If you have used the ‘heavy’ option to wash your towels only to find them soaked, one laundry enthusiast says you might be using the wrong spin cycle.
In a stitched clip with more than 525,000 views, TikTok creator Amanda (amanda_yvonne907) stands in front of her washing machine, pointing to the spin cycles.
“Today years old when I learned why my towels are soaking wet. I thought HEAVY meant heavy items being washed,” she writes in the on-screen text.
The laundry expert enters the chat
Then, LaundryTok aficionado Melissa Pateras (@melissadilkespateras) weighs in with her take.
“You don’t need the heavy cycle for every load of towels, but that cycle is intended for heavily soiled or durable fabrics like towels, jeans, blankets, or even work clothes,” she explains. “It uses higher spin speeds to extract more of the water from those thick and heavy items.”
Indeed, this option is to deep clean heavily soiled items by using a high spin and wash, Fabricare states. As a result, the content creator explains that dumping too many items can cause the machine to perform poorly.
“Now, if your towels are still wet after washing, it could be just because you are overloading or putting too many items in it, preventing it from spinning properly,” she says. “It could also be that the load is unbalanced, which could also prevent proper spinning.”
Besides overloading, other factors can hinder the appliance’s ability to clean effectively.
“If there are any issues with the machine’s motor, belt or other components that can affect your spin speed. But you’ll also want to check for drainage issues like a clogged drain filter,” the Pateras says. “You’ll want to check that you don’t have a clogged or kinked drain hose.”
Before wrapping up the video, there’s another pointer to be aware of.
“Lastly, too much detergent or the wrong type of detergent, which is most homemade concoctions, can affect rinsing and drainage,” she says.
Viewers are guilty of this misconception
Some also believed that the ‘heavy’ button equated to the size of the laundry load.
“I thought it was for when you put a larger load of clothes in the washer,” one viewer wrote.
“What??? I thought it was heavy items too!” another echoed.
Despite the TikToker’s warning, many still used this setting regardless of the number of items.
“Use heavy for everything lol. There’s no such thing as too clean,” one commenter stated.
“I have 3 boys, all my loads are done on heavy cycle,” a second said.
“My washing machine must be on heavy all the time, it sounds like its an airplane trying to take off during spin,” a third remarked.
How should you correctly wash towels?
Better Homes & Gardens recommends distributing your towels about three-quarters of the way inside the machine during the normal spin cycle. However, you can still use the heavy-duty option for extremely dirty or stinky items. Since every washing machine is different, you should consult the owner’s manual to determine the right setting, along with the correct detergent amount and type.
DIY cleaning the washing machine filter and hose
According to a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) study obtained by the Liberty Homeguard, 20% of washing machine failures are due to clogged filters and hoses. To prevent this, the home warranty provider lists how to clean them without breaking the bank. To clean the filter, you have to:
- Find where it’s located
- Unscrew it clockwise or pull the lever/ tab, depending on the model
- Remove the obstructions
For the hose:
- Unplug the appliance
- Uncoil any kinks
- Disconnect the hose from the wall or standpipe
- Clear the blockage using a drain snake or a hanger
- Check for any remnants by running water through the pipe
- Reconnect the hose to the drain
@melissadilkespateras Washing towels #cleantok #appliances #laundrytok #laundryday @manda___ ♬ original sound – Laundrytok | Melissa Pateras
The Mary Sue reached out to Pateras via TikTok comment and direct message.
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