How to properly put bed linen in the washing machine?

Proper placement of items in the machine ensures high-quality washing and rinsing, and also protects the washing machine itself from imbalance. It is especially important to monitor the loading of the drum when washing bedding, which, due to its volume, needs “air” and likes to clump and upset the balance of the drum.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, you need to learn how to prepare and properly place bed linen in the washing machine drum. We suggest you figure out how much to put and whether to fold it.

Preliminary preparation

Preparation for washing begins far from the washing machine - at the basket with dirty clothes. Not everyone knows, but soiled laundry can only be stored dry, in containers with holes and not for too long. Otherwise, due to dampness and long-term storage, mold will grow on the fabric, the unpleasant odor will increase, and dirt will penetrate deep into the fibers. It will be much more difficult to return such clothes to their original freshness and cleanliness.

Before washing, bed linen is sorted by fabric type and color!

But you cannot immediately send laundry from the basket to the machine. It is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory measures:

• sort by type of fabric (synthetics, cotton, delicates, wool and silk, wash separately);
• divide all things into three groups: white and light, dark and black, colored;
• Turn the pillowcase and duvet cover inside out;
• shake off hair, dust and animal fur from the fabric.

The next step is to assess the contamination of the items, since if there are stubborn stains, preliminary washing and boiling will be necessary. If some areas of the fabric are affected by grease or coffee, then these areas should be treated with a stain remover before loading into the washing machine. Afterwards, focusing on the type and color of the laundry, we plan the conditions for the upcoming cycle: water heating temperature, spin intensity, the need for rinsing and the appropriate mode.

How many kits should I load?

Sorting involves not only separating items by type and color of fabric, but also grouping them by volume. Each model has its own capacity - maximum and minimum drum loading weight per cycle. These parameters are indicated on the machine body and in the instructions.

It is important to understand that the kilograms indicated in the instructions were calculated by the manufacturer using cotton as an example. Other types of fabric may be heavier and bulkier, so it is better to use the fullness of the drum as a guide. It is recommended to lay the bedding so that half or a third of the tank remains empty. If you don’t want to take risks and estimate by eye, then we weigh the laundry with a cantor and take 10 liters for each kg. Another option is to purchase a washing machine with a built-in auto-weighing function.

There is no need to neglect the weight of the items being washed, as the results will be inevitable and disastrous. If the drum is overloaded, an imbalance will occur with subsequent damage to the inside of the machine, and if there is a lack of things, the machine will refuse to wash, will hum and overexert itself. Fortunately, many modern models are able to detect drum imbalance and stop the cycle urgently. But in any case, washing will not be successful.

Do you need to fold laundry?

After sorting and dividing the linen into “piles”, you can begin to put the bedding in the drum. No one asks you to fold your sheets into perfect piles, since it will be more difficult for water and detergent to reach all areas of the fabric, and a fully tucked set will not stretch well. But it is also not advisable to crumple the linens - the duvet cover will become very wrinkled.

The “golden mean” would be to fold the laundry into an untidy pile. You need to fold the bedding into the usual rectangular “pack”, but without enthusiasm, leveling or pressing. There should be a space between the layers through which the soap solution will penetrate inside and begin to clean the fabric, and the rib punches will turn the set over without any problems.

No need to crumple your laundry!

Affects the quality of washing and the sequence of styling. Testing has shown that it is advisable to distribute laundry as follows:

• Place a loosely folded duvet cover on the bottom;
• place a folded sheet on top;
• then throw in the pillowcase.

When washing two sets, the sequence is maintained: first comes a pair of duvet covers, followed by sheets, and pillowcases at the very top. The main thing is not to crush the “tower”, but to straighten the layers of fabric as much as possible.

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