10 Household Items You Can Clean In The Washer
October 21, 2020The washing machine is a multitasker’s little savior. You pop in your clothes, it takes care of the rest, and you have yourself some free time to finish other chores or simply relax. It’s a prime example of human inventions made for efficiency. But did you know that it can clean more than just your clothes, towels, and sheets?
You can throw so much more household things in your washer, not out of pure laziness, of course, but to simply maximize your time. Before you start throwing in lampshades, tents, and whatnot (like Mr. Bean in the laundry episode), here are the household items you can clean in the washer.
1. Shoes
When we say shoes, we mean the kind that has soft, washable material, not boots or stilettos. Think more on the line of canvas shoes or sneakers. Unless the manufacturer says no, you can throw in your dirty sneakers or tennis shoes into the washer instead of scrubbing at them for hours on end.
Wash the laces separately and remove any insole inserts. Place your shoes in mesh laundry bags and use a good amount of detergent with warm water. If your shoes have some heavy stains, treat it with a stain remover for 15 minutes before throwing it in the wash. If you have some odor problems, mix a cup of baking soda or disinfectant to the wash water.
2. Silicone Kitchen Tools
If you’ve been doing a lot of baking and have been using plenty of silicone baking mats, molds, tools, and trivets, simply place them in a mesh bag and throw them in with your laundry to clean them out. Use a heavy detergent to get through the oils. And use warm to hot water on a gentle spin cycle to avoid distorting your tools.
3. Yoga Mat
With all the sweat pouring down from your intense workout sessions, you should consider giving your yoga mats a good wash. Throw it in the washer and use a gentle cycle, heavy-duty detergent, and warm or cool water to get rid of all the body oils and dirt. It’s best to throw in your mat in a washer without a center agitator but if your washer has one of those, simply arrange the mat evenly around it. Add in a couple of towels to balance the load.
4. Cleaning Tools
It’s a good practice to clean your cleaning tools after every time you use them to avoid spreading dirt and bacteria the next time your cleaning routine rolls around. Place the smaller ones in mesh bags and separate mop heads from their handles. Throw them in the washer with a few towels or rugs and use hot water and a good detergent. Afterward, air dry them completely before storing them away.
5. Shower Curtains and Bath Tools
When your shower curtains get a little too foggy and dirty, toss them in the washer with your bath towels. You can also bag your scrubbing poofs and loofahs in a mesh bag and put them in as well. A quick spin in your washer will help get rid of the dirt and bacteria from all these. If your curtain shower has mildew though, treat that with some bleach first. Also, better keep these things away from the hot dryer and air dry them instead before returning them to their posts.
6. Backpacks and Gym Bags
If your backpack or gym bag isn’t leather or made of any hard material, it’s safe to go in the washer with similarly colored laundry. Make sure to empty out the pockets though. And treat any stains with stain removers for at least 15 minutes before throwing it in. If you have some odor concerns, add a bit of disinfectant to the wash. Lastly, don’t forget to turn your bags inside out to really clean out those innermost corners.
7. Small Rugs
Rugs collect a lot of dirt and can be hard to clean by hand. Unless the tag explicitly states that it’s dry clean only, you can clean it with your washer. All you have to do by hand is to treat any stains on your rug. After that, throw it in the washer and wash it with liquid detergent and clean water. If it has a rubber backing, avoid using bleach as this will cause the rubber to flake. Avoid drying your rugs with the washer’s high heat setting as well since this might cause it to shrink.
8. Reusable Grocery Bags
No matter what you used it for, it’s wise to wash your reusable grocery bags especially nowadays to prevent bacteria from getting into your home or into your next food stock. Canvas bags should be washed with hot water and your usual detergent. If your bags are made of different materials, check the labels first. Also, remember to take out the dividers and inserts before throwing them in for a spin.
Pro Tips:
The best practice before throwing anything into the washer is to check the label. Aside from that though, here are some general practices you can use for cleaning these household items.
Put small items in mesh bags
Use the gentle cycle
Use the correct water temperature
Wash larger items in washers without a center agitator
Use disinfectants to kill bacteria
Skip the heat of the clothes dryer
