The washing machine or washer is one of the most favorite inventions of engineering for humankind. It’s like a boon to the working people. It is very easy to use and time and energy saving. Whenever you want to do your laundry, you just have to load your clothes in the washer and start the cycle. There is no need to even sit and monitor the washer when it’s working.
You don’t have to just use a washing machine for cleaning clothes today. Do you know that you can use your washing machine to clean your car mats, doormats, sneakers, shin guards, and whatnot? Excited already? We have a lot in the store so let’s have a look.
Mats
Do you know the cloth floor mats are washable, and you can easily wash them in your washer? You can put the stain remover on the stippled areas along with the detergent to clean extra stains. However, you should wash your car mats in the washing machine only once every few months as it may damage the rubber on their back by spinning in the washing machine.
You can even wash your non-slipping mats of bathroom cotton or synthetic doormats, rugs with rubber backs in the machine, along with some towels using a very little amount of detergent.
You can wash yoga mats with delicate detergents and gentle cycles, except for some materials and brands.
Plastic Shower Curtains And Liners
Do you also replace your plastic shower liners just because of soap scum? Then here is the good news for you, yes! You can wash your plastic shower curtains very easily in the machine using very little detergent. However, do remember to put some towels along with it and use cold water.
Backpacks
In our daily routine, from the gym to shopping, from study classes to traveling, we use different backpacks made of cloth and canvas. You will be pleased to know that most of these backpacks are washable, except some studded n decorative ones recommended for hand wash. Grocery bags get dirty very quickly. If you use a reusable grocery bag, you can easily wash it in the machine with warm water and detergent. Before loading in the washer, do turn them inside out. You can wash the nylon bags in the same way, but be sure to air dry them.
Pillows
Pillows are an essential part of our bedroom as well as important for our sound sleep. However, our sweat, saliva in drool, dead skin cells, oily hair, and dandruff make them dirty very quickly. Moreover, it is very unhygienic to use dirty pillows to produce bacteria and fungus, which may cause allergies. Mostly all the varieties of pillows available in the market are washable. According to your machine’s load efficiency, wash 2 or 3 pillows at a time with a cup of bleach and detergent. Wash with hot water to clean properly.
Sports Gear
Now you need not worry about your or your kids’ untidy sports gears. You can wash knee pads, shin guards, elbow pads, and gloves in your washing machine very easily on a normal cycle with regular detergent and warm water. Then, just put each in an individual laundry bag and load and hang to dry or air dry.
Stuffed Animal Toys And Small Plastic Toys
You can never take a chance if it’s about your kids’ health and hygiene. Except for toys filled with beads, beans, or Styrofoam balls, you can wash any other soft toy in the machine. Please put them in a laundry bag and a small amount of detergent and start the machine.
In the same way, you can wash all your baby’s lovely toys, including dog chew toys, bath toys, building blocks, plastic action figures, and others. Do put them in a laundry bag before loading and wash them with cold water and detergent.
Mop Heads, Rubber Gloves, And Cleaning Tools
It’s vital to keep the mops, sponges, brushes, rubber gloves, and cleaning tools clean. Now you must be thinking about how to clean the cleaning tools. Honestly, it’s very easy. All you need to do is, after finishing your cleaning, remove all the handles from mop heads and put all the cleaning tools in a laundry bag. Wash with hot water and detergent
Lunch Bags And Boxes
To keep a lunch bag and box clean is necessary to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. Dirty lunch bags can harbor germs and bacteria, which can make you or your family sick. You can wash soft lunch bags in the washing machine with warm water and detergent.
Canvas Shoes And Sneakers
Do read the washing instructions carefully on your canvas shoes or sneakers before washing them in the machine. If the manufacturer had not said specifically no, then you can wash them in your washing machine. To remove the heavy stains, use stain removal for at least 15 minutes before starting washing. Then, could you put them in a laundry bag? Next, wash them with good quality detergent and warm water. To remove odor, use a cup of baking soda or a disinfectant in the water in the washer.
Curtains
You can even wash curtains in your washing machine unless they are made of some delicate material or instructed for dry clean only. Always read the washing instructions carefully. If washable, you should clean with cool water and mild detergent.
Pet Beds
It would be best to not worry about your pet’s dirty beds as you can clean them in your washing machine as your clothes. Before putting it in the machine, vacuum up the loose hair. Wash with hot water and regular detergent once a week.
Conclusion
Who knew that we could clean so many items in just one machine and not just clothes? Depending on the weight of your washing and how much load it can take, you need to choose the items to clean. Do not try to wash larger items in your small load washing machine because that could damage the machine in a couple of runs. Hope this helped you and made your life a little easier. Happy washing!
