Easy Tips for Effective Maintenance of Washing Machines

Having a washing machine in your home is a great thing because it will make your work easier when washing clothes for your family. However, these machines are very sensitive and may not give you the best results if you don’t take care of them as required.

This may also affect their durability and will also encourage growth of dangerous microorganisms such as bacteria inside the machine. In this article, we shall discuss some of the most effective maintenance tips you should always consider when using the best washing machine in India.

How to Set up a Washing Machine

The way you set up the machine after purchase may determine how long it will last or how safe it will be in your home. Most machines come with very clear instructions on how to set them up but in case you are still not sure of how to go about it, you should consider the following.

• When setting up the machine, you should ensure that the legs are at the same level. You can confirm this by pressing one of the opposite corners of the machine to ensure that it is very stable on the ground.
• Don’t install the machine in your bathroom- Splashes of water or the steam in your bathroom may affect the durability of your machine.
• Place the unit on a flat surface- Placing it on a carpet or sloppy surface will only cause vibrations and this can damage the inner parts.
• You should also ensure that the plumbing or the tap where you will connect the washing machine is in good condition. Ensure that you can easily connect the machine to a water inlet.

Daily Tips to Take Care of Your Washing Machine

After you have set up the machine, you need to consider the following tips if you want the machine to provide a smooth performance.

• Avoid using hard water – Hard water contains a lot of minerals and salts that comes from the ground. These minerals are very dangerous to your machine and may cause damages. Apart from that, hard water prevents the detergent from foaming which makes it hard to clean your clothes effectively. To prevent this, you may need to use a water softener to turn hard water into soft water. You may also need to look for a washing machine that is able to convert hard water into soft water.
• Avoid placing wet clothes on top of a front load machine because they might damage the control panel buttons.
• You should check your clothes carefully before you put them in the machine to ensure that there are no coins or metallic items such as keys, bottle opener, nail cutter etc. These metallic items may remove the protective finish on the tub or the internal components.
• Always put the right capacity of clothes in the machine- Overloading your machines with more clothes than it can handle may damage the machine. Again, it may also affect the performance of the machine.
• You should avoid leaving wet clothes in the machine- In case you would like to soak your clothes before cleaning, you should soak them in a bucket instead of leaving them in the machine.
• Detergents- When it comes to the amount of detergents, you should avoid using excess detergents even when cleaning cloths with a lot of stains. Putting too much will only make your clothes rough and they may also lose their shine. Again, excess detergents may remove the protective coating which may cause the machine to rust.
• Type of detergent- You should always use the recommended detergents since some of them may not work with your machine. Using a detergent that is highly alkaline may damage your machine and your clothes.

Regular Maintenance Tips

• Clean your machine frequently using mild detergent. Before you start cleaning, you should always remember to switch off the machine. It is also important you unplug the power cord before cleaning. Some machines come with an auto clean program which spins the tub with only water and detergent.
• After cleaning, you should wipe the outside and the inside part using a dry cloth to prevent damages that may be caused by moisture.
• You should also check the pipe and pipe connectors frequently to ensure that they are not leaking. In case you detect a leakage, you should change the pipe immediately.
• Again, avoid opening the machine without yourself. Instead, you should call a technician from the company where you bought the machine to check it for you in case there is any problem.

Purchase the Best Washing Machine

Purchasing the right model of washing machine is equally important in ensuring long life of your washing machine. If you are planning to purchase a new washing machine, make sure to check our list of top 10 best semi-automatic washing machines and washing machines under 15000 in India.

Mistakes you should avoid when using a washing machine

1. Leaving the door closed

After using the machine, most people make a mistake of closing the door.  You should leave the door open for about 15-30 minutes. This allows the moisture to dry which also prevents bacteria and mold from building up in the machine. Doing this also protects the delicate parts from damages that may be caused by moisture. Before you close the door after 30 minutes, you should wipe the machine using a dry cloth.

2. Using the wrong settings

Before you start using the machine, you need to ensure that you understand how the washing programs work. Make sure you are using the correct settings when cleaning different types of clothes. Using the wrong setting may damage your clothes or affect the performance of the machine. Read the user manual that comes with the machine before you start using the machine to ensure that you know how it works.

3. Mixing clothes when cleaning

To get the best results, do not mix clothes when cleaning. For example, you should not put sweaters and shirts in the same wash or mix heavy clothes with light clothes. If possible, you should clean each type separately.

Conclusion

Washing machines are very expensive which means that you need to be careful on how you use them. This will not only prolong their durability but will also enable them to give you the best performance. Make sure you have followed all the tips we have shared on this article when using your washing machine.