Wash, sort and dry correctly: There are numerous hacks circulating on the Internet. They often offer simple and clever solutions to complicated problems relating to “doing laundry”. Unfortunately, in addition to numerous useful tricks, there are also a few that simply don't help. Surprisingly, many of them are very popular. Read on to learn which laundry hacks only waste money and time!
How to use aspirin to make discolored and yellowed laundry white again? Doesn't work!
The hack: You need to dissolve 5 tablets of aspirin in hot water and soak the laundry in warm water to make the discoloration and yellowing white again. The laundry is then washed. Another variant that is popular: put aspirin tablets in the laundry drum.
The reality:The effect of aspirin tablets as a peculiar bleaching agent has not been scientifically proven. Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid, which also does not contain anybrightening propertieshas. There is also the question of how to dispose of the medication correctly. Aspirin should not be disposed of in wastewater, but rather in residual waste. So the strange trick can't do anything. So why do so many people report positively about the hack? The warm water in which clothing is soaked for hours or overnight can remove certain stains and yellowing. Or at least help them to be removed during washing.
Laundry Hacks: Vodka Can't Remove Musty Smell!
The hack:Many of us have experienced it at least once: the freshly washed laundry smells musty. Vodka is supposed to help against this - if you put the alcohol in the washing machine, you can disinfect it and kill the bacteria that are responsible for the bad smell. About 40 ml of vodka is shaken into the washing machine's dispenser compartment. Then an empty wash cycle is started at 90 degrees Celsius. Wait until the machine fills with water and then press pause. Leave it on for about 45 minutes and then start the wash cycle again.
The reality:The vodka is too little and is so diluted by the water (depending on the load capacity there can be between three and nine liters in the washing machine) that it has no disinfectant effect at all. What will really kill the bacteria in the washing machine, however, is running a cycle at 90 degrees Celsius every three weeks and using detergent with bleach. Regular cleaning of the washing machine is also very important in this case.
Salt can prevent laundry from staining? No, but refreshing colors does
The hack:A cup of salt is said to prevent certain items of clothing from staining the rest.
The reality:Actually, this hack has a scientific background. Salt is regularly used as a stain to fix the colors in the fabrics. However, the process cannot be reversed once the clothing is finished. If the colors are poorly fixed, the garment will always rub off. In addition, salt can damage the washing machine, even if it is dissolved in water in advance.
However, salt can do a lot and refresh the colors of textiles that are not machine washable. To do this, first place the textile or object (e.g. decorative pillows) in a sealable plastic bag. Then pour 3 - 4 cups of salt into the bag, close it and shake it vigorously. You will notice that the salt changes color and the textiles look fresher.
Laundry Hacks: Can conditioner save shrunken clothes?
The hack: Do you have clothes that have shrunk in the washing machine and are wondering whether they can still be saved? According to the next trick, you should put the laundry in a bucket and soak it in warm water. Add several dabs of conditioner to the water, leave for a quarter of an hour and then let dry on towels.
The reality:Actually, surprisingly, this hack is at least partially effective. Similar to how conditioner helps with matted hair by loosening the knots, it can also loosen the knots in the thread. Of course the effect is very limited. The conditioner can be particularly helpful for items of clothing made of wool, such as sweaters, that have only shrunk a little. What he definitely cannot do is save heavily shrunken textiles. Even cotton clothing such as jeans, T-shirts or dresses cannot be saved with leave-in conditioner.
Remove detergent stains with lemon juice?
The hack:Detergent stains are unsightly and are too noticeable on dark clothing. But if you treat the stain with freshly squeezed lemon juice from a lemon, you will get rid of it quickly.
The reality:It sounds good, but unfortunately the trick doesn't work. Mainly because the juice of one lemon is not enough to remove the stains. It is much easier and safer if you put the clothes back in the washing machine and start a rinse cycle instead.
It happens often in everyday lifeCare errors when washing laundry. However, the consequences – stains, odors and shrunken clothing – should be taken care of quickly and easily using certain hacks. Unfortunately, not all tricks work and some of them can even remove the washing machine.
