The whole point of using your washing machine is to get your clothes clean, right? But sometimes items come out with more stains than when they went in. This may be down to your washing machine itself.
Here we’re focusing on the reasons why your washing machine is staining your clothes and what you can do about it.
Often front-loading washing machines can experience a buildup of detergent, fabric softener and lint. If this accumulates in the washing machine or detergent dispenser, it can transfer to your clothes during the wash. You’ll likely see it on your clothes as brown spots.
Your clothes can come out of your washing machine more stained then when they went in for a variety of other reasons. The most likely culprits include:
Too much detergent
Sometimes putting too much detergent in your washing machine can cause stains. You’ll see them on your clothes as blue or white stains, sometimes with a waxy finish or a rough stiff texture. To avoid this, it’s just a simple case of using the correct amount of detergent for the temperature of your wash – you’ll see this on the detergent packaging.
Detergent not absorbed properly
Sometimes powder detergents don’t dissolve as quickly as liquid ones and leave stains on your clothes – like they would when you put too much detergent in the wash. This can happen during cold washes too. Consider switching to a liquid detergent and following the instructions precisely for the specific temperature of your wash.
Too much fabric softener
If you use too much fabric softener it can stain your clothes – you’ll likely see this as an oily stain. Fabric softener’s main ingredient is usually silicone, which binds to the fabrics of your clothes. Too much can leave noticeable deposits on the fabric.
Overloading washing machine
If you put too many clothes in your washing machine, they likely won’t get washed properly or evenly as there’s not enough room in the drum for proper washing. This reduced room also means that the detergent might not get a chance to dissolve properly. This can then cause your clothes to get stained.
To stop your washing machine from staining your clothes in the first place, try:
- Using the correct amount of detergent: Follow the instructions precisely to make sure you don’t put too much in the wash and risk staining your clothes.
- Swapping powder detergents for liquid detergents: Liquid detergents often dissolve quicker than powder making them less likely to stain. This is especially important if you regularly wash your clothes on colder washes.
- Opting for less is more with fabric softener: Don’t be tempted to overdo it with the fabric softener. It won’t make your clothes any softer and could end up staining them.
- Not overloading your washing machine: Yes, you want to be economical with the number of washes you do, but too many clothes in the drum at the same time can be detrimental to the life of your favourite items.
- Washing your clothes inside out: If you’re worried about detergent stains for example, try washing your clothes inside out to avoid any noticeable stains on the outside.
- Consider cleaning your washing machine as any mould in it can lead to stains on your clothes.
So, you want to keep your washing machine spick and span to avoid any nasty mould getting onto your clothes. But how do you do it?
It’s super simple really.
Our washing machine cleaner has a 5 in 1 deep cleaning action to extend the life of your washing machine. It removes limescale and kills any residue and leftover detergent which could stain your clothes. As well as leaving your machine fresh, clean and smelling great, it also removes any mould in your drum. This is especially important as mould can transfer onto your clothes and stain them in the process.
All you need to do is:
- Remove any clothes
- Add the content of the sachet to the detergent draw
- Run a main wash cycle – you’ll get the best results with a cycle at 60°C that doesn’t include a pre-wash
Your washing machine will be clean and fresh and ready to wash your clothes without any stains.
If you have a faulty seal on your washing machine, it can often lead to mould. And if your clothes touch it, the mould can transfer onto them. Mould can also live in your drum if it’s not cleaned regularly.
But how do you get rid of these marks on your clothes? You can try soaking them using the following steps:
- Mix washing powder with the hottest possible temperature for your clothes
- Soak them in the solution for three to four hours
- Rinse in hot or warm water
- Wash them as normal in your washing machine – just make sure it’s properly clean
Or you can use our Dylon Ultra Whitener as the white clothing stain remover helps remove stubborn stains during the wash. The whitening powder will also help brighten your whites in the process too.
Discover more about Colour Catcher and what our products can do for the life of your clothes.