You can see it everywhere: young single men who lug heavy army sacks full of dirty laundry to visit their parents on the weekend. Spouses let their wives lay out whole outfits for them without much protest so that they can go to work in style. Others pay for expensive services at the nearest laundry. There are many good reasons why men should be able to use a washing machine correctly.
First of all, it promotes your organizational skills in your own home and guarantees you a better lifestyle with enough fresh clothes in your repertoire. In addition, doing your own laundry offers the opportunity to use resources sustainably. You develop a better understanding of how to minimize water and energy consumption at home. You might even use environmentally friendly detergents.
Start with the right preparation
Dark, strong colors (for example black, blue or red) definitely go in their own load. Clothes with bright neon colors should also be washed separately. Bright colors are logically at the greatest risk of being dyed. This means: always separate them and if in doubt, there are special color-catching cloths. Robust material can be washed together. Fine material (which you can tell by touching it) should be treated separately to avoid damage.
You can choose programs such as colored, delicate or boiled, depending on your specific requirements. Colorful and delicate items of clothing should be washed at colder temperatures, while cotton can easily withstand warm temperatures. Towels and bed linen require hot temperatures for disinfection. For stubborn stains, it is advisable to treat the affected area with a special stain remover before the active wash cycle and allow it to work for a short time.
Using the right detergent
Universal detergents contain enzymes that are particularly effective at removing stains (usually boiled). Color detergents, on the other hand, have been specially manufactured to prevent colors from fading and to maintain color intensity over a longer period of time (always colored). There are also special detergents specifically for sensitive fabrics on the market. In addition to thorough cleaning, these are simply gentler on textiles during the washing process.
You must be careful when using fabric softener! It does reduce static charge, ensures soft laundry and a pleasant scent. However, fabric softener is strongly discouraged, especially for functional properties (e.g. breathable, water-repellent) of sports and outdoor clothing or absorbent microfiber towels, because it impairs them in the long term. If you have sensitive skin, residues can also trigger allergies.
Should you put them in the dryer or hang them up?
Generally speaking, many cotton textiles can be put straight in the dryer after washing, while animal wool and silk can be air-dried. Blended fabrics that are mostly made of cotton can also withstand a dryer, provided the care instructions on the garment do not say otherwise. To be on the safe side, you should hang up sportswear made of synthetic fabrics such as polyester, swimwear and sensitive materials such as lace and satin, as they could easily be damaged in the dryer.
A quick tip: Polyester fibers have a smoother, more integrated structure that is less prone to wrinkles. Synthetic fibers are elastic and return to their original shape more easily when stretched or creased in the washing machine. In comparison, cotton fibers are natural. They can absorb moisture and heat better, which means they are more likely to deform. Cotton also tends to shrink when dried, which you may have noticed.
