Washing clothes in a washing machine is not always gentle. Even when set to the delicate setting, delicate fabrics may be damaged and decorative trim may come off. To prevent this from happening, use a laundry bag.
Mesh covers can be used not only for things with decor, but also for small items: socks, gloves, tights. Read the article on how to choose a laundry bag and use it correctly.
Why do you need a laundry bag?
A laundry bag prevents things from getting damaged, protects things from harm, and protects fabric fibers from stretching. This is especially true for things made of knitwear. The advantages of such a thing need to be taken seriously.
The purposes of this laundry bag are as follows:
- Does not allow small objects to get lost;
- Preserves the appearance of your favorite items when washing;
- Provides protection directly to the washing machine;
- Designed for washing fabric shoes and delicate items;
- Saves material resources and time.
Let's consider these properties in turn for a better understanding of the issue. Items of different cut and quality are unprotected when washed.
Knitted and knitted items, fabric shoes, underwear, and clothing with accessories can lose their shape, stretch, and become completely damaged after the washing procedure. Outerwear also needs gentle washing, without the active influence of the spin functions.
If the above-mentioned clothes are placed in a special bag, they will be washed, rinsed and wringed, just like washing them by hand. The bag prevents the loss of socks and handkerchiefs, which sometimes stick to the rubber of the drum.
The remaining change or other items not pulled out of the pockets will fall out, but will remain in the bag. Using a bag for washing prevents damage to the washing machine.
In this case, the laundry will retain its original appearance when washed and spun; the housewife can only take it out of the bag and hang it out to dry.
Varieties
We looked at why you need a laundry bag: it is a really convenient thing that will help save the products themselves and the washing machine. Manufacturers also understood the advantage of the accessory, so they offered several varieties of it.
- Made from high strength nylon fibers. Such models are wear-resistant, so they will last a long time without losing their visual appeal. In addition, they are resistant to high temperatures.
- Polyester bags are widely popular - they are affordable and easy to use.
We recommend: How to properly wash a down jacket in a washing machine so that the down does not get lost?
Most often you can find mesh products on sale. They are often called simply “mesh”; they consist of a large number of “holes” resembling a honeycomb. However, if desired, you can find a more dense structure - such bags have a large number of small holes that allow water to pass through well.
Bags for washing machines are very diverse in shape:
- spherical;
- cylindrical;
- square.
There are also special models for bras and corsets that help wash these delicate wardrobe items in the most gentle way. Such bags are equipped with peculiar plastic “ribs” that prevent underwear from deteriorating and help it maintain its shape. The preferred number of such “ribs” is 6-8.
Special shoe bags help you quickly organize sneakers, sneakers and similar items without damaging the drum.
Types of washing bags
Products are defined according to the following aspects:
- Material of manufacture. Modern covers are made mostly from polyester; it is inexpensive and has decent strength and durability;
- According to its structure, the fiber is made of rigid fabric or material in the form of a mesh. When the fabric is very dense, then a few additional holes are made on the plane of such a mesh;
- By size factor. They are selected so that the case can accommodate items of different sizes - from small to large items;
- According to product configuration. It is better to buy voluminous rather than flattened models. The choice can be made among the options in the form of a square, cylinder and circle. For washing bras, there are special nets with a frame on sale;
- Closing item. Bags are available with cords, zippers, and other types of fastening devices.
What are they?
Criterias of choice
The bags offered on the market may vary:
- shape;
- sizes;
- lock type;
- material.
When choosing an option, you need to consider: what are the bags for? They vary depending on the purpose. So, a cover designed for a down jacket will not be suitable for shoes or bras.
The most common materials are polyester and nylon. They withstand high temperatures, do not shrink and are not deformed. These synthetic materials are wear-resistant, environmentally friendly and durable. Nylon can be reused many times without any damage to its properties and integrity. The material may have a different structure. There are bags:
- solid - with a dense structure;
- fine-mesh - mesh.
The shape is as simple as possible, not interfering with rotation, rinsing and spinning. Containers are:
- cubic;
- square;
- spherical;
- round;
- cylindrical;
- rectangular;
- prismatic.
How to use washing bags
Using this tool is easy. In general, actions will occur in this order:
- The underwear is turned inside out, the bedding and laces are taken out of the shoes, which can be left in the bag for cleaning.
- Things are placed in a case and it needs to be tied well.
- When large items are washed, all fastened parts in the form of hoods, fur elements and other details are removed from them.
- Then the appropriate erasing mode is selected, and powder and conditioner are added as needed. The washing unit starts up and the washing is done according to the usual routine.
- Do not pour powders into this container, as this will be unnecessary.
