Laundry Frequenty Asked Questions

Although fabric damage can occur during the laundering process, it is very unlikely for the damage to be the fault of the washer. Fabric damage is most often caused before the item is laundered or due to oversights in laundering procedures.

There are a number of ways clothing can become damaged with holes, tears or fraying, including:

Age and Normal Wear

Under conditions of normal use and wear, fibers eventually age and become more easily torn or frayed under stress. Items such as towels, washcloths and bedding are most often frayed due to age and normal use. Collar tips and cuffs are usually damaged due to abrasion during normal wear.

Chemical Damage

Contact with strong chemicals such as undiluted chlorine bleach, battery acid, hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide (found in acne medications), hairdresser solutions, etc., can cause holes and tears. In many cases the tearing will not occur immediately, but after a period of time and/or several washings. Edges around the hole will be weak and tear very easily.

Misuse of chlorine bleach is the most common cause of tearing. Recommendations for bleach use in washers are approximately 1/2 cup for a small load, 3/4 cup for a medium load and 1 cup for a large load. Dilute bleach in 4 parts of water before adding to a washer without a dispenser. Models with a bleach dispenser do not need to have bleach diluted. However, add the bleach before placing clothes into the washer to avoid accidentally spilling it on the clothes. If bleach is inadvertently spilled while pouring, use a paper towel to wipe up the spill.

Poor Construction

Examine the construction of items closely before purchasing. Seams, hems, buttonholes, etc., may start to show wear before the rest of the garment due to unfinished edges or poor construction. In addition, holes and tears not mended before laundering may get bigger.

Snagging

Snags in cotton knits may happen during wear. Often they are unnoticed prior to laundering, but become small holes after washing or drying. Zippers and hooks may also snag items if left open during the laundering process. Close all zippers, hooks and eyes. Unremoved pins, ornaments or trim may damage fabrics in the same manner. Remove any such items before laundering.

Improper Loading

On occasion, small items with straps or lace can become caught under the agitator or snagged by other items. Using a mesh bag for these items is recommended.

Overloading

If too many items are in the washbasket, they cannot circulate freely. This can result in excessive abrasion or snagging. For best results, a top loading washer should be loaded loosely with dry, unfolded clothes, not to exceed the top row of holes in the tub. In addition, it is important to use plenty of water for the size of the load. Front loading washers can be loaded completely full of dry clothes, but not packed tightly.

Sunlight Damage

Tearing and discoloration can also occur over time to items exposed to sunlight. Because the fibers are weakened by the sunlight, the stress of laundering or dry-cleaning may then cause holes and tearing. This damage is generally irreversible.

Fabric discoloration is typically not caused by the washer or dryer. Many times fabric discoloration occurs from poor dyes being washed out of fabric or improper sorting (placing a red item in with white items).

Following is a list of the different types of fabric discoloration, and their causes:

Colour Loss

This is usually related to some type of strong chemical contact with products such as chlorine bleach, benzoyl peroxide used in skin care products, home permanent solutions, battery acid, household cleaners, etc. The damage is irreversible.

Likewise, some dyes change colour very readily upon contact with any mild acid or alkaline substance. Common acid-containing substances include antiperspirants, hair sprays and beverages. Mild alkalines include shampoo, toothpaste and perspiration.

Dye Transfer

This generally occurs when unstable dyes are used in manufacturing the item. Colour bleeding from one section of the garment to another, damp items left lying in the washer after the cycle or in a pile prior to washing can also cause dye transfer. In addition, many new garments are overdyed to produce very bright, rich colours. This results in dye removal and/or transfer when laundered.

The manufacturer of the garment is ultimately responsible for selecting and testing appropriate dyes, as well as providing accurate care labels.

Fabric damage due to dye transfer can be minimized by sorting brightly colour garments, washing them separately, and avoiding prolonged contact of damp items before and after laundering. If the discoloured item is still wet, spray with Spray 'n Wash* and relaunder in warm water. If the item is dry, launder with chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric. If not safe, use a commercial colour remover according to package directions.

*Brand names are trademarks of the respective manufacturers.

Water temperature really does affect laundry results, along with several other interacting factors which provide energy to remove soil. The three main forms of energy include: mechanical (supplied by the washer's washing action) and the amount of wash time; chemical from the detergents, bleach and other additives; and thermal from the use of warm or hot water.

Creating an optimum balance of these energies provides acceptable cleaning performance. If any one of the three is decreased, the other two must be increased to maintain the same cleaning results.

For example, if cold wash water is used, the thermal energy is missing. To maintain the same cleaning results, one of the other energy sources needs to be increased, such as selecting a longer wash time. However, long washing times can have negative effects. They can increase fabric wear and enhance redeposition of the soil.

