Wash Away: Items That Can Go In The Washer
While you may be aware that you can wash bras and bathing suits, there are some unexpected items that you can feel confident about putting in your machine. Of course, it is a good idea to check the individual cleaning instructions on your items, but generally, you can wash items including:
- Mop Heads: When you’re cleaning up your floors, you may give little thought to the state of your mop. But, if you ignore the mop head, you’re just asking to transfer grime and dirt onto your newly cleaned floor. Fortunately, most removable mop heads can simply be thrown into the wash. This will not only ensure that you can enjoy sparkling clean floors, but you can extend the lifespan of your mop.
- Oven Mitts: When you’re cooking up a storm, it is easy to get food spills on your oven mitts. Whether you’re pulling a pizza out of the oven, checking a casserole or making a lasagna, it is easy to get food on your oven mitt. Unfortunately, the heat of the oven can quickly set these stains, so they are caked on and hard to clean. So, don’t struggle washing your oven mitt by hand, allow your washing machine to tackle the hard work.
- Yoga Mats: Whether you’re enjoying a relaxing yoga session or tackling a HITT workout, your yoga mat is exposed to grime and perspiration. So, when you roll your mat up after your workout, you’re just asking for germs and bacteria to start to breed on the surface. Most mats are machine washable, so periodically give yours a quick wash.
Avoid: Don’t Damage Your Machine or Stuff
Some items can not withstand the rigors of a washing machine cycle or could cause damage to your machine, leading to costly repairs. Here are some items that you should definitely avoid putting in your machine.
- Flammable Stains: If you’ve been dealing with flammable materials and got a little careless, you should think carefully about putting splashed clothing items into your washing machine. Flammable stains can cause problems for your washer and could even start a fire. This includes things like gasoline, paint thinner, alcohol, or motor oil. So, pretreat these stains by hand before putting them in the wash.
- Coins: If you hear jingling when you’re transferring clothes from your hamper to the washing machine, it isn’t a celebratory noise. It is a potential death knell for your washer. Coins and other loose items can work their way into the machine and cause serious problems. So, be sure to go through your pockets to check for loose change or other stray items before they go into the machine.
- Car Keys: Another loose item that often finds its way into the washer is car keys. On a busy day, it is easy to forget your keys are in your pocket and drop them in the hamper. Unfortunately, batteries and washing machines don’t mix. You could not only damage your keys, but the keys themselves could puncture or tear your clothing. In a worst case scenario, the keys could even become trapped in the workings of the machine, leading to a repair call out.
If your washing machine is not operating correctly and you think you may have put an unsuitable item in the wash, you can rely on an experienced repair technician to help. The technician can assess your machine and trace any underlying problems to provide a repair solution.
