How to translate "Pflegeleicht" on a washing machine

Owners of washing machines made by German manufacturers often have trouble understanding the controls, as the washing modes are labeled in German, not Russian. Translation programs aren't always helpful in understanding technical terms. Let's look at the most common symbols on washing machine control panels, such as "Spulen" and "Pflegeleicht," and learn how to translate them.

Pflegeleicht program

The term "Light Wash" refers to a light wash program suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics and synthetic fibers. This mode is recommended for underwear, colored fabrics, and clothes that do not need ironing. This program is not recommended for heavily soiled items; it is suitable for cleaning lightly soiled items.

Important! The maximum temperature provided by the Pflegeleicht program is 40⁰WITH.

Let's decipher the names

Machines produced by German manufacturers have a large number of washing programs. It can be difficult for users to figure out how to operate their washing machine. To make using the appliance easier, you can create a cheat sheet with terms and translations from German.

1. Hauptwäsche – the main washing cycle, suitable for all types of fabrics.
2. Feinwasche is a delicate wash program. It's designed for cleaning synthetic and cotton delicate and fine fabrics. Due to the nature of these materials, the spin cycle is omitted. It can be run separately after the main cycle. When loading delicate fabrics into the drum, keep in mind that it should be no more than half full.
3. Kochwash is the only program that allows temperatures above 60°C. It's suitable for washing cotton and other natural fabrics, as well as heavily soiled laundry. It provides intensive cleaning.
4. Buntwash is a wash cycle designed for household textiles made from colored fabrics with moderate to heavy soiling. It differs from the Kochwash cycle in that the temperature does not exceed 60°C.
5. Sport Intensive – a special cleaning mode for sports clothes.
6. Jeans is a program designed for denim items.
7. Wolle and Seide translate from German as "wool" and "silk." The names speak for themselves. This cycle is designed for washing woolen and silk garments. As with delicate fabrics, the washing machine skips the spin cycle to prevent damage to the fabric. This can be run separately. When washing silk and woolen items, the drum should be filled only halfway.
8. Mix – a load for loading items of different colors made of cotton and synthetic materials at the same time. Typically used for moderately soiled laundry.
9. Blitz, 30° 30min – although the name literally translates into Russian as "flash," the temperature and time parameters that follow indicate that the intensive wash cycle lasts 30 minutes, with water heating no higher than 30°C. These settings are suitable for refreshing cotton and synthetic items.

The drum load when running the Blitz program should not exceed 3 kg.

10. Schnell Intensiv – translated from German as "fast, intensive" – speaks for itself. This is a wash cycle for natural, mixed, and synthetic fibers.
11. Vorwasche – in Russian the term means soaking. After the mode is completed, the washing machine starts the main cycle.
12. Einweichen is an additional special soak option. It differs from the previous program by its longer soaking time. The laundry is soaked in a drum filled with water and detergent for slightly longer.
13. Schonschleudern/Schleudern – gentle/normal spin option. The former is suitable for delicate fabrics.
14. Leichtbugeln (easy ironing) translates from German as "easy ironing." This setting uses a spinning method that minimizes wrinkles in laundry, making it easier to iron after washing.
15. Pumpen – the program starts draining waste water from the tank.

Using this cheat sheet, you can master the operation of your appliance even without knowing German. When loading laundry into your washing machine, it's important to set the correct wash parameters and select the optimal operating mode. This will ensure high-quality cleaning and extend the life of your appliance.

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