Warmer Water Enhances Detergent Effectiveness

The energy from the water temperature not only affects the removal of soils, but it also has an effect on the chemical energy (detergent) added to the load.

As the temperature of the water increases, chemical reactions (the efficiency of the detergent and other additives) proceed at a greater speed. The speed doubles with each 18 degree F. rise in temperature.

If the water temperature is too cold (below 65 degrees F.), little or no chemical activation takes place. This means little or no energy comes from the detergent and cleaning performance is decreased. Plus, many granular detergents do not dissolve in cold water and will leave a powdery white residue on the load. If the temperature of water in the tub is too cold for your hands, the detergent will not activate and clean effectively.

You'll get better cleaning results with hot water temperatures higher than 120 degrees F. However, if there are young children or elderly adults in the home, the water heater may be set for 120 degrees F. If the hot water temperature is 120 degrees F., in most cases the warm wash water setting will be 80 degrees F. or lower.

• Use a hot water (120 -140 degrees F.) wash for most white fabrics and heavily soiled colored fabrics, if they are colorfast.
• A warm (80-105 degrees F.) wash is the best choice for most other clothes.
• A cold (65-75 degrees F.) wash is recommended for very lightly soiled or brightly colored garments.
• Keep in mind cold water should not be lower than 65 degrees F. If the temperature is below 65 degrees F., select a warm wash water setting or partially fill with warm water and complete the fill with cold water.
• Use a liquid detergent when washing in cold water.
• Pour the detergent into the washer tub before adding the load, or into the dispenser.
• If using warm or cold water, add a non-chlorine bleach (like Clorox 2) for better cleaning or presoaking heavily soiled items.
• To save energy, always use a cold rinse. A cold rinse is just as effective as a warm one.

NOTE: Temperatures below 65 degrees F. will not activate laundry additives and may cause lint, residue, poor cleaning, etc. In addition, detergent manufacturers and care labels define cold water as 80-85 degrees F.

Lint is small fibers of certain fabric that have broken off during wear or laundering. Some lint will always be created by the washing process. However, the majority of lint that is produced during washing is trapped by lint filters on the washer and flushed down the drain during the spin portion of the cycle.

The amount of lint produced is dependent on the type of material. However, no fabric produces enough lint to cause problems in septic tank systems or other on-site water disposal systems.

Pilling is a characteristic of manufactured fibers such as polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Abrasion from normal wear causes the fibers to unravel and the loose ends ball up on the fabric surface. The looser the fibers are spun, the more likely the fabric will pill.

Linting

Lint is easily brushed off fabrics unlike residue or pilling. Excessive lint is usually due to reasons other than the washer design or a mechanical malfunction. However, low water pressure or improper draining can increase lint. Check the following:

Water Pressure As the washer is filling observe the water pressure when hot and cold are selected. If one seems to have less pressure, check the fill hoses for kinks and the screens in the hoses for sediment build up.

Draining

Check the pump-out on your washer: After the washer has filled to the maximum water level, manually advance the dial to the final "spin." Start timing at the beginning of the spin, wait 90 seconds and then open the lid to see if all the water is drained out. If there is water remaining in the tub, there may be a drain restriction (kink in the drain hose, improper washer installation, etc.) which may need to be checked by an authorized service technician. In a front load washer, check for a pinched or kinked drain hose.

To Remove Lint

Relaunder the garments using proper laundry procedures. Dryer dry if possible. If the lint is not entirely removed, use a lint brush to remove the remaining lint.

Mistaken For Lint

Residue - Residue is a white substance left on the clothes at the end of the wash cycle. It is not easily brushed off and over time clothing colors may become dull. Residue has many causes: using granular detergents in cold water, overloading, misuse of fabric softener and not adjusting detergent amount to fit water hardness. Detergent amount is decreased in soft water. (See "Laundry - Residue" for further information.)

Pilling

Pilling is commonly found on socks, sweaters, slacks, shirt collars and cuffs, around pockets or on any area subjected to abrasion. Since manufactured fibers are very strong, the pills do not break off completely and can be difficult to remove. In addition, lint can become enmeshed in the balls of fiber which makes the pilling appear more obvious.

Natural fibers like cotton, linen, or wool may pill but the balls of fiber are usually removed during laundering. The lint that results is usually rinsed away at the end of the wash cycle. However, some of the lint from these natural fibers can be picked up by items that attract lint if they are washed or dried in the same load.

Residue, which appears as white streaks on clothing or resembles lint, is often noticeable on clothes after they've been washed. Over time, clothes may feel rough and colors may become dull. There are several causes of residue.

