Caring for Your Washing Machine

People lead very hectic lives these days. That, despite the fact that technology is constantly evolving, supposedly with the aim of making lives easier. However, we can’t deny the fact that technology has also paved the way for modern conveniences that make household chores a breeze. One prime example of these is the washing machine.

Now, gone are the days when you had to use your hands (kept safe by gloves) to wash and wring your clothes. You simply load your soiled clothes in your washing machine, fill it with water, add laundry detergent, and set the time for a full cycle. With some washing machines, you don’t even have to fill them with water. Just pour in some detergent in the receptacle, set the time, choose the cycle, and that’s it; water would automatically pour to fill the tub, stop once it reaches the right level for the load, and the washing cycle begins.

keep ’em squeaky clean

As convenient as it is, though, a washing machine is not built for eternity. It’s bound to succumb to ultimate wear and tear. Nevertheless, you can prolong its life if you take care of it properly. How can you do that?

1. Avoid overloading the washing machine. Why is that? When you overload your washer, you’re bound to ruin its rhythm and put it out of balance. It will never work the same again once this happens, which means you won’t ever be able to wash your clothes properly.

   Even if you have a mountain of dirty clothes to wash, never attempt to stuff these in the washer all at the same time. Instead, divide your clothes into several batches. Separate whites from colored. Wash soft garments and delicates separately other heavier clothing. Make a separate batch for pants. Dividing your clothes into batches is a good way to ensure your washing machine stays in tip-top form. Besides, overloading your washer is the fastest way to ruin your clothes, and you don’t want that to happen.

2. Remember: More is not always better especially when it comes to laundry detergent and/or fabric conditioner. While these are made for use with washing machines, these still contain corrosive components that might eventually ruin your washer.

   Avoid spilling these chemicals in the tub. Moreover, make sure to clean the tub thoroughly after using the washing machine to remove laundry detergent and fabric conditioner residues. You can do this by spinning water in the tub and draining it afterwards. Perform this step twice, one after the other.

3. The knobs and other control buttons on the washing machine are fragile. Be more careful when turning knobs or pressing buttons, especially the one for the timer since that is often the most expensive part. The last thing you want is to break the plastic knobs and dials off.

4. Drain the machine of excess water. In addition, don’t leave water in it for too long to avoid leaving a musty smell in the tub. You may leave the lid of the washer open to allow it to dry. Otherwise, wipe the insides of the tub with a soft dry cloth to rid it of excess water.

5. When you have been using the washing machine for a long time, you might start to notice that water pressure is not as strong as it was when you first started using it. That may be because the filter needs cleaning already. So make sure to clean all the parts of the machine especially the filter. The filter is usually located where the water hose is inserted. Try peering into the hole and you’ll find the filter there. You can remove it using a pair of tweezers. Rinse it with water until it’s free from dirt and place it back before inserting the water hose back.

The most important thing to remember is to use the washing machine properly, and by properly, we mean gently. It might make washing clothes more convenient and easier, but it’s not a workhorse. Even if you clean it thoroughly after every use, no amount of cleaning would do if you don’t know how to use the washer properly. It may be an inanimate object but it needs TLC, too.