In most households, the washing machine is among the hardest-working appliances. In fact, depending on the size of your family, your washer is liable to tackle multiple loads per day. Given how much most households depend on their washers – and how expensive a good washing machine can be – it’s in your best interest to keep yours in prime condition for as long as possible. Fortunately, this is much easier than many families make it look. Anyone who wants to get the best possible performance out of their washer for the longest possible time should heed the following pointers.
Avoid Overloading
Overloading is among the most common mistakes people make with regard to washing machine maintenance. Frankly, it isn’t hard to see why so many families habitually overload their washers. Since laundry is a chore, most people want to devote as little time to it as possible, and cramming as many clothes into a single load as possible can be an effective way to do that. However, while this may mean less time spent on laundry, it also stands to impact both the functionality of your washer and the overall quality of the wash.
Heavy loads have a tendency to throw washers off balance, thereby impacting the rhythm and resulting in a lower quality wash. If overloading becomes a regular occurrence, your washer may incur permanent damage, which will have an effect on the quality of every load you wash moving forward. You can nip this problem in the bud by sticking to the load sizes recommended by your washer’s owner’s manual. While washing as many clothes as you possibly can in a single load may be tempting, it’s hardly conducive to extending the life of your washer.
Deep Clean Your Washer
Every washing machine needs the occasional deep cleaning. This helps ensure that clothes come out their cleanest and prevent the formation of mold, mildew and foul odors. While deep cleaning a washing machine may initially strike you as an arduous undertaking, it’s actually very simple and requires only minimal effort on your part. Just purchase a high-quality washing machine cleaner, pour the recommended amount into your washer and run an empty load. If you’re not interested in using over-the-counter cleaners, there are numerous at-home cleaners that are just as effective and very easy to make.
Simply leaving your washer door open after completing loads can also prove effective in the fight against mold, mildew and bad smells. Leaving to door or lid open ensures that moisture in the drum and washing machine is able to evaporate, thereby preventing the aforementioned issues from taking hold.
Don’t Overuse Detergent
It’s easy to see why so many people overuse detergent. After all, is it possible for clothes to be too clean? While this line of thinking is understandable, it can also prove detrimental to the long-term health of your washer. Using more than the recommended amount of detergent not only stands to damage clothing, it can also prove problematic for both water pipes and washing machine motors.
Find a Dependable Maintenance Service
Even the most reliable washer is bound to encounter the occasional hiccup. As such, it pays to acquaint yourself with a dependable washing machine repair and maintenance service. A seasoned professional will be able to identify and fix an expansive array of both minor and pressing issues. When it comes to washing machine maintenance, it pays to deal with seemingly small problems as early as possible. The longer these issues are allowed to linger, the costlier they’ll ultimately be to repair. So the next time your washer begins acting up, abstain from adopting a “wait and see” approach.
Depending on the size of your household, your washing machine may be put through its paces on a daily basis. Given the amount of dirty laundry produced by most families, it’s easy to see why washers are often regarded as one of the most vital everyday appliances. However, as is the case with any heavy-duty appliance, washing machines can be very expensive to repair and replace. As such, it behooves cost-conscious households to make their washers last. Fortunately, with the aid of the tips discussed above, this shouldn’t prove difficult.