Residue can be caused by the detergents you use, or the way you do laundry. For instance:

Detergents

There have been many changes in detergents, especially since phosphates have been eliminated. Phosphates were used to soften water. In some detergents the ingredients used as substitutes for the phosphates do not do a good job of softening hard water. These ingredients tend to react with the minerals in the water to form a white residue.

Generally most types of detergents will perform effectively in water that is soft (0-3 grains per gallon) or medium-hard (4-9 grains per gallon). When using hard water (10 grains per gallon and above), a high quality GRANULAR detergent containing aluminosilicates is recommended.

If there is excess suds in the wash and/or rinse water, the amount and type of detergent used should be checked. Changing to a low-sudsing detergent is helpful. Some brand names include Tide HE*, Wisk HE*, FAB* and Ultra Ajax*. Visible suds in the wash water is NOT an indication of cleaning power.

Incorrect Amount of Detergent

Detergent is needed to hold lint and soil in suspension during the wash cycle. If the clothes are heavily soiled and the water is hard (more than 10 grains per gallon), use slightly more detergent.

When the water is very hard, (above 14 grains per gallon) it may be necessary to add one-half cup of a packaged water conditioner such as Calgon or Spring Rain* along with the detergent. Likewise, it may be necessary to install a mechanical water softener for good results. If the load is lightly soiled and the water is fairly soft - 0-6 grains per gallon, less detergent is needed (up to half as much).

Be aware of the amount markings for load sizes on detergent scoops and caps. In a top loading washer, detergent needs to go into the tub before the load for better dissolving and activation of the ingredients. Placing the detergent in the dispenser of a front loading washer provides for better dissolving and activation of ingredients.

If a cold water wash is selected, washing results are decreased. Cold water affects how detergents dissolve. Granular detergents do not dissolve in cold water and may leave detergent residue on the wash load. It also affects the effectiveness of detergents. Detergents need a minimum water temperature of 65 degrees F. to activate the ingredients. Soil removal and soil suspension is very poor in cold water.

Water Temperature Recommendations

• HOT (120-140 degrees F.) - white and heavily soiled colorfast items
• WARM (85-105 degrees F.) - most loads
• COLD (65-75 degrees F.) - only very bright colors with light soil

Cold water below 65 degrees F. is not recommended for washing.

NOTE: Detergent manufacturers and care labels define cold water as 80-85 F. If the temperature of water in the tub is too cold for your hands, the detergent will not activate and clean effectively.

If there are too many items in the washload, the residue, soil and lint cannot be rinsed away and will instead be deposited on the fabrics. Once the washer has filled with water, the clothes need to have room to circulate in the washtub so detergent and suds do not get trapped in the folds of the fabric. In a top load washer, place dry clothes loosely in the washtub to the top row of holes. A front load washer can be loaded completely full but not packed tightly.

A chemical reaction between rinse-added fabric softener, detergent and detergent suds may sometimes create a white deposit on clothes. It is important to dilute rinse-added fabric softener with warm water in the fabric softener dispenser cup. Clean any spilled detergent from the dispenser cup before adding fabric softener. It may be necessary to change to a low-sudsing detergent, switch to dryer-added fabric sheets or decrease use of fabric softener (do not use in every load).

General

• Check the fill hoses for kinks and the screens in the fill hoses for sediment buildup. Both of these affect the water pressure. Decreased water pressure reduces the effectiveness of the spray rinses.
• Check for residue build-up in the washer. To clean, add 1 cup Calgon to a full tub of hot water, run through a cycle with no clothes, (Calgon will wash away any detergent deposits in between the tubs, etc.).

Top Load

• Check the drain time. Fill the washer with water (no load). Manually advance the dial to "spin" or touch the Spin pad. Time for 90 seconds and open the lid to see if all the water is drained. If water remains in the tub, check the drain hose for kinks and the drain for a restriction. Increased drain time may cause redeposit of soil, lint, and residue and may effect spray rinses.

Front Load

• Check the drain time. Fill the washer with water. Manually advance the dial to "spin". Time for 90 seconds and open the door to see if all the water is drained.
• Check for residue build-up in the washer and dispenser. To clean the washer, add 1 cup Calgon to the tub using hot water. Running the tub through a Regular cycle with no clothes should remove any detergents or laundry additives.
• To clean the dispenser, remove the bleach and fabric softener compartment from the dispenser area. Run warm water over the removed compartment and use a sponge or soft brush. If there is any build-up in the dispenser area, use a sponge or soft brush to clean the residue.

*Brand names are trademarks of the respective manufacturers.