- Upon completion of washing, shoes or items are taken out of the bag and dried in the usual way.
The cover also needs to be dried on a wire, it is better when it dries itself.
Useful tips and rules
It is important to learn some useful tips and instructions so that the use of laundry bags will be of great benefit for your clothes and for your machine:
- You shouldn’t stuff the bag tightly - after filling there should be a lot of unoccupied space left in it. In a case with medium dimensions, after putting things in it there should be space for a woman’s hand to pass through;
- There is no need to overload the washing machine. You need to place the bag and other things in it so that there is a little unoccupied space in the drum;
- The bag is zipped all the way so that it cannot come unfastened during the washing process.
Gloves for putting on tights
In order to put on tights and not tear them in the process, not to leave any hooks that will later cause arrows, you need to have a certain skill and experience. In order not to damage the tights when putting them on, you need to remove all jewelry from your hands - rings and bracelets, check if your nails are in order and if there are any hangnails. And only then get down to business.
Particularly thin tights require extremely careful handling. Therefore, special gloves were invented for putting on such tights. Gloves for putting on tights can be fabric or polyethylene - this is an economical option.
These gloves are not easy to buy. Not all tights manufacturers include gloves for putting them on. However, rarely anyone buys them, just like tights with a density of 5 or 7 DEN.
Gloves for putting on tights
Choosing the Proper Laundry Bag
Finding a bag for machine washing is not difficult, because in retail outlets you can choose any option. To select a more suitable bag model, you should adhere to the following tips:
- Based on user reviews, it became known that voluminous cases are better than flat products. They can be used to wash clothes, shoes, and underwear. In this case, things can move freely inside the bag and are washed better;
- The laundry bag should be selected in accordance with the volume of clothes to be placed, also taking into account sneakers and other things. It is recommended to buy several bags of different sizes: for large items like curtains, for regular laundry, for shoes, for panties and socks;
- For washing bras, you will need a special case with a frame or boxes made of PVC. You need to read the instructions more carefully to avoid harming the drum of the machine;
- When choosing a bag for your shoes, you should take a closer look at the options containing a foam layer; the mentioned inserts will protect the shoes and the machine drum;
- You especially need to take a closer look at the closing mechanism. Many housewives do not use zippers, but fixing devices with sliders or cords. This is considered a more practical method, because the zipper sometimes diverges and breaks after a while;
- When you have to wash items with beads, rhinestones and other small details, you should choose a bag with very small holes;
To clean jackets filled with synthetic material, you need to purchase both a large bag and needle-type balls or tennis balls. They will not allow the filler to crumple.
Popular options
We provide a list of popular models of machine washable bags:
- Faberlic - made of nylon, small dimensions 50x40 cm. Made for gentle washing, does not allow small elements to get into the drum, prevents the appearance of puffs and dents in the laundry. Inexpensive price 199 rub.
- Brabantia – made of polyester, contains a set of 3 pieces. Can be used for items of different sizes, including underwear, jackets, and down jackets. A zipper is used for closure. The set costs 990 rubles.
- Zumman - a cover made of polyester, intended for clothes or shoes. Designed for a total weight of 3 kg, roomy, cost 190 rubles.
- KONONO - designed for washing and drying delicate laundry, prevents stretching and tightening, and protects the machine drum. Designed for washing underwear, cost 162 rubles.
- NIKLEN – the bag has a high-quality lock and is designed for washing a variety of items. Useful for use in large families. Due to the durable fabric at the base, the product will last a long time, the price is 414 rubles.
Nowadays, at an inexpensive price you can buy bags of different sizes for washing outerwear, underwear and shoes.
This device is very convenient, it will preserve the life of things, and it is practical to use it in a large family. The bag can last a long time and provides protection for the washing machine.
Why can't you wash your down jacket with regular powder?
Winter clothes with natural filling (usually down and feathers of waterfowl) have their own characteristics. Therefore, washing a down jacket with the same detergent that is used for linen and other things usually leads to the following “side effects”:
- White spots, stripes and stains appear on the surface of the fabric. The fact is that ordinary powders and gels contain bleaching components and also form a lot of foam. All this is poorly washed out from the loose fluff and dense “top” fabric. Therefore, if you wash a down jacket with powder, the appearance of “soap” stains is inevitable.
- The fluff falls off and sticks together into clumps. Regular powders and gels contain special substances that destroy fat. Meanwhile, it is the fat component that allows the fluff and feathers in the filler to retain their shape and volume, as well as their moisture-repellent effect. Degreasing when washing with a simple powder hopelessly spoils the fluff.
- The product loses its shape and changes color.
