definite answer to this question as the appliance’s energy consumption is dependent on several factors that include:

Condition of the washing machine

Is your washing machine new? Is it old? This will significantly affect its energy consumption. An older appliance will consume more energy as it tends to run inefficiently.

The condition of the appliance will be primarily affected by how you take care of it. Do you hire washer repair technicians when it develops problems, or do you ignore it?

If you are a responsible homeowner and fix your appliance whenever it develops a problem, your appliance will run more efficiently and consume little energy, but if you ignore it to put off repair till a later date, you are in no luck as it will consume a lot of energy.

To keep your appliance in top shape, make it a habit to fix any problem as soon as it comes about. It’s also wise to hire an appliance tune-up professional at least once a year to tune up the appliance and fix any problematic areas.

Size of the washing machine

The other factor that will affect the energy consumption of your appliance is the size of the machine. As a rule of thumb, the larger the device, the higher the energy consumption.

This means that you should be cautious about the size of the machine you buy. If you live alone or have a small family, there is no point in purchasing a large, commercial appliance, as you will be pouring money down the drain with a huge electricity bill.

While a large machine might be consuming a lot of energy, you should note that sometimes you might have even higher bills if you overuse a small machine. For example, if you have a large family, having a small machine means you will have to run several loads at a time to clean all the clothes. As you can tell, when you have your appliance running all the time, you have a high-energy bill.

To save money, if you have a large family, get a large appliance. It will cost you more to purchase initially, but it will save you a lot in the long term.

Type of washing machine

The type of washing machine will also determine your energy consumption. If this is the first time buying the appliance, you should note that front-load washing machines are more efficient hence use less electricity and water, so these are the ones to go for.

Load size per wash

When you load just a few clothes, the machine will consume little energy, right? Wrong. The machine will consume the same amount of electricity as if it was fully loaded. So always fully load the machine to save money—never underload the machine, then run several cycles as you will receive a scary electricity bill at the end of the month.

You should note that there is a vast difference between fully loading and overloading the machine. As you can tell, overloading is when you load the machine more than it can handle. As much as you want to save energy, never overload as you risk damaging the machine’s drum bearings and belt.

An overloaded machine also doesn’t clean the clothes well enough, so you have to redo them.

Style of washing the clothes

You can wash the clothes in two ways—hot washing and cold washing them. As you can tell, hot washing is when you wash the clothes using hot water, and cold washing is when you wash them using cold water.

Since you need to use electricity to heat the water, hot washing usually consumes a lot of electricity. Unless necessary, avoid hot washing your clothes.

Type of detergent

While there are plenty of detergents, there are different detergents for top and front-loading machines. Choosing the wrong detergent means that you have to do multiple wash cycles, increasing energy consumption.

To avoid multiple wash cycles, always take your time to understand the right detergent to use. If not sure, get the input of an appliance repair Alexandria professional.

When Should You Replace A Washing Machine? Appliance Repair Professionals Answer

appliance repiar

Like other appliances, it comes a time when you have to get a new washing machine. When should you replace a washing machine? You will hear many people asking. Sadly, signs that your appliance is on its way out aren’t too obvious, so you have to be keen to pick them out.

To help you out, here are signs given by appliance repair professionals that your appliance is giving up on you:

The machine is leaking excessively.

Do you have water on your floor every time you do laundry? Your washing machine has a problem. Some problems are easy to fix, but in other cases, they are a sign of a much larger problem and it’s time to get a new appliance.

Your appliance will leak due to plenty of reasons. One of the most common ones is due to a broken hose. Most washing machines have two hoses: one for hot water and the other for cold.

These hoses connect the washer to the water source, which is typically in the wall. Like other hoses, since they are pressurized, they are prone to cracking and rupturing.

If having a leaking problem, inspect the hoses. If they have cracked, you have nothing to worry about as they are easy to replace. To avoid future leakages, replace both hoses. Not one.

The leakage might also be due to a damaged seal. Seals don’t come cheap, so before replacing them, determine whether you should get new seals or invest in a new appliance.

If your washing machine is more than 10 years old, you are better off getting a new unit.

You also should get a new appliance if the washer tub is cracked. This is because fixing a cracked tub is a major repair and not worth fixing if you have an old appliance.

The appliance is making a lot of noise.

It’s common for the washing machine to make some noise when working, but if yours is noisier than anticipated, you have a problem in your hands that you need to address as soon as possible.

Your appliance will sometimes sound as if it’s about to take a flight. You shouldn’t worry too much about this problem as it’s often a sign your machine is unbalanced. To fix the noise, position the washer so that all the feet are level.

You can do this by building or buying a platform for the washing machine to sit on. You can also check whether your washing machine has adjustable levels on its feet. Most of the modern appliances have them, and are easy to use.

If you try leveling the washing machine, but the noise won’t stop, you must be having a problem with your motor mount or drum. Contact a service technician to determine whether you can fix it and the amount of money it will cost you.

Again, if your appliance is old and the repair professional is charging a premium fee, there is no point in trying to fix it. Get a new unit.

Water doesn’t fill the drum.

