“The One Thing You Should Never Do When Using a Washing Machine: A Guide to Efficient Laundry”

Although washing machines are easy to use, there are many misconceptions about their proper use. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your laundry efforts aren’t wasted.

**Washing underwear with regular clothes**

It’s common to wash underwear with regular clothing, but this practice can have negative consequences. Regular clothes are exposed to the external environment and collect dirt and grime. Washing underwear with these items will only make your undergarments dirtier, increasing the risk of bacterial infections.

Moreover, scientists estimate that even “clean” underwear harbors around 10,000 microorganisms, and this number increases when they are soiled. Mixing adult and children’s clothing can also adversely affect children’s sensitive skin and spread skin diseases, fungal infections, and sexually transmitted infections among family members. To maintain hygiene, it’s best to wash underwear separately.

**Putting detergent or laundry liquid directly into the drum**

Most washing machines have designated compartments for detergent, laundry liquid, and fabric softener. Ensure you use the correct compartments, as mixing them up will reduce the cleaning efficiency of your machine.

Additionally, avoid pouring detergent or laundry liquid directly into the drum, as this can cause color bleeding and staining or leave detergent residue on your clothes and the machine drum. If your machine lacks these compartments, dissolve the detergent or laundry liquid in a bucket of water before pouring it into the machine and selecting the appropriate washing program.

**Not hanging up laundry immediately after washing**

It’s easy to forget about laundry after putting it in the washing machine, especially if you’re busy with other tasks or prefer washing at night. However, leaving washed clothes in the machine for too long allows bacteria to thrive. If you can’t hang them immediately, consider washing them again, especially if they’ve been in the machine for several hours.

**Closing the washing machine door immediately after washing**

After taking out the laundry, you might instinctively close the washing machine door to save space and prevent dust from entering the drum. However, the correct practice is to leave the door open for 30 minutes to an hour to allow moisture to evaporate. Closing the door immediately, especially on front-loading machines, traps moisture inside, creating an environment conducive to bacterial growth and unpleasant odors.

In addition to avoiding these mistakes, remember to clean your washing machine regularly. Even if the drum appears clean, dirt and grime can build up in other areas, such as the outside of the drum, the lint filter, the detergent compartments, and the rubber gasket. If left unattended, this buildup will find its way back onto your clothes, making them dirtier with each wash.