Washing machine is a like a wizard in our households. It makes our laundry job very easy by cleaning and making them ready to wear in a short time.
But the same machine can give you fear if you find this washing device is ruining your clothes instead of making them wearable.
This might sound strange but washing machines do damage clothes in many ways. Sometimes it tangles the clothes, sometimes you find them torn. Also, many people experience holes, and abrasive damage in their laundry after using the washing machine.
Here we are ready to tell you why such incidents happen and what are the solutions. You can read ahead to know why is your washing machine is damaging your clothes.
Washing machine damaging clothes: reason & solutions
An overloaded washing machine can damage clothes. Washing clothes that aren’t machine-friendly, using less or more soap, running high spin washing cycles too can ruin clothes in a washing machine. It’s advised to follow the proper rules and tips to keep your clothes damaged-free in a washer.
It’s totally unexpected to receive damaged clothing from the washing machine. But since we all need the machine for daily use and cannot let the washer damage clothes one by one, a proper solution is needed.
To get you rid of such unpleasant experiences we’ll try to figure out the main causes that damage clothes in the washing machine and also what types of damage a washing machine can do and the solutions to those.
Torn clothes:
It’s possible to discover tears or rips in your dresses or jeans after you have washed them in the washer. Clothes get ripped in the washing machine mostly because of the clothing accessories. Such as open hooks, zippers, or closed buttons.
Another reason for the machine ripping off clothing is the fabric itself. There are many types of material and not all can be washed in the machine. The machine uses very high spins and speeds to clean clothes which can hamper the stitches, details, or fabric.
For example, silk, wool, or lace clothes are more prone to damage if you put them in the washer.
Besides, if you use too much detergent or harsh cleaning agent a cloth can get thin and tear.
Solutions:
Make sure the buttons aren’t closed before putting any shirt in the washing machine. Keep the hook and zippers closed. Don’t add belts or other clothing accessories to the washing machine.
Always check the label whether it says washer-friendly or hand wash only before putting any cloth in the machine. Don’t wash delicate or synthetic fabrics in a washing machine. Skip harsh cleaners.
Tangled clothes:
A reason why your clothes get tangled is because of an overloaded machine. An overloaded machine cannot circulate the laundry well thus all the clothes get twisted and tangled.
Apart from this, if you don’t sort the laundry evenly in the drum or any of these clothes have ribbons they can get tangled.
Solutions:
Put clothes evenly in the washer drum tying their knots. Sort clothing items according to their weight. Don’t overload the machine. Run cycles depending on the laundry load. If needed wash clothes that are long and heavy in separate cycles.
Stained or uncleaned clothes:
Washing machines are popular for making clothes stainless and clean in a short time with less effort.
But if you’re finding your clothes untidy these days even after washing them in the machine, then there can be two reasons one is you’re not using enough amount of soap or detergent and another is you might be running the wrong cycle.
Solutions:
Washing clothes needs a good amount of detergent according to the number of clothes. So use enough amount and if you’re trying to remove stains, use bleach-based cleaners or spot removers.
Don’t stop the cycles the mid-way instead complete the commanded cycles to get clean clothes with no damage.
Clothes with holes:
Tiny holes in your clothes can be done by the washing machine if you run it in the wrong mode. A few types of clothes cannot stand speedy rotations of the washing machine and thus then gets holes in here and there due to friction.
Besides, any foreign object in the washer drum can cause holes in your clothes.
Solution:
Don’t run the same cycle for every type of laundry. Learn which mode does what and run and use them as advised. Always check the washer drum before putting laundry.
Shrunken clothes:
It’s not uncommon to find your clothes shrinking after you’ve washed them in the washing machine.
Mostly t-shirt materials or cotton clothes shrinks in the washer when the washing cycle isn’t right. Also, some fabrics are meant to shrink when washed in cold water such as wool. Clothes can shrink too if you load your machine beyond its capacity.
