Hand wash in an automatic washing machine: What is it? Myths and reality +Video

Many years ago, women had to do their laundry manually, without automated tools.
Today, progress has made great strides, making the washing process much easier. However, hand washing has retained its relevance today. Often on clothing labels you can find the “hand wash” sign, which means that in this case the wash should be gentle, delicate and without aggressive detergents. The question inevitably arises: what is this mode used for? This type of washing is used for clothes made of natural wool, viscose, cashmere, fabrics trimmed with lace, beads, ruffles, rhinestones and similar decorations.

What is gentle mode

Most washing machines have this mode. Many people call it manual, but it is not. Hand washing differs from delicate washing in that it is used for items that cannot be machine washed. These are women's blouses, men's shirts, some types of jackets that cannot be thoroughly rubbed or twisted. In manual mode, the drum practically does not rotate.

The delicate mode in the washing machine is also gentle care for things . It is distinguished by the following characteristics:

• It is necessary to wash things in a large amount of water. This allows us to minimize the mechanical impact on the tissue structure.
• How many degrees is required for gentle washing? For this mode, a temperature of 30 degrees is provided. Sometimes the machine heats the water up to 40 degrees, but this is already the limit.
• In gentle mode, the machine drum rotates slowly and smoothly.
• Delicate items are spun at minimum speed – from 400 to 600, otherwise they will stretch out and lose decorative elements. But sometimes the spin may not be performed at all.
• Washing time is 1–2.5 hours.
• After washing, items should be wrung out by hand or hung to dry so that the water drains out on its own.

The washing machine does not take in water: first steps

When is this mode used?

The hand wash program is used, as a rule, in cases where there is a sign on the clothing label that prohibits machine washing. You should also wash items marked hand wash.

This category includes things made from the following materials:

• Cashmere;
• Silk;
• Viscose.

This also includes outerwear, for example, down jackets, coats, jackets, etc.

Experienced housewives use this mode in the following cases:

1. For washing skirts, suits, trousers;
2. For bras;
3. For underwear;
4. To wash light curtains made of tulle or organza;
5. To wash fabric shoes.

This program should not be used for heavily soiled items as they may not be washed.

To ensure that things are washed better in this mode, you can soak them in a powder solution in advance. Or you can soap the most contaminated areas of clothing for fifteen to twenty minutes.

What items can be washed with gentle care?

A gentle cycle in the washing machine is required for some natural and synthetic fabrics. Elastane, lycra, organza, cashmere, polyester, viscose, satin, guipure, wool, silk - all these fabrics can stretch, fade and can even tear when washed. They are washed in a gentle mode.

In addition, this mode is provided for items with colored inserts or bright colors. Combining contrasting colors or different fabrics, the presence of a large number of accessories, a complex style are also indicators for the use of gentle washing. Whether items require delicate treatment can be determined by the labels that manufacturers always sew in.

For what fabrics

If you go through the dirty clothes in the basket, you will notice that some things require delicate handling not only in ironing, wearing, but also in washing. These can be not only colored items, but also those that have a special cut and materials.

Pleated items

Things with rhinestones

Presence of folds

Ruffle decor

Fine textiles

Organza, tulle, chiffon

Such items should be washed exclusively in the gentle wash cycle. You won’t be able to wash the curtains by hand, so it’s better to trust the technology. And those clothes that have a washing symbol on them, feel free to put them in the drum for washing in the hand wash mode with additional functions.

Legend

On washing machines from different manufacturers, modes may be designated differently. Some simply indicate the category of fabric - synthetics, cotton, wool/silk and the required temperature. Sometimes special pictograms and symbols are used.

Delicate washing in a washing machine is carried out
at a temperature of 30 degrees with plenty of water. Therefore, the gentle wash icon is an image of a basin of water; sometimes the temperature may be indicated with one or two horizontal lines below the “bottom” of the container. These stripes indicate the amount of water. On the dashboard of a washing machine you can find other symbols of the gentle mode - a skein of yarn, a silkworm butterfly, a flower, a feather, a basin with the image of a hand.

How does the program work?

This washing program is very different from all others in the following parameters:

• very low drum rotation speed;
• a large amount of water is poured into the machine;
• the water heating temperature will not exceed 400C;
• spinning does not occur, or occurs at a very low speed.

Sometimes your washing machine has an extra rinse function. A large amount of liquid helps to better remove powder from the fabric. Low heating temperatures preserve the original colors of the clothes. Typically washing on this program takes a little over an hour. The duration of “Hand Wash” depends on a number of factors:

• device model;
• machine load level;
• the pressure with which water enters the unit;
• set heating mode;
• degree of soiling of clothing;
• the presence of an additional soaking function.

Usually, the instructions for the equipment stipulate the possible load, which for a given program is no more than half of the maximum possible. During operation, the drum moves smoothly and evenly, with frequent stops. This helps keep delicate items intact without wrinkling or stretching them. Often the machine automatically turns off the spin option and does not allow you to force it on manually.

Detergents for gentle washing

Delicate items require special detergents , since fabric fibers can be destroyed due to the use of conventional powders. It is best to use special products that come in liquid and powder form. It is preferable to use liquid gels, since the powder does not dissolve well in cold water. In order for a product to satisfy all requirements, it should be selected according to the following criteria:

• the liquid should be intended only for wool and silk;
• a good preparation does not contain preservatives, dyes or enzymes;
• the smell should be natural.

