From ‘you must hand-wash a wool sweater’ to ‘washing at 30º doesn’t really clean’. When it comes to laundry everybody’s got their own take on what you should and shouldn’t do. But while tech moves on, it usually takes longer for common knowledge to catch up.
Some of the best new washing machines and tumble dryers use clever tech to make old advice look outdated. We look at 7 big laundry myths to see if there’s a tech solution.
1. More detergent means cleaner clothes
Myth: The more detergent you add, the cleaner your clothes will be.
If you’re washing a bigger load, or your children’s sports clothes, you’d be forgiven for thinking that more detergent would get clothes cleaner.
Fact: Detergent takes a long time to dissolve and using too much makes it harder to wash it out. Fortunately, many washing machines pre-mix the detergent and softener with water before it enters the drum. The detergent is fully dissolved, with the mix getting to work immediately. That means you can go easy on the detergent and still get great results!
Check out ÖKOMix tech on the AEG ÖKOMix 8000 Series for pre-mixing magic.
2. Tumble-drying will destroy delicates
Myth: You should never put wool or silk in the tumble dryer.
From expensive wool sweaters shrinking to half the size, to a silk blouse wrinkled and creased, delicates and tumble dryers are a fashion disaster. Or are they?
Fact: You can tumble dry woollens and silks with the right tumble dryer, since newer dryers will have special cycles for drying delicates such as wool or even silk. This saves you having to hang up that chunky knit sweater for days on end!
3. Cool washes don’t clean
Myth: You can’t get clothes properly clean at 30º.
Washing at 30º used to mean you compromised on cleaning power – while washing towels or bed sheets at a cooler temperature were a complete no-no.
Fact: 30 is the new 60 – modern washing machines work wonderfully at lower temperatures. They can even purify water of harsh minerals so that detergent is activated at much lower temperatures. The result? Cleaning benefits of a 60º wash at just 30º. This is great for the environment and your energy bills too.
4. Sunday evenings are for ironing
Myth: Sunday evenings are for endless ironing.
If you don’t love ironing, you’re not alone. In fact ironing is the housework we find the most mundane. And there’s not that much you can do to make it easier.
Fact: Many modern washing machines add steam into the drum at the end of the washing cycle. It reduces wrinkles by up to a third, so you can spend less of your Sunday evening ironing and more time watching Line of Duty.
Just look for a washing machine that uses steam, like this SAMSUNG Series 5 ecobubble to cut down on your ironing.
5. All hand wash items MUST be hand-washed
Myth: Woollens and silk can end up misshapen when machine washed.
Putting wool or silk in the washing machine seems wrong – for generations we’ve been warned they must be hand-washed only.
Fact: Handwashing can actually stress the fibres. But the right washing machine can be even gentler than washing by hand. They have smoother drum surfaces and rotations, so you can wash silk, linen and wool in the machine without snagging or stretching.
6. Waterproof jackets and tumble drying are a no-no
Myth: I can’t put my waterproof jacket in the dryer if I want it to stay waterproof.
Some outdoorsy jackets have a waterproof coating that can be broken down over time, and tumble drying could speed this up.
Fact: You can actually restore the waterproof protection with the help of some dryers. By using the right amount of heat (usually medium low) they’ll take care of your outdoor coats. Just look for a washing machine with a good Synthetic program.
7. Smaller loads are wasteful
Myth: Washing smaller loads can waste time, energy and water.
You need to wash a PE kit for the morning or dry your favourite jeans last-minute, but small loads seem a waste of energy.
Fact: Sensors built into newer washer dryers tailor the washing or drying cycle according to the weight of your laundry. So, each load – no matter how small – is washed with just the right amount of energy and time.
One example is Auto Weight & I-Time on the Haier I-Pro Series 7 which calculates cycle time and water amount based on the weight of your load. It’s a load off your mind!
Want some more household myths busted? Find out what you can freeze. Spoilers: it’s way more than you’d think!