9
Washing hints
Sorting the laundry
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.
Temperatures
90°
for normally soiled white cottons and linen
(e.g. tea cloths, towels, tablecloths, sheets...)
60°
for normally soiled, colour fast garments (e.g.
shirts, night dresses, pyjamas....) in linen,
cotton or synthetic fibres and for lightly soiled
white cotton (e.g. underwear).
(cold)for delicate items (e.g. net curtains), mixed
30°-40°
laundry including synthetic fibres and
woollens.
Before loading 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.
Make sure that no metal objects are left in the
laundry (e.g. hair clips, safety pins, pins).
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 net.
Maximum loads
Recommended loads are indicated in the programme
charts.
General rules:
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.
Washing a maximum load makes the most efficient use
of water and energy.
For heavily soiled laundry, reduce the load size.
Laundry weights
The following weights are indicative:
bathrobe
1200 g
napkin
100 g
quilt cover
700 g
sheet
500 g
pillow case
200 g
tablecloth
250 g
towelling towel
200 g
tea cloth
100 g
night dress
200 g
ladies’ briefs
100 g
man’s work shirt
600 g
man’s shirt
200 g
man’s pyjamas
500 g
blouse
100 g
men’s underpants
100 g
Removing stains
Stubborn stains may not be removed by just water and
detergent. It is therefore advisable to treat them prior to
washing.
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.
Rust: oxalic acid dissolved in hot water or a rust
removing product used cold. 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.
Red wine: soak in water and detergent, rinse and treat
with acetic or citric acid, then rinse. Treat any residual
marks with bleach.
Ink: depending on the type of ink, moisten the fabric first
with acetone (*), then with acetic acid; treat any residual
marks on white fabrics with bleach and then rinse
thoroughly.
Tar stains: first treat with stain remover, methylated
spirits or benzine, then rub with detergent paste.
(*) do not use acetone on artificial silk.
Detergents and additives
Good washing results also depend on the choice of
detergent and use of the correct quantities to avoid
waste and protect the environment. Although
biodegradable, detergents contain substances which, in
large quantities, can upset the delicate balance of
nature.
The choice of detergent will depend on the type of fabric
(delicates, woollens, cottons, etc.), the colour, washing
temperature and degree of soiling.
All commonly available washing machine detergents
may be used in this appliance:
– powder detergents for all types of fabric,
– powder detergents for delicate fabrics (60°C max) and
woollens,
– liquid detergents, preferably for low temperature wash
programmes (60°C max) for all types of fabric, or
special for woollens only.
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