Solution:
Always learn what type of washing mode suits your clothes before putting them in the washing machine. Use proper cycles such as for delicate clothes gentle cycles are always safe. Do not overload the machine as it can tangle all the items and shrink a few.
Faded clothes:
Faded clothes are another form of damage that a washing machine can do. It happens when you use too much detergent for washing clothes. Using bleach as a cleaner too can eat up the color of the fabric.
Also, some clothes are painted in a way that cannot be washed by a machine. If you put such clothes in the washer instead of hand-cleaning, they can fade.
Solutions:
Get knowledge about your clothes by reading the labels or if needed contact the seller or manufacturer to know what type of detergent you can use on them.
Always skip bleach or bleach-based soap for colorful clothes as they can ruin the color. Wash white clothes separately to be safe.
Don’t overuse detergents instead measure it with a cup or spoon as suggested. Don’t overwash using high spin cycles as it can really damage the texture and color of any fabric.
Ill-shaped clothes:
Loose and ill-shaped clothes are a sign of machine damaged. Clothes lose their original fitting and shape if the washing cycle is not appropriate for specific laundry items.
Also washing clothes with too warm water can loosen the fiber and make the clothes ill-shaped and damaged.
Solution:
Don’t use too Use warm or too cold water for washing clothes. Run the machine in moderate numbers of the cycle using proper washing mode.
Does high spin cycle damage clothes?
High spin doesn’t damage all types of clothes. It only ruins the ones that are not washer-friendly.
A high spin cycle is recommended for fabrics that aren’t delicate. Since in high spin cycle the washer drum rotates very fast this mode is inappropriate for silk, wool, chiffon, lace, or embroidered clothes.
These fabrics cannot handle the high spin of a washer. If put in the washing machine in high spin mode the washer will surely damage these by shrinking, tearing, or stretching the material.
But for cotton or other heavy fabric, a high spin cycle is not destructive.
What clothes are more prone to washing machine damage?
Mostly synthetic or woolen clothes are more prone to washing machine damage. Also, clothes that have embroidery over it are likely to damage the washing machine.
You cannot wash any clothes in the washing machine. Usually cotton or heavy types of clothes are suitable for cleaning in the machine as these fabrics don’t get damaged through the process.
Synthetic fabrics like silk, chiffon, lace, or woolen clothes can get damaged if washed in a machine. They are delicate and thin thus they cannot handle the pressure a washing machine creates.
Tips to prevent your washing machine from damaging the clothes:
If you ever have experienced damage to your expensive and favorite clothing item, we’re sure you don’t want to face such an incident again.
And to protect your clothes from every type of washing machine damage you must follow some tips as well as maintain some rules of cleaning clothes in a washing machine.
Such as:
Don’t overload the machine:
Don’t load more clothes than your washer can take. Loading the machine beyond its capacity and running wash cycles can damage your clothes by tangling and twisting them.
Sort the laundry evenly:
Washing clothes in the machine demands an evenly spread load of laundry.
Thus the clothes don’t get ruined and also get cleaned nicely. So while putting clothes in the washer try to balance them by sorting heavy and light items.
Use proper amount of detergent:
Not much, not less, always use detergent measuring them as suggested on the label.
Too much detergent can make your clothes fade and thin whereas too little an amount will not clean the clothes and leave spots in them.
Avoid running random wash cycles:
Don’t run random wash cycles instead run them according to the laundry. Always use gentle mode for washing delicate and light clothes. Don’t stop cycles in the middle or overwash clothes.
Check laundries before putting:
Check whether the buttons are closed or any zipper is remained open before putting clothes in the washer. Always read the label to know if you can machine wash them.
Final thoughts
There are many reasons a washing machine can damage your clothes. Such as overload, poor quality fabric or delicate clothes, or uneven load of laundry. Besides, too much soap or wash cycle can damage clothes in a washer. To prevent such damage one must abide by the basic rules of washing.