laundry tips. Whirlpool 8LSR5233EZ0

Laundry Tips

This section reviews proper laundering techniques and gives you additional washing information. l l l l

Preparing clothes for washing

Close zippers, snaps, and hooks to avoid snagging other items. Remove pins, buckles, and other hard objects to avoid scratching the washer interior. Remove non- washable trim and ornaments.

Empty pockets and turn them inside out. l l l l

Tie strings and sashes so they will not tangle.

Mend tears, loose hems, and seams.

Treat spots and stains. (See “Removing

Stains” on pages 17-l 9.)

Stained or wet garments should be washed promptly for best results.

Turn down cuffs, brush away lint and dirt.

Turn synthetic knits inside out to avoid pilling. l

Sorting

Separate heavily soiled items from lightly soiled ones, even if they would normally be washed together.

Separate lint givers (towels, chenille) from lint takers

(corduroy, synthetics, perma- nent press). When possible, turn lint givers inside out. l l

Separate dark colors from light colors, colorfast items from noncolorfast items.

Sort by fabric and construction (sturdy cottons, knits, delicate items).

Loading

l l

Drop items into washer loosely. Fill to the q top of the basket (top row of holes). Do not wrap items around the agitator. Items should move easily through and wrinkle-free results. Items should sink wash water for best cleaning and reappear later.

Load washer properly and select correct load size setting. Overloading or packing the machine, and selecting a setting too small for the wash load can:

- cause poor cleaning.

- increase wrinkling.

- create excessive lint.

- wear out items faster (because of pilling). l

Load by the amount of space items take up, not by their weight. l

Mix large and small items in each load.

Load evenly to maintain

\ l!iE!

--

--’ washer balance. An off-

) balance load can make the washer vibrate during spin. l l

Use a large load size setting to reduce wrinkling with permanent press clothes and some synthetic knits. These items should have more room to move in the water than heavy items (towels, jeans).

Reduce wash time when using a small load size setting. Loads with only a few small items need less wash time.

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Loading suggestions

For these suggested full-sized loads, set the Load Size Selector to the highest load size setting.

SUPER CAPACITY WASHERS

Heavy Work

Clothes

3 pair pants

3 shirts

4 pair jeans

Permanent Press

2 double or

1 king size sheet(s)

1 tablecloth

1 dress

Knits

3 slacks

3 blouses

6 shirts

4 tops

4 dresses

3 shirts

2 pillowcases

Mixed Load

3 double sheets

4 pillowcases

8 T-shirts

6 pair shorts

8 handkerchiefs

Towels

10 bath towels

10 hand towels

14 wash cloths

1 bath mat

Delicates

3 camisoles

1 quilted robe

4 slips

4 panties

2 bras

2 nighties

1 baby’s dress l l l

Saving energy

Use warm or cold wash water for most loads. Use hot water only when washing heavy, greasy soils or whites.

Wash full loads.

Use lower water levels when washing small loads. l l

Avoid rewashing. Use enough detergent and pretreat stains or heavy soils. Use the cycles and wash times recommended for the fabric and soil.

Use your washer during off-peak hours - usually early morning and late evening.

(Ask your power company.)

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Water guidelines

Selecting water temperatures

WASH WATER

TEMPERATURE+ SUGGESTED FABRICS

HOT

130°F (54°C) or above

WARM

90-l 10°F

(32-44°C) l l l

Work clothes

Sturdy whites/colorfast pastels

Diapers l

DarkInoncolorfast colors

0 Permanent press items l l

Nylon, polyester, acrylics, silks, woolens

Knits/delicate fabrics

COLD

70-90°F

(21-32”(Z) l l

. Extra-sensitive colors

Noncolorfast items

Hand washables

+ The washer features cold rinses for all wash temperatures.

COMMENTS l

Best cleaning for heavily soiled items l

Removes oils, perspiration, greasy soils, and stains

0 Prevents graying or yellowing

1 l

Best for moderately soiled to lightly soiled items l

Safe for most fabric finishes l l

Less fading and dye bleeding

Reduces wrinkling l

Best for very lightly soiled items l

Saves hot water l

Best rinse water temperature

Checking hot water temperature

Your hot water should be 130°F (54°C) or above. If you do not know your hot water temperature, you can check it easily. You may need to raise the temperature of your water heater. To check your hot water:

1. Fill a pan with the hottest water available from the faucet that fills your washer.

NOTE: If you do not have a faucet at your washer site, collect the water from the faucet closest to your washer.

2. Place a candy thermometer or cooking thermometer in the water to check the temperature.

NOTE: In wash water temperatures colder than 70°F (21 “C), detergents do not dissolve well. Also, soils may be difficult to remove, and some fabrics may retain wear wrinkles and may have increased pilling.

Water hardness

Many poor washing results can be traced to the hardness of the wash water. To check your water hardness: l

City water - ask the city water company. l

Well water - ask the local water authority.

Ask for the mineral content in grains/gallon or parts/million. If your water is more than

8 grains/gallon or more than 137 parts/ million, you should consider: l l

0 Installing a water softener.

Using more detergent.

Using a packaged water conditioner. l

Not using soap.

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Washing special-care items

Most garments and household textiles have care labels with laundering instructions. Always follow care label directions when they are available. Below are general washing instruc- tions for some special washables.

ITEM

Blankets

(electric or woolen)

Curtains, drapes, slipcovers

Diapers

Elastic, spandex

Flame-retardant clothing

Knits, washable

Pillows, stuffed toys

Plastic, rubber items

Quilts, bedspreads

Scatter rugs

Snowsuits, jackets

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Pretreat spots and stains. Select water temperature, cycle, and time according to the type of blanket being washed. Two rinses may be necessary. Check care label to see if manufacturer recommends machine washing.

Wash small loads. Crowding may cause wrinkling. Replace slipcovers while still slightly damp. They will dry to fit tightly.

NOTE: Sun-damaged curtains and draperies will tear whether hand or machine washed.

When using chlorine bleach for soaking, add extra detergent to the load. Avoid overuse of fabric softeners - absorbency will be reduced.

Elastic picks up oil from the body. Oil can damage elastic. Wash often to reduce the damage. Use warm water and sufficient detergent to remove oils. Do not use chlorine bleach.

Items will be clearly labeled as flame-retardant. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to retain flame-retardant qualities.

Knits are comfortable to wear because they stretch. However, this means that knits are more likely to be stretched and dam- aged when washed (especially bulky knits). Knits made of synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, and acrylic tend to keep their original shape more than knits made of cotton or ramie.

Washing feather pillows is not recommended unless they will be dried in a dryer.

Treat as delicate items. Wash in warm water. Wash small items in a mesh bag.

Do not wash cotton-filled comforters unless they are quilted or stitched. Tucked cotton batting tends to slip and become lumpy.

An extra rinse may be necessary.

Shake or vacuum rugs to remove loose dirt. Wash more than

1 rug at a time. If washing only 1 rug, add bath towels to balance the load.

Wash only 1 or 2 items at a time. You may need to stop the washer occasionally to press air from the items being washed.

An extra rinse may be necessary.

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