Take the guesswork out of doing laundry with this complete guide to your washer controls.
JACOB FOX
Should whites be washed in hot or cold water?
And which setting is forwashing sheets?
Credit:JACOB FOX
For some reason, washing machine options can seem overly complicated, even if you do laundry every week.
Next time youre second-guessing which cycle to use whenwashing your jeans, refer back to this guide.
Permanent Press Cycle
The next most popular setting is permanent pressalso sometimes called the casual setting.
Easilyreduce wrinkles in polyesterpants, bamboobed sheets, or a linen dress by choosing permanent press over normal.
Thedelicate wash cycleuses cold water and a low spin speed, Herman says.
Its best to use it when you are washing lightweight items, such as lingerie and lightweight knitwear.
Soak Cycle
If you have a front-load machine, it may feature a soak setting.
Always scan the tag before assuming something can be washed on the bulky setting.
Likewise,quilts should be gently washedto prevent their vibrant colors from running.
Using the colors cycle setting when washing colorful items will help prevent them from fading by using cold water.
Also, neverinclude vinegar in the laundryat the same time as bleach as the combination will emit toxic fumes.
This is smart to useafter the fluor another sickness has gone around the house.
However, the water in this cycle doesnt get as hot, so it wont necessarily disinfect fabrics.
Wool Cycle
A handful of machines will have a setting specifically for washing wool.
The spin cycle is slow which helps prevent shrinking.
As with the bulky cycle, sometimes heavy items will still be drenched when the wash is done.
Some manufacturers will list a specific product to use in conjunction with the cycle.
For example, my Whirlpool machine states Clean Washer with Affresh right above the control.
