True to their name, washing machines are perfect for refreshing our favourite outfits. Leaving them spotlessly clean, and free from any odours. However, operating a washing machine is not as simple as just throwing your clothes into the drum and hoping for the best. There’s something of an art to using a washing machine. To get the best results, you need to know how to make the most of the appliance.
But how can you get your clothes really clean? What are the secrets to using a washing machine at its very best? If you’ve ever felt like your washing machine was squandering its own potential, then this is absolutely the guide for you.
We asked our Reliant tech experts for some of their top tips to get your clothes extra clean. Want to find out what they told us? Just read on down below!
How Do I Get My Clothes Extra Clean In The Washing Machine?
Fill It Up Efficiently
It’s easy to overlook the importance of motion in the washing process. The central drum of your washing machine is designed to spin, creating a motion that lightly beats the dirt out of your clothes. The spin also allows your various detergents to get to work, allowing them to spread across every inch of fabric.
If you overfill your washing machine, you make it much harder for your clothes to move around during a given cycle. This can then result in a far less satisfying clean!
Make sure to fill up your washing machine efficiently. Two-thirds of the total capacity is perfect for allowing your clothes room to move without risking underfilling it, and wasting water and electricity!
To give your clothes plenty of room to move, while not underfilling it, make sure to fill it up to around two-thirds full. This allows plenty of room for motion.
Use Laundry Boosters!
Various laundry boosters are available across the market that can help to improve the efficiency of a washing machine, and even the efficiency of your average detergent. Be sure to check these boosters before using them. Some are best for use with certain detergents and may have their own instructions for use.
Just make sure not to confuse fabric softener with other laundry boosters. Fabric softener is intended only for use with very specific fabrics, and if used too often, can actually damage them!
Try Baking Soda
If you’re stuck for options when it comes to laundry boosters, then you can also count on trusty baking soda to help you get the job done. We know it might sound mad, but it really can help to enhance any given cycle.
Simply adding half a cup of baking soda to each laundry load can help not only boost stain removal but also create a fresh odour. Baking soda is actually a very natural laundry booster that’s easy to get your hands on.
Baking soda is also particularly great with white fabrics. The natural enzymes found in baking soda not only help to eliminate grime but also bring a certain shininess to whites.
Baking soda is also great for the continued health of the appliance. It can lift dirt that’s trapped in the crevices of the drum, and can even be used to scrub away at some of those stubborn pockets of caked-on dirt on the drum!
Check For Hard Water
If your clothes are consistently coming out of the washing machine only half cleaned, and with strange odours, then it might be worth checking whether you have a hard water supply. A hard water supply is simply one that has a high concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. It’s important to note that these minerals are not harmful, so don’t worry if you’ve been using hard water for some time.
However, if left unchecked, these minerals can propagate throughout your washing machine. Leaving deposits of limescale across the drum. These deposits can also gather on your clothes. This leaves the clothes susceptible to strong odours, and to gathering dirt.
A hard water supply is generally harmless, but it can wreak havoc on your washing machine and your laundry. We recommend using water softeners to prevent limescale from gathering on the appliance, and your clothes!
If you have a hard water supply, don’t worry. There are all kinds of laundry booster products available that can help to soften your water with every cycle. This helps to protect your clothes, and your washing machine in one go!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Get My Clothes Really Clean?
If you want your clothes to come out of the washing machine looking spotless, there are a few things you can do. One is to ensure you’re filling it up correctly. Fill it to around two-thirds of capacity. This ensures high efficiency while still giving the clothes room to move. Make sure to also use laundry boosters. These can be used to enhance the performance of your detergents, or even improve the quality of water.
Can You Put Baking Soda Directly In The Washing Machine?
Yes. It’s generally best to add half a cup of baking soda directly into the drum itself. Don’t simply drop the baking soda into the dispenser drawer. If placed in the dispenser drawer it runs the risk of lingering and becoming trapped. This can then make it harder for your actual detergents to enter the unit during a cycle.
How Much Baking Soda Do I Use To Wash Clothes?
You should add no more than half a cup of baking soda to your washing machine. Baking soda foams up very quickly, so if you were to add too much, you risk it clinging to your clothes. Baking soda should be deposited straight into the drum of the washing machine, and should not be added to the dispenser drawer.
