Things that should not be put in the home washing machine

“While washing machines are designed to handle a wide variety of fabrics and items, there are certain items that should generally be avoided or require special care,” Kim Romaine, director of scientific communications for laundry at Tide, tells The Spruce.

Delicate fabrics

Romaine explains how delicate fabrics such as… Silk Lace or cashmere often require special care and should be hand washed or dry cleaned to prevent damage. you run the risk of them shrinking, losing shape, tearing, discolouring and losing softness.

Heavily soiled fabrics

Treating stains and taking care of heavily soiled fabrics before you put them in the washing machine is crucial, so the rest of your clothes don’t get dirty.

“If the garment has extreme levels of soiling such as accumulated mud, grass or hair,” advises Romaine Pets Or dirt, you might want to avoid throwing it in the washing machine.

She suggests removing any hard clods of soil and pre-soaking them in a bucket of water mixed with half a capful of cleaning fluid.

Clothes that require dry cleaning

Any clothing labeled “dry clean only” should be taken to a professional dry cleaner to be properly cleaned, says Romaine.

She explains that the reason for this is that it may not be able to withstand the water, agitation and detergents used in it. Washing machine.

Clothes with buttons

Whether it’s a sequined shirt or a beautifully embroidered dress, don’t put heavily embellished items in the washing machine.

These small decorative items are sewn onto clothing and can easily tear and fall off during a vigorous spin cycle or become damaged when exposed to hot water and laundry detergent.

Heavy or bulky objects

Washing your clothes properly isn’t just about removing dirt from your things, it’s also about preventing damage to your device.

“Extremely heavy or bulky items such as large rugs or heavy bedding can exceed the capacity of a standard washing machine,” says Romaine.

For example, even if you can put a huge garment in the washing machine, you run the risk of not completing the wash cycle and leaving laundry-size or professional-cleaning detergent residue on the bedspread, suggests Romaine.

Leather goods

Do not put leather items in the washing machine as exposure to water and vigorous agitation will damage the color and texture of the leather.