Washing clothes - 10 practical tips and tricks

10 Tips & Tricks - Clean, inexpensive and environmentally friendly

1. Capacity

Make full use of the capacity of the washing machine (rule of thumb: one hand wide space in the drum). This saves energy and detergent.

2. Sort laundry

Sort the laundry sensibly to white, colorful and fine. Choose the appropriate detergent.

3. Dose detergent

Dose detergent according to the manufacturer's instructions on the back. Measuring cups are available free of charge at some drugstores or on manufacturers' websites.

4. Pre-treat stains

In case of heavy soiling pretreat stains and reduce the amount of detergent accordingly.



5. Treat stains

Treat stains as directly as possible and do not allow to dry.

6. The right temperature

Wash at the lowest possible temperature, depending on the degree of soiling, 30 or 40 degrees are sufficient. Exception: for special hygiene requirements, increase the temperature accordingly for medical reasons (60 degrees normal program).

7. Bleached heavy-duty detergent

Bleached heavy-duty detergent helps to hygienically wash and save energy. Already at 40 degrees, the bleaching is activated and many bacteria, fungi and germs are killed.

8. No special products

Do not use too many special products. A compact heavy-duty detergent and a color and a mild detergent are sufficient. Each additional product means more chemistry and a higher environmental impact through manufacturing, packaging and transportation.



9. Water softener

Water softener is already included in most powdered heavy-duty detergents and should only be used in regions with extreme water hardness (over 30 dh).

10. Clean the washing machine

Thoroughly clean the machine to remove bacteria, fungi and germs: a) Remove the detergent drawer and clean it under running water. B) Check the sealing ring on the porthole and remove any foreign matter. C) Clean the lint filter under running water to prevent odors d) At regular intervals Wash intervals at 60 degrees in the normal program with powdered heavy-duty detergent

The expert

© WDR

Yvonne Willicks is the housekeeping master and moderates since March 2010 at WDR the program "Yvonne Willicks - The Big Household Check", which can also be seen on the ARD. In her program, she gives tips for economical household management - from finances to cooking to the right washing. In addition, she is seen daily in the WDR broadcast "service time" at 18.20 clock. Willicks is a master of municipal housekeeping, board member of the educational work of the professional association of the household leaders (formerly German Housewives Association) and the consumer center Hamburg. More about the household check on www.daserste.de.





Helpful Laundry Tips & Tricks! Simple & Fresh Laundry Ideas That Save Time & Money (Clean My Space) (March 2024).



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