Gentle care for delicate fabrics
Though fabric damage can occur during the washing process, it is very unlikely that the damage to be due to the faulty washer. Fabric damage is normally caused before the cloth is washed or due to oversights in washing procedures.
In many ways, clothing can get damaged like holes, tears or deterioration, including:
Age and Normal Wear and Tear
- Under conditions of normal use and wear, the textile eventually ages making it easy to get torn under stress. Collar tips and cuffs are usually damaged due to sweating & rubbing during normal wear.
Chemical Damage
- Contact with strong chemicals such as undiluted chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, hair dyes etc. can cause holes and tears. In many cases the tearing occurs late; after some time and/or washing on many occasions.
- The use of excessive chlorine bleach is a common cause of tearing. Dilute bleach in water before adding it to a washer without a dispenser. Models with a bleach dispenser do not need to have bleach diluted. Nevertheless, add the bleach before placing clothes into the washer to avoid inadvertently spilling it on the clothes.
Snagging
- Snags in cotton knits may happen during wear. Generally, they are not noticed before washing but become small holes after washing and/or drying. Zippers and hooks may also snag items if left open during the washing process. Close all zippers and hooks. Similarly, pins & ornaments that are not removed from clothes may damage them. Remove all such items before washing.
Improper Loading
- At times, small items with straps or lace can be caught under the pulsator or agitator. Using a mesh bag for such items is suggested.
Sunlight Damage
- Tearing and discolouration can also occur over a period of time to items exposed to sunlight. Since the fabrics are weakened by the sunlight, the stress of washing or drying may cause holes and tearing.
Locking in colour for long
Fabric discolouration is typically not caused by the washer. Many times fabric discolouration occurs from poor dyes being washed out of fabric or improper sorting before washing the clothes. (e.g. placing a red item in with white items).
Below given is a list of the different types of fabric discolouration, and their causes:
Colour Loss
- This is usually related to some type of strong chemical contact with products such as chlorine bleach etc. used in skin care products, home permanent solutions etc. Similarly, some dyes change colour very readily upon contact with any mild acid or alkaline substance. Common acid-containing substances include hair sprays and beverages. Mild alkalines include shampoo, toothpaste etc.
Dye Transfer
- This generally occurs when unstable dyes are used in manufacturing the item. Colour bleeding from one section of the garment to another, and damp items left lying in the washer after the cycle or in a pile before washing can also cause dye transfer. In addition, many new garments are overdyed to produce very bright, rich colours. This results in dye removal and/or transfer when washed.
- The manufacturer of the garment is normally expected to provide proper care labels.
Linting
- Lint is small fibres of certain fabric that have broken off during wear or washing. The washing process will always create some lint. However, the majority of lint that is produced during washing is trapped by lint filters on the washer and flushed down the drain during the spin portion of the cycle. Excessive lint is usually due to reasons other than the washer design or a mechanical malfunction.
- Improper draining can increase lint.
Pilling
- Pilling is commonly found on socks, sweaters, slacks, shirt collars and cuffs, around pockets or on any area subjected to abrasion. Since manufactured fibres are very strong, the pills do not break off completely and can be difficult to remove. In addition, lint can become enmeshed in the balls of fibre, which makes the pilling appear more obvious. Natural fibres like cotton, linen, or wool may pill but the balls of fibre are usually removed during washing.
Getting better cleaning results
Follow these guidelines to drastically improve the results achieved by your machine with each wash:Plan laundry to wash and always use the washing machine to its full capacity.
- Select the water level as per load.
- Soak clothes to improve washing results while conserving energy.
- Select suitable wash program timings as per wash load.
- In most washing machines, only mechanical energy (washer action) and chemical energy (detergent/bleach) are utilised. With hot water thermal energy also plays a part to wash heavily soiled clothes and sanitise them.
Reducing the residue on clothes
Residue, which appears as white streaks on clothing or resembles lint, is often noticeable on clothes after they are washed. Over a period of time, clothes may feel rough and colours may become dull.
