One of the most frustrating washing machine faults is when your appliance constantly ruins clothes. When you spot torn jeans or snagged knicker elastics in your load, you may believe that a new washing machine is needed. However, there are a handful of reasons why a washing machine damages clothes once they’ve been in the appliance but thankfully, the majority don’t require your unit to be repaired or replaced. There are several mistakes that you can make with your laundry that cause clothes to be damaged and this can be avoided by changing the way you use the appliance.
In this guide, we’ve shared four of the most common reasons why a washing machine may be ruining your clothes, as well as how you can tell if you need a professional repair.
Too much chlorine
The most common cause for a washing machine ruining clothes is when you’re using too much chlorine in a washing cycle. Remember that bleach should never be used on its own as it is extremely corrosive and can cause items of clothing to become discolored.
Check the detergent that you’re using in your washing machine and opt for a solution with less bleach to fix this issue.
Loose Underwires
A washing machine snagging clothes could present itself because of many different things, with the most popular being underwires from bras that are loose within the main drum unit. The underwiring can detach itself from the bra during a cycle.
You should consider washing bras and delicate pieces of clothing separately if underwiring cannot be removed before being put into the machine.
Spin speed set incorrectly
If you’ve set the spin speed of your washing cycle to high, it could cause damage to the clothing inside. This is because spinning them too aggressively could cause thinner materials to tear, rip or snag on zips or other garments.
The spin speed of your washing cycle should be tailored to the type of fabric that you’re cleaning. For example, cotton clothing should be spun at a higher speed than denim and shirts. The recommended spin speeds for your washing machine can often be found in the manufacturer’s handbook.
Overloaded unit
Another issue that could cause clothes to be torn during a cycle, is that you’re overloading the unit. This is an extremely common laundry problem as clothes are damaged when there isn’t enough room for the linen to move around in the drum.
When you’re loading the appliance, check that the clothes have enough room to move. The weight of clothing that your washing machine can hold, depends on the type of appliance. Consider purchasing a high-capacity appliance, such as a 12kg machine if you have a large washing requirement, to prevent damaged clothes becoming an issue.
As you can see, there are a variety of problems that could result in a washing machine tearing clothes. If you have checked all of these issues and think your machine is still at fault, you can contact a washing machine repair man to perform a full service of the appliance and ensure that you’re left with an efficient unit within no time at all.
