How to Use an Auto Washing Machine

You can improve the effectiveness of your automatic clothes washer by planning your wash to maximize the clothes washer's capabilities. Following simple steps to load and set your washer cycle, water level and temperature, relative to the fabrics being washed, will result in optimum wash results.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Liquid detergent
• Liquid softener

1. Sort clothes before loading the washer to maximize the benefit of the automatic washer's available wash cycles.
   Sturdy cottons and linens will use the regular wash cycle
   Permanent press and other easy care items will use the permanent press cycle
   Delicate fabrics and fine woolens will use the delicate wash cycle.
   In each of the above categories white fabrics must be separated from colored fabrics.

2. 
    

   Set the relevant wash cycle for the fabrics to be washed.

3. Load the sorted clothes into the washer, being careful to not overload or stuff clothes into the washer. The level of clothes in the washer should not be higher than the level of perforated holes around the perimeter of the tank. Be careful to not wrap clothes around the washer agitator (the central column in the machine).

4. 
    

   Set the water level to high, medium or low, to correspond with the portion of the washer tank that is filled by the wash (clothes).

5. 
    

   Set the water temperature based on one of the following conditions:
   White clothes and heavily soiled fabrics require a hot water wash.
   Non-bright colored and normally soiled fabrics require a warm water wash.
   Brightly colored, woolen and delicate fabrics require a cold water wash.
   Instructions on the garment label override the above.

6. 
    

   Measure the required quantity of detergent as specified on the detergent container (typically one cap full) and pour the detergent directly into the washer tank.

7. 
    

   Measure the required quantity of softener as specified of softener container (typically one cap full).

8. 
    

   Pour the softener into the softener dispenser in the center of the agitator.

9. Close the lid to the washer and activate the start button. (On many automatic washers this a function of the cycle set switch).

Tips & Warnings

• When raising the lid to check the wash, always ensure that the agitator has stopped turning before reaching into the washer tank. Do not exceed the quantity of detergent specified on the detergent container.