How to care for your washing machine - proper maintenance

How to care for your washing machine A washing machine is a wonderful home assistant for every family. And in homes with small children, it's a lifesaver. Having your own washing machine means you don't have to waste time hand washing or messing around with rinsing and spinning yourself. You can save your energy for other useful tasks, entrusting this important job to your appliance. And it will, time and again, uncomplainingly take on this difficult but important part of keeping your laundry and clothes clean. And, time and again, it will do its job perfectly.

Yes, many people use household appliances. But few know how to properly care for their washing machine. If you want your machine to last and perform well, it needs to be looked after. After all, poor maintenance and improper use will lead to damage!

Be sure to read your washing machine's manual before using it. It contains useful information on how to use your appliance. Follow the recommendations found there. Also, read this article. Here, we'll highlight and discuss the most important aspects of operating and maintaining your washing machine.

Proper care of your washing machine

How to care for your washing machine The recommendations you'll read here are primarily relevant for automatic washing machines (AWMs), though some of them can also be applied to conventional machines. However, since they're becoming a thing of the past, we've decided to focus specifically on WAMs. After all, they represent both the present and the future.

It is better to wash all your household appliances regularly. Keep it clean. This isn't so much a safety precaution as it is about maintaining the overall cleanliness of your home. Cleanliness is crucial, as dirt harbors a multitude of microorganisms, and it's these microorganisms that cause a multitude of illnesses. Therefore, keep both your washing machine and your entire apartment clean.

Correct installation and connection of the washing machine

Oddly enough, but Proper maintenance of your washing machine begins with proper installation and connection.If you're installing the washing machine yourself, use a spirit level to ensure it's level. If it's uneven, adjust the feet. To do this, simply lift the edge of the washing machine and adjust the feet to the desired height.

The drain and inlet hoses, as well as the wires, should not be kinked or pressed too hard by the machine or other objects. In the case of hoses, this can impede drainage and water intake. The wire's insulation can also be damaged or even broken.

As mentioned above, you should read the instructions for your appliance. They will also tell you the recommended height for the drain hose. This height may vary depending on the model. Follow the instructions carefully.

Care of internal parts

It's not just the outside of your washing machine that needs attention. Don't forget about the inside, either. Keep the dispenser clean. The dispenser is a pull-out plastic tray where you pour detergent and other cleaning products. It's fairly easy to remove. Rinse it periodically to prevent clogged drains.
After the washing machine has finished washing, leave the door slightly open. This allows any remaining moisture to evaporate. If moisture remains, the inside of the machine will eventually develop a foul odor.
Be sure to check all pockets before loading items into the drum. Coins, rings, and other items can cause damage to the washing machine. Therefore, empty your pockets.
When maintaining cleanliness, it's important to wash the seal. The seal is the rubber part of the machine located between the drum and the door. Do not use detergents to clean it. Instead, use a warm, soapy solution.
Don't overload the machine. Each model has a specific load capacity. You can find out how much laundry your machine can handle in the instructions. However, don't assume the dry load capacity represents the actual load. It's usually the wet load that's taken into account. So, be careful!

Water quality

Tap water quality Water quality can also impact the performance of your washing machine. Hard water can cause scale buildup, which can negatively impact the heating element and ultimately cause it to fail. To prevent this, you can follow a few of our tips. But before we get to them, you need to know the hardness of your water. If you live in a city apartment in Russia, chances are your tap water is less than ideal. At least, that's the case in most cities.

To check the hardness of your water, you can use special test strips, which are readily available. If your water isn't hard, you can skip our next tips. But if it is, read them carefully!

Fighting water hardness

The first and most widely advertised water softening product is, of course, various additives. We won't mention specific brands here, especially since you've already seen most of them in various commercials. They're often quite expensive, especially considering the need for regular, long-term washing over several years. But there are other, more economical options.

For example, cleaning a washing machine with citric acid. Citric acid is used to remove limescale from washing machines. To clean the inside of your appliance, you'll need approximately 100-200 grams of this product. Pour it into the detergent dispenser compartment. Then set the temperature to maximum (around 90 degrees Celsius) and start the wash cycle.

Caution! When cleaning the machine with citric acid, be sure to remove all items from the machine.

After washing, wipe all folds of the cuff and the drum of the machine with a soft cloth. If your machine has been limescaled, particles may be trapped inside. Therefore, carefully remove them.

You can also use various filters and softeners to soften and purify water. These devices are sold in various plumbing and specialty stores. High-quality filters are not cheap, but they purify water not only for your machine, but for your entire apartment.

Other tips

We've decided to give you a few more helpful tips to help you properly care for your washing machine.

Wash your laundry only with a special detergent designed for washing machines. Fortunately, this is readily available in stores, so finding it should be easy.
Don't keep dirty laundry in the washing machine all the time. Place it there only when you're about to wash it. This will prevent the machine from developing unpleasant odors.
To ensure good washing results, separate colored items from whites and wash them separately.
If you're leaving home for an extended period of time, it's a good idea to turn off all electrical appliances, including your washing machine. Also, turn off the water supply to the washing machine.

It's a good idea to clean your washing machine's drain pump filter regularly. You can learn how to clean the filter yourself, maintain your machine, and solve other household problems that may arise in the following video. Watch it!

Video instructions on the topic: How to care for a washing machine?