How to straighten down in a down jacket after washing

Most manufacturers produce a separate series of products for delicate items . They usually indicate that this drug is intended for thin fabrics.

Ironing

Surprisingly, not all materials can be ironed. And some things don't like high steam temperatures. These badges on clothes

will help you figure out how best to stroke her:

How to iron things correctly?

Useful tips

To ensure that delicate washing in a washing machine is carried out efficiently and effectively, there are the following rules:

• light things need to be separated from colored ones;
• should be washed using a liquid detergent and a small amount of softener;
• the lace is pre-soaked in warm water with soda for several hours;
• if things are heavily soiled, then they need to be pre-applied with a stain remover for fabrics that require careful handling;
• some things, for example, lace, need to be loaded into the washing machine only in special bags or covers;
• silk and cashmere items must be washed separately, otherwise the softness and delicacy of the fabric may suffer;
• After finishing washing, you should not leave things in the machine for too long;
• If things tend to stretch, then it is advisable not to hang them, but to lay them out on a flat surface to dry.

Thus, the delicate washing mode has a gentle effect on the color and shape of items. During such washing, lace, wool and silk items, as well as some synthetic fabrics, do not deform, stretch or shrink, and are cleaned quite effectively. There are many benefits to gentle washing.

Features of hand washing

Hand washing requires careful handling of fabrics. This allows you to maintain their quality and appearance for a long time. If you do it by hand, some skills will be required, since the process consists of a number of interrelated actions.

First you need to decide on the place where the washing will take place. Typically this is the bathroom or kitchen. After this, you will need to sort things by color. This procedure is performed for both hand and machine washing. Otherwise, the fabrics will lose their color, and white will take on a different shade. So, it is necessary to wash each group of clothes separately - white, dark, colored, children's and others.

After this, the equipment is prepared: a basin, powder, soap, fabric softener. It is not difficult to determine what the water temperature should be. Just look at the tag on things. It indicates the type of wash, temperature and other parameters that are recommended for this type of fabric. After this, you need to fill the basin with water, pour in the powder, dissolve it thoroughly and load the dirty laundry.

To increase efficiency, you can rub the cloth together a little and leave it in the water for a while. If the pollution is severe, then laundry soap will help fight it. Rub the stained fabric well with it, then rinse the items in clean water. It is better to do this in another basin. Wring out the items and hang them to dry.

The above describes the process, which is carried out manually. If you want to save your time, then use an automatic washing machine. It will do the same thing, but much faster and better. The device imitates it from start to finish. All you need to do is load the laundry and hang it up.

Cotton

This option is chosen for cotton products. Cotton can withstand high temperatures without compromising its shape or properties. The maximum in the SMA is 95 degrees. Push-ups - from 1200 rpm. The duration of the cycle is 2 hours. There are also programs:

• Cotton 40 degrees - washing time 1.5 hours (90 minutes).
• Cotton 60 degrees - 1 hour 50 minutes. (110 min).

At 95°C you should not wash colored cotton fabrics, only white ones. In such hot water, dyed cotton will fade.

Eco

This program is often called "bio-care". Suitable for any fabric with different levels of soiling. There are two stages:

• At first the water is warm - 30–40 degrees. Enzymes are activated.
• Then the temperature rises. The normal process begins.

Its special feature is gentle but thorough removal of old dirt. There are modifications of SMA in which it is necessary to use only powders with enzymes in this mode. Eco is an option that combines softness and intensity. Cycle duration is 120 minutes. There are no contraindications: you can wash synthetics, delicate linen, and children's clothes. This option is especially relevant if the machine does not have separate programs for the above-mentioned products.

What affects the duration of the cycle?

It is not difficult to notice that the washing duration differs in different modes. What factors influence it:

• Temperature. Time is wasted heating water. Washing in cool water saves 10–15 minutes.
• Pre-wash or extra wash. If you add it to the main process, you need to throw another quarter of an hour on top.
• Soak. You can enable this function, but you will have to sacrifice another third of an hour, no less.
• Additional rinse. It is necessary for thoroughly rinsing things. You have to add another half hour to the main cycle time.
• Intelligent approach. Modern SMAs themselves determine the program of action. At the same time, they are guided by the weight of the loaded laundry and the degree of its contamination. The fuller the drum and the more stains, the longer the treatment will be.
• Individual features of the device. The newer the model, the faster the tasks are solved. In older versions, even the express version took 40 minutes.

How long does the spin last?

If you take an interest in the characteristics of SMAs offered today on the domestic market, you will see that most devices have a function for adjusting the speed during push-ups. At high speeds, the laundry is wrung out more intensely, which means it contains less moisture and dries faster. The downside of high speeds is increased mechanical impact, which is not suitable for delicate items and fabrics. At low speeds, the laundry is wrung out gently, but also takes longer to dry. Its duration depends on the spin speed. Average duration is 10–15 minutes.

What other options are there?

A modern washing machine has 10–15 or more program offers. Moreover, there are options for certain things. It is useful to know how long it takes SMA to erase certain things or tissues:

• Shoes - 30–50 minutes.
• Synthetics - 1 hour 50 minutes.
• Silk - 50–60 minutes.
• “Down blanket” - there is also such a mode, the blanket is washed in 90 minutes.
• Children's things - 140 minutes.