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Many people use certain tricks to wash their clothes that could be damaging not only their clothing, but also their appliances.
Consumer Reports experts say that the cost of following certain recommendations that are sometimes passed around among friends and relatives can be very high.
A Consumer Reports laundry expert shared her knowledge.
“Always check your washing machine manual and look at the care labels on your clothes,” said Jodhaira Rodríguez, a spokesperson for Consumer Reports.
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According to experts, the only thing you should put in your washing machine is detergent that is specifically for the machine you have. This means that you do not have to use, for example: vinegar, liquid soap or dish detergent.
Vinegar, as they explain, can damage the rubber gaskets and hoses of some washing machines. And if you use dishwashing soap, this only ends up in a “soapy mess in your machine,” Rodriguez added.
It is important to always add the correct amount of detergent, which is about one and a half ounces or three tablespoons. Too much detergent can leave residue on your clothes and in the machine, reducing its ability to clean.
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And be careful, you should always separate light-colored clothing from dark clothing.
“Always wash white clothes together, but if you have a stained white garment, do it separately and pre-wash it,” said Rodríguez.
Rodríguez points out that heavy fabrics should always be kept separate from light ones to prevent, for example, jeans from hitting delicate clothing.
Another recommendation is to treat stains before washing.
“Whenever you have a stain, pre-treat it and wash it. Check it when it comes out of the machine. Make sure you remove the entire stain because if you put it in the dryer, the stain will set and be very difficult to remove,” she said.
Another tip: before washing your clothes, you can use the same detergent to treat stains. In Consumer Reports tests, leading liquid detergents earned excellent scores for stain pretreatment.
And one last tip: save money by ditching the fabric softener. According to experts, fabric softener can leave a layer of residue on clothes, irritate sensitive skin and reduce the absorbency of towels.
Home appliances are too expensive to experiment with, so take into account the recommendations that experts say will save you a lot of money in the long run.