If the drum in your washer isn’t filling up, you must be having delayed cycle selection, a problem with hot and cold water faucets, and hose kinks.

If you inspect all of these areas and they aren’t the source of the problem, your appliance might be having a complication such as with the water intake valve or filter, and this one needs an expert washing machine technician to look into it.

Issues with the switch and belts can also bring about this problem. Belts are easy to fix, but if the issue is due to a malfunctioning lid, you have to set out a significant amount to cater for the repairs.

Depending on the age of the washing machine and the amount charged by the repair professional, you should determine whether you should repair the appliance or get a new appliance.

Final thoughts

Regardless of whether you decide to get a new washing machine or stretch more life from the old one, remember, a washing machine has a lifespan of about 10 years. If your unit requires complex repairs, you are better off replacing it, but if the repairs are minor, let a washer repair Springfield professional look into it.

Washer Repair: How To Use A Washing Machine

According to washer repair professionals, the primary reason homeowners damage their washing machines is due to improper use. Have you been having issues with your appliance? Here are washing machine dos and don’ts:

Do read the tags

It’s no secret washing machines have come a long way, but despite all the technological advancements, they can’t read tags and tell the right settings. It’s up to you to do it.

You should note that failure to read the tags results in color bleeding, fabric shrinking, and even damage to your priced attire.

 Don’t use extra detergent.

You might have the impression using extra laundry detergent will get the clothes cleaner, but this isn’t the case. You are better off washing your load twice in a row with a normal amount of detergent than use extra detergent.

If your clothes are too dirty, use the prewash setting that you can use to remove the extra dirt. The reason you shouldn’t use extra detergent is because extra soap won’t rinse away properly, so you will have your clothes still with soap by the time you are removing them from the washing machine.

Extra detergent also means water will remain in your clothes and wind up deposited on the interior of your washing machine, where it risks gunking up the appliance components.

Do balance the machine.

An unbalanced washing machine is not only noisy, but it also works harder, so you end up with a huge electricity bill at the end of the month. The overworking appliance also tends to have a shorter lifespan.

To solve this, balance your washing machine. Thankfully, the process is simple as it involves adjusting the machine on the bottom corners, which takes a few minutes, and you don’t need to involve a professional.

Don’t leave wet clothes inside.

When you are multitasking, it’s normal to forget you have clothes in your appliance, and they sit there for a long time. This is wrong as the clothes tend to grow mildew and smell, which is bad for you, your washing machine, and your clothes.

To avoid this, set a timer on your phone to know when the cleaning cycle is complete. Don’t let the clothes sit here for long. Switch them immediately to avoid a smelly, damaged load.

Do clean the washing machine.

Since you use the washing machine to clean the clothes, it remains clean, so you don’t need to clean it, right? Wrong. Like any other appliance, you should clean your washing machine regularly.

Set the machine to a hot cycle and add a cup of vinegar to it. This will sanitize it and remove the off-putting smells. You don’t need to involve a technician but if you aren’t handy, let them help you out.

Don’t overload the machine.

Cramming the entire load in one go won’t save water or energy. You also won’t complete your work fast. Clothes crammed in the washing machine don’t move around enough to get a proper clean, so you are forced to rewash them.

For best results, put just enough clothes in the washing machine.

In the same way, you shouldn’t overload the machine, you shouldn’t wash small loads using a large load cycle as the machine will consume a lot of water and energy. Use the right cycle for your load size.

Do empty your pockets.

Before you put the clothes in the washing machine, check whether there are tissues, coins, keys, or any other item in your pockets. Remember, even a small item such as a coin or metallic button can damage the washing machine. Items such as tissues can cover the entire load in white fluff, forcing you to repeat the cleaning.

Do let expert professionals handle complex faults.

Even with the best care, it’s common for the washing machine to develop problems. For example, the water pipe can get blocked. When such issues come about, unless you have the skills, let a certified and experienced commercial appliance repair Alexandria technician handle them.

You don’t want to attempt fixing the appliance and cause more problems than were initially there, do you? When hiring the repair technician, ensure they are experienced enough. They also should be insured so you are safe in the event of an accident.

Washer Repair: Washing Machine Dos And Don’ts

Despite washing machines being around for a long time, homeowners do things that put the machines at the risk of getting damaged. Washer repair experts recommend that you be cautious of the things you do to your washing appliance. Here are a few washing machine dos and don’ts you should be cautious about:

Do read the tags

Washing machines have technologically made great leaps over the years, and they make cleaning easy and efficient. Unfortunately, despite the advances, they still can’t read tags and choose the right settings—you have to help them.

Before you put clothes in the washing machine, check the manufacturer’s instructions on the right settings. Failing to read and follow the tag can cause the fabric colors to bleed, the fabric to shrink, or even damage your entire laundry.

Do learn how to operate the washing machine

There are all types of washing machines that have different settings and set up methods. To ensure you don’t damage your laundry, learn how to set your washing machine. This way, you will know how to choose the right settings for the specific clothes you are looking to wash.

The cool thing is that all the information is on the manufacturer’s manual. Don’t be like the other homeowners that throw away the manual as soon as they get the machine. Go through the manual and understand all the bells and whistles of the machine.

