IF your washing machine and clothes are starting to smell a little musty after a cycle, there’s an easy fix.
An appliance repair expert shared the common mistake that may be damaging your washer and preventing your clothes from getting clean.
In her viral video, Renae (@renduh) explained how suds can prevent your clothes from being cleaned and they can also cause damage to your washer.
According to the professional, detergent cleans your clothes by loosening the soil out of the fibres and flushing it out.
This action creates a thing layer of trapped air, which forms bubbles in your machine.
These bubbles pick up the soils which are still loose, and both should ideally be removed during the rinse cycle.
However, if you add to much detergent to your load, your machine won’t have enough time or water to effectively any extra suds.
“When your washer goes to drain, detergent bubbles will remain on top of the laundry,” Renae warned her audience.
Once your washer has drained, the spin cycle will pull the excess water out but the soils will only be redeposited into your clothing.
Any excess dirt will start to build up in your machine, causing it to smell.
Renae referenced an explanation by Tide, which clarified that too many suds prevent your clothes from rubbing against each other, the very action which cleans them.
“If you’re seeing suds after the rinse cycle, your clothes are not getting clean,” she explained.
This error can also cause a suds lock in your machine, meaning there are too many bubbles for your drain pump to pull out.
Renae compared the dilemma to drink a frothy drink with whipped cream on top.
Once you have drank the liquid, it can be difficult to suck the remaining cream through your straw.
The bubbles become too light and cling to the inside of the cup, making the impossible to reach without moving your straw.
Since your machine can’t move the drain like a straw, this build-up remains inside.
More laundry tips
- Dry your whites outside: the sun’s natural rays help to bleach materials.
- Hot washes often lock them in stains rather than lift them, stick to 60 degrees max.
- Tennis balls can help to soften towels and bed linens as well as shorten their drying time.
- Air drying, using fabric conditioner, and storing in a cool place once dry can help boost scents.
- Freezing clothing items can help freshen them up.
- Keep coloured fabrics bright with a little fabric conditioner but not too much or it will build up over time.
- Wash clothes with a zip or delicate items inside out to prevent snagging.
- Fix shrunken clothes by reshaping them when wet and laying flat to dry.
- Run a short warm wash with about 450ml of vinegar to tackle a smelly machine.
- NEVER put wet wool in the dryer.
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the advice in the comments section.
“I never knew bubbles were so gross,” wrote one disgusted follower.
“Dang, you’re good. This information is SO useful,” said another commenter.
“That’s why I always do a second rinse,” commented a third person.
“Great explanation and example,” wrote another impressed TikTok user.
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