The Washing Machine!

First of all this washing machine may be older than you are, so be kind to it.  Use cold water unless there is a REALLY good excuse to use warm.  Most detergents today work very well in cold water.  It saves energy too.  Some Guidelines:

1.    If you wash your clothes in cold water, fabric colours do not bleed against each other, so sorting whites from colours should not be necessary...UNLESS you just purchased something in a rather bright colour and it was a bargain.  In this case best to wash it the first time in cold water and alone (and with a half cup of white vinegar).

2.   Do not overfill.  It will take about 2 sheets, 2 pillowcases and the equivalent of about four towels.  Overfilling causes the machine to spin out of control and could break the springs inside from the weight, especially if everything in the washing machine has worked itself onto one side.

3.    If you do not have a full load, please wait until you do for three reasons:  it saves water, it saves energy and the washing machine doesn't handle one or two items well and may spin out of control and stop.

4.   If you use powdered detergent it is best to start filling the machine with water and then putting your detergent in, letting it dissolve a little or put in your towels on top of the soap powder as the water is running in.  WARNING:  If you put dark colours in and do not do this, you may find lots of soap power collects on the dark fabric.

5.    Do NOT put soap powder in the little cup in the middle of the washing tub.  It is ONLY for LIQUID fabric softener (like Cuddly).  If you put laundry powder in this cup it rinses completely away and no soap washes your clothes.  Finally, it clogs the machine with soap gunk and the inside of the column (in the middle) has to be scraped out to ensure the machine cleans the clothes in the future.

1. Press Power button once.
2. Press button above "water temperature" for cold.
3. Press Start 

When you press start water begins to fill the machine.  Then add detergent and other additives (such as Vanish).  Pour liquid fabric softener in the middle cup (I run a little water into the fabric softener cap and use it to dilute the softener so it mixes well with the clothes).  Let some water flow into the tub before adding your clothes.  If you use bleach, add it right at the beginning as the water flows in and wait till it is well diluted with the water before you add your clothes unless you are washing only whites.

Once your clothes are in, close the lid and go on your merry way.  It takes about 45 minutes to finish a load.  Please remember others may be waiting to use the machine, so if you do need to go off while doing washing, let someone know so they can take it out for you.

If you have further questions, just ask me.

NEWS + USING THE DRYER IN WINTER

NEWS ITEMS:

• ·         Also remember to wring out the dish cloth and express the water from the sponge to ensure (especially at this time of year) bacteria does not grow.
• ·         It is flu and cold season.  Remember to wash your hands a lot, cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and drink plenty of fluids.  Perhaps the worst is now over for Bobby, Asiko and Paul and the rest of us won’t get sick.

Finally Winter Drying

• ·         Winter means less sunshine
• ·         Winter means it is cold
• ·         Washing clothes must be done
• ·         Drying clothes is not always possible outside on the line.
• ·         When it is, please try to hang them outside
• ·         Or there are also two drying racks that are sometimes helpful.

             Here is how a clothes dryer works:

If you use the dryer:

1.   Be sure you check the filter first - all the fluff from drying will be stuck there.  Ask someone how to if you do not know how

2.   Do not throw the fluff outside the door, on the floor, behind the dryer or washing machine, or leave it on the bench in the laundry room, throw it in the bin.

3.   Be sure the "fins" of the filter are pointing toward the outside door (not the floor, not up and now toward the inside door)

4.   Be sure the windows in the bathroom and laundry room are open and the bathroom exhaust fan is on.  This is unfortunate for the boys as the dryer is not vented to outside and can't be helped.

5.   THE INSIDE DOOR NEEDS TO STAY SHUT AS IT MAKES IT COLDER IF THE MOIST AIR COMES INTO THE REST OF THE HOUSE AND IT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH!

6.   If it is not night and if it is not raining, open the back door (and do not bother with the windows and exhaust fan) to let the hot air go out (there is a latch behind the door you can fasten so it stays open).

7.   Please lock the inside door if you have the back door open for a while and you are not able to be here.

8.   Do not put metal or plastic objects or candy in the dryer.

9.   Try to always remove your dried clothes and clean the fluff filter before the next person uses the dryer.

10.        if you have any questions about using the dryer, please ask me.