It is difficult to imagine the life of a modern family without such an assistant as an automatic washing machine. Despite the presence of a “washing machine” in almost every house, not everyone knows how to care for it. But only proper care of the washing machine can ensure its long-term and high-quality service. And, on the contrary, if you don’t take care of the washing machine, do not properly care for it, it will break very quickly.
What is the maintenance of the machine
All of the recommendations below apply in general to automatic washing machines. Some of them can be used for other washers, but they are likely to become a rarity soon, therefore it is better to focus on the former, because the future is still theirs.
- The main thing in the care of any household appliances is to ensure cleanliness, and for this it needs to be washed often. This is required by the conditions of safety, and basic hygiene, which is simply necessary in the house. Various microorganisms accumulate in dust and dirt, including pathogens, which can cause various ailments in those living in this room. Ordinary citric acid can help here. She will clean the device and remove excess odors.
- The surface of the appliance must be free: do not place any objects, powders, dishes on it. The top panel should be dry and clean.
- It is important to control the drain line for possible leaks. For this purpose, you can establish multi-layered protection.
See also - How to clean a washing machine with vinegar from limescale and unpleasant odors?
Proper installation and connection of the washing machine
Caring for the washing machine begins with its proper installation. It should be borne in mind that it should stand perfectly level, therefore, to complete this point, it is advisable to take a level for construction work. Eliminate inclinations with the help of legs, the height of which is easy to adjust. For this purpose, you just need to raise the edge of your washing machine and scroll the leg to the desired length.
It is necessary to check that the wires, the drain and the inlet hose do not bend, are not pinched by different objects or the machine itself. If the wires are bent, their insulation may be violated, it may even break. As for the hoses, the violation of their patency creates obstacles to the normal loading and draining of water.
How to care for parts inside the machine
- Caring for the machine should be both outside and inside. All departments and compartments of the machine need our care. It is important to keep the pipette clean.It is a plastic tray in which powder and other washing substances are poured. Getting it is very simple. It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the dispenser, otherwise the drain holes may become clogged with the remnants of the powder, which later turns into a stone coating.
- After washing, the hatch is opened and not closed for some time, so that all moisture evaporates. If this is not done, then an unpleasant odor will appear inside the washing machine.
- Before putting things in the drum, you need to check all pockets for foreign objects, such as keys and rings and other trifles that can harm the washing machine. All linen that has metal fittings, such as rivets, buttons and zippers, must be turned inside out or a special bag must be used before washing.
- Caring for a washing machine includes washing all its components. This also applies to the cuff - the rubber layer, which is located near the drum and the hatch. For its processing, a warm solution of soap is used, it is not allowed to wash the cuff with detergents.
- Do not load more than the maximum permissible weight into the device. The instructions must indicate the mass allowed for washing. It is worth considering that the calculation is not based on dry weight, it is indicated, most often, the permissible amount of wet laundry!
- To prevent mold, as well as unpleasant odors, you need to regularly clean the drain filter. It is located at the bottom of the washing machine. It can collect various objects, buttons, hair, coins. If this compartment is not cleaned, things may have a musty smell. If you make timely care of this part of the machine, then there will be no such problem.
How to check water quality
The quality of the water affects the operation of the washing machine. Hard water causes scale, which can adversely affect the heating element. It is for this reason that the washing machine may break. Water hardness can and must be fought. How to determine the hardness of water? Most domestic citizens can not do this, since the water from our pipelines is far from the standard of quality. If you still have doubts, you can determine the stiffness using special test strips, which can be purchased at a household chemistry store.
We fight with water hardness
Advertisements about various water softening additives are circulated through all channels. You can choose a brand of your choice. Most of these tools are very expensive. But you can use the options more economically.
Among such completely harmless and cheap means citric acid can be called. It will help get rid of scale in the machine. To do this, take it about two hundred grams. Citric acid should be poured into the department intended for the powder. Then set the highest possible temperature (most often it is 80-90 degrees).
Before as clean the washing machine with citric acid, you should check if there are any things in the device. Citric acid can ruin things. At the end of washing with citric acid, the drum and all folds of the cuff are wiped with a soft cloth. Scale particles are often located inside the appliance. They are carefully removed. The washing machine will be grateful for such a "lemon" cleaning.
To soften the water, you can use different softening filters. High-quality filters are expensive, but they can purify water for the entire home.
Useful Tips
You can extend the life of the washing machine if you follow these recommendations:
- use only special washing machine powder.
- do not keep dirty things in the washing machine, you need to put it only before washing, otherwise an unpleasant smell will appear in the device;
- wash color and white items separately.
- if you need to leave for a long period, all devices must be disconnected from the mains. Water must also be shut off.
On average, an automatic machine lasts from seven to ten years.Most often, the cause of her failure is the lack of proper care. Proper care of the washing machine, regular cleaning with at least citric acid, compliance with all necessary operating conditions, then its life can be doubled.
