Have you ever thrown your soggy bath mat into the washing machine without a second thought? Well, according to Scott Flint, an experienced appliance repair technician known as Scott the Fix-It Guy, that innocent act could spell disaster for your trusty washer.
In a world where convenience often trumps caution, it’s easy to overlook the potential harm certain household items can cause. But when it comes to bath mats, ignorance might cost you more than just a few bucks in repair bills—it could leave you with a broken washing machine and a hefty bill to fix it.
“I’ve seen too many front-loaded washing machines ruined because customers used them to wash bathroom mats,”
Flint explained on DIY site Family Handyman. With over three decades of repair experience under his belt, Flint knows firsthand the perils that await those who underestimate the weight and absorbency of these seemingly innocuous floor coverings.
The problem lies in the modern design of washing machines, which boast high-speed spin cycles reaching up to 1,200 revolutions per minute. While this feature may cut down on drying time for most laundry loads, it spells trouble when faced with heavy items like wet bath mats. The intense spinning coupled with the added weight can put tremendous strain on internal components, leading to catastrophic breakdowns.
“Placing bathroom mats in a home washing machine could lead to serious — and expensive — issues,”
warned Flint. From damaged motors due to obstructed parts flying off the mat during wash cycles to clogged drains caused by broken fibers, the domino effect of consequences is both alarming and costly. Repairs for these mishaps can easily soar into hundreds of dollars or more—a steep price to pay for a moment’s convenience.
But fear not! Flint offers some sage advice for avoiding such laundry disasters: either opt for commercial-grade machines at laundromats capable of handling heavier loads or roll up your sleeves and give that bath mat some old-fashioned manual scrubbing.
However, Dr. Mona Gohara , a Yale dermatology professor mentioned in The New York Times offers an unconventional solution—a wooden bath mat. According to her expertise, wooden mats dry out faster compared to their fabric counterparts which are prone breeding grounds for fungus and yeast due prolonged dampness.
Gohara recommends wiping wooden mats with vinegar-water mix weekly regardless of material type further highlights how proactive maintenance plays crucial role in extending lifespan other household items beyond just appliances themselves.
So next time you reach for that bath rug after shower think twice before tossing it straight into washer; your wallet—and washer—will thank you later.
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