ENGLISH 19
WASHING HINTS
6.
Follow the wash code symbols on each
garment label and the manufacturer’s
washing instructions. Sort the laundry as
follows: whites, coloureds, synthetics,
delicates, woollens.
6.1
Sorting The Laundry
Never wash whites and coloureds
together. Whites may lose their
“whiteness” in the wash.
New coloured items may run in the first
wash; they should therefore be
washed separately the first time.
Button up pillowcases, close zip
fasteners, hooks and poppers. Tie any
belts or long tapes.
Remove persistent stains before
washing.
Rub particularly soiled areas with a
special detergent or detergent paste.
Treat curtains with special care.
Remove hooks or tie them up in a bag
or a net.
Make sure that no metal objects are
left in the laundry (e.g. hair clips,
safety pins, pins).
6.2
Before Loading The Laundry
Recommended loads are indicated in the
program charts. General rules:
Washing a maximum load makes the
most efficient use of water and energy.
For heavily soiled laundry, reduce the
load size.
Cotton, linen:
drum full but not too
tightly packed;
Synthetics:
drum no more than
half full;
Delicate fabrics
and woollens:
drum no more than
one third full.
6.3
Maximum Loads
Blood
: treat fresh stains with cold water.
For dried stains, soak overnight in water
with a special detergent then rub in the
soap and water.
Oil based paint
: moisten with benzine
stain remover, lay the garment on a soft
cloth and dab the stain; treat several
times.
Dried grease stains
: moisten with
turpentine, lay the garment on a soft
surface and dab the stain with the
fingertips and a cotton cloth.
Stubborn stains may not be removed by
just water and detergent. It is therefore
advisable to treat them prior to washing.
6.4
Removing Stains
Rust
: oxalic acid dissolved in hot water or
a rust removing product used in cold
water. Be careful with rust stains which
are not recent since the cellulose
structure will already have been damaged
and the fabric tends to hole.
Mould stains
: treat with bleach, rinse
well (whites and fast coloureds only).
Grass
: soap lightly and treat with bleach
(whites and fast coloureds only).
Ball point pen and glue
: moisten with
acetone (*), lay the garment on a soft
cloth and dab the stain.
Lipstick
: moisten with acetone (*) as
above, then treat stains with methylated
spirits. Remove any residual marks from
white fabrics with bleach.
Wash bras, pantyhose and other
delicates in a mesh laundry bag, which
you can purchase from your
supermarket.
Make sure that you wash lint collectors
separately from lint producers.