There are several causes of residue:
Detergents, incorrect quantity of detergent, cold water washing
- Water temperature recommendations:
- HOT (48 °C–60 °C) - White and heavily soiled colourfast items
- WARM (30 °C–40 °C) - Most loads
- COLD (18 °C–24 °C) - Only very bright colours with light soil
- Water below 18 °C is not recommended for washing.
Overloading
- If there is an excessive wash load, the residue, soil and lint cannot be rinsed away and will instead be deposited on the fabrics. Once the washer has filled with water, the clothes need to have space to circulate in the washtub so that detergent and foam do not get trapped in the folds of the fabric
Rinse added Fabric Softener
- A chemical reaction between fabric softener, detergent and detergent foam may sometimes create a white deposit on clothes. It is important to dilute fabric softener with lukewarm water in the fabric softener dispenser cup.
General Mechanical Problems
- Check the fill hoses for sharp bends and the screens in the fill hoses for residue buildup. Both of these affect the water pressure. Decreased water pressure reduces the effectiveness of the spray rinses.
Check for residue build-up in the washer.
Top Load Machine
- Check the drain time. Fill the washer without load with water. Manually advance the cycle to "spin". Time for 10–15 minutes and open the lid to see if all the water is drained. If water remains in the tub, check the drain hose for sharp bends and the drain for any restrictions.
Front Load Machine
- Check the drain time. Manually advance the cycle to "spin". Time for 10–15 minutes.
Check for residue build-up in the washer and dispenser. Running the tub through a regular cycle with no clothes should remove any detergents or additives.
Preventing entangling of clothes in the wash
Since part of the mechanical action of a washer is to circulate the clothes for good cleaning (up down, round round), tangling is possible. Clothes need to roll over during the wash cycle to get clean. However, certain loading practices increase the likelihood of clothes tangling as they roll over.
Tangling is usually related to the following conditions.
General
- Washing only one type of clothing (all shirts or bed sheets or saris).
- For best results, load the washer with items of different sizes to allow free circulation in water.
- Not fastening belts, hooks and buttons before washing.
- Fastening these reduces the tangling of clothes.
Top Load Machine
- Wrapping shirts and sheets around the agitator.
- Not using a proper water fill. Not using sufficient water or overloading can cause tangling. Clothes should be placed in the washer loosely.
- On the other hand, if too much water is used for a small volume of clothes, the extra water action can also increase tangling. Try to match the amount of water to the volume of clothes. If the load is not heavily soiled, reducing the agitation time will also help minimise tangling. In addition, be sure to select a delicate wash action, if available, to wash delicate garments. Placing delicate or "strappy" items, such as bras, nylons, slips, etc., in a mesh bag while being washed helps.
Front Load Machine
- Check the drain time. Manually advance the cycle to "spin". Time for 10–15 minutes.
Check for residue build-up in the washer and dispenser. Running the tub through a regular cycle with no clothes should remove any detergents or additives.
Keep rust stains at bay
Rust stains are usually caused by iron or manganese in the water supply. It can also come from rusty water lines. The water should be tested for iron or manganese content if required.
Here’s why iron can be found in the water supply:
- Dissolved iron in water is not visible as it comes from a tap but you may see it on your tub or clothes. A water softener may be needed if staining becomes a problem.
- Suspended iron in water can be seen and settles out. This type of iron is difficult to remove without a filtering system.
To remove rust stains:
- Use a rust remover as per the instructions. Do not use chlorine bleach as it can make rust stains darker.
Freshness ensured
- Chemical build-up from detergents and fabric softeners can often leave an unpleasant odour. We recommend the following tips for maintaining a clean and odour-free tub.
Front Load Machine
- Clean the lower rubber gasket with a non-abrasive scrubbing agent.
Fill the bleach compartment with liquid chlorine bleach and add a scoop of detergent to the water. Take lukewarm water and regular cycle/heavy. Allow the cycle to complete for the freshening process.
Top Load Machine
- We recommend that you run a cycle of hot water with one cup of bleach once a week. You may do this with or without clothing in the cycle.
- For stubborn chemical cleaning, run a cycle of hot water with one-quarter of white vinegar once a month. Do NOT add clothing to this cycle.
- During hot weather and high humidity, keep the lid open when the machine is not in use.