Do zip the zippers

When you are in a hurry stuffing clothes in the washing machine, it’s common to forget about the zippers on the jeans and hoodies. When you put the zipped clothes in the same load as the delicate clothing, the zip can snug on the threads and pull at them.

To avoid this, always take a double check on all the zipped clothes and leave the zippers unzipped.

While you are at it, also take a look at the pockets. Do they have coins, markers, or any other foreign objects? Remove them if present.

When the foreign objects fall out of the pockets, they end up clogging the washer’s drain. This not only brings about a lot of inconvenience, but it also requires you to hire an expensive washer appliance repair company to fix the problem.

Don’t overload the machine

It can be tempting to want to clean all the clothes in one washer cycle. While this is possible when you have a small load, you have to do two or more cycles when you have a lot of clothes to clean.

Don’t put too many clothes than the machine can handle. For the machine to optimally clean the clothes, water should get around all the clothes.

When you overload the machine, water doesn’t have enough room to get around, hence you don’t give the clothes the clean look they deserve.

Overloading also puts the machine at the risk of getting damaged. The practice makes the motor work much harder than it should, which increases its likelihood of blowing up.

To avoid this, always double-check the maximum capacity of the washing machine. You also should make a habit of weighing the laundry bag before you put the clothes in the machine. When in doubt, clean the clothes in multiple loads.

Do clean the washing machine

Since washing machines do the cleaning work they don’t need to be cleaned, right? Wrong! Just like any other appliance in your home, you need to clean the washing machine regularly to keep it functioning efficiently. The practice also ensures the machine lasts for a long time.

When cleaning the machine, you pick up even the minor issues and fix them before they get worse.

To keep the appliance in pristine shape, clean it once a month. Clean the machine thoroughly both on the inside and outside.

Do level the machine

Does your washing appliance shake and rattle, or even worse, “walk” forward while in use? It means it’s not sitting level. In addition to destroying the floor and walls, an unleveled appliance also damages the internal mechanisms.

You don’t need to hire an appliance repair Northern VA professional to level the machine for you. Simply adjust the legs until they are even with the floor. Once done, gently lean on the machine to confirm the legs aren’t shifting around.

Washer Repair: 5 Things You Should Know About Washing Machines

While washing machines have been around for a while, many people don’t know much about them. To help you out, here are some of the things you should know about them as given by washer repair professionals:

Front-loading machines are better

If you have been researching washing machines, you must have come across front-loading machines. One of the things you should know about the machines is that they are much better than top-loading machines in many ways.

Front-loading machines tend to wash and dry clothes much better than their top-loading counterparts. The machines also tend to be more efficient when it comes to water and soap usage.

Advances in technology have made the machines one of the most silent units in the market.

For you to get the most from the units, you should buy high quality machines that have a proven record.

It’s easy to be confused about the right machines that you should buy. If you don’t have time to do your research, ask a professional to help you in selecting the right machine.

Be cautious when filling the machine

Washing machines come with different load capacities. The capacities are often measured in volumes and marked in kilograms. You are highly discouraged from stuffing the clothes as you won’t achieve optimum wash, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t fill the machine.

You should note that you can go ahead and completely fill the machine with clothes and still give your clothes an optimum wash. All you need to do is to give your clothes a minimum compression.

While you shouldn’t give much thought to filling up the machine, you shouldn’t overfill the unit to the extent that the clothes don’t turn.

More detergent doesn’t mean better results

If you ask many people, they will tell you that adding more detergent to the clothes makes them get clean faster, but this isn’t the case. Using excessive amounts of detergents tends to make it difficult for the washing machine to get rid of the entire detergent in one single standard round of rinsing, hence the machine keeps on working.

In addition to you having a huge electricity bill at the end of the month as a result of the washing machine overworking, it also tends to damage the washer.

The rule of the thumb is to only use the amount of detergent that is ideal for the load you are looking to clean. The cool thing is that most detergent packaging give directions on the number of cups of detergent that you should use.

In addition to reducing the working of the washing machine, using minimal amounts of detergent tends to minimize the chances of washing spots and marks showing up.

Hot water cleans the clothes better

For you to give your clothes the perfect look, you should aim to clean them using hot water. Different clothes require different temperatures. Before you put the clothes in the water, take a look at the textile tags and check the temperature they can handle.

While hot water tends to give better results, you should note that most of the modern washing machines don’t require heat for them to give the clothes a clean wash.

If you feel that you should clean the clothes using hot water, you should be ready to have high energy bills at the end of the month. This is because the washing machine tends to consume a lot of energy to heat the water.

In addition to the hot water giving your clothes a better look, it also disinfects the clothes hence you have cleaner and safe clothes.

You need to clean the washing machine

It might seem ironical that you have to clean the washing machine that is designed to clean clothes, but for it to look good and last for a long time, you have to clean it.

Commercial appliance repair Alexandria professionals recommend that you clean the washing machine in and around the lid after every few washes. Remember to keep the lid open in order to air the machine.

For a thorough wash, fill the tub with water and a few drops of bleach. You should then run the machine’s longest available cycle.