Have you ever tossed your soggy bath mat into the washing machine without a second thought? You might want to reconsider after hearing what Scott Flint, known as Scott the Fix-It Guy, has to say. As an experienced appliance repair technician with over three decades in the field, he’s seen it all when it comes to laundry mishaps.
“I’ve seen too many front-loaded washing machines ruined because customers used them to wash bathroom mats,”
Flint shared on DIY site Family Handyman. It turns out that those seemingly innocent bath mats can spell disaster for your trusty washer. The culprit? Excess weight and high-speed spins that modern machines aren’t always equipped to handle.
So, why are bath mats such a menace to washing machines? Well, as Flint explains, these absorbent floor coverings become incredibly heavy when saturated with water. When you combine that weight with the rapid spin cycles of today’s washers – some reaching up to 1,200 revolutions per minute – you have a recipe for trouble. This excessive force can wreak havoc on internal components and lead to costly repairs upwards of $1,000 or more.
“In other words, placing bathroom mats in a home washing machine could lead to serious — and expensive — issues,”
Flint cautioned. The consequences range from damaging the motor and drain system due to clogs from broken fibers to causing failures in critical parts like the spin basket bearing and spider bracket.
But fear not; there are solutions at hand. To avoid potential washing machine calamities, Flint suggests two straightforward alternatives: either opt for professional laundering services at a laundromat with industrial-grade machines or revert back to good old manual scrubbing.
However, Dr. Mona Gohara from Yale University offers an intriguing third option: wooden bath mats. According to her expert opinion shared with The New York Times, wooden alternatives not only dry faster but also minimize moisture retention that fosters fungal growth common in cotton or polyester rugs.
“A cotton or polyester rug is like Disneyland for fungus and yeast,”
Gohara warned emphatically. To maintain wooden mats’ hygiene levels effectively, she recommends regular cleaning using a vinegar-water solution and weekly maintenance routines regardless of material type.
Now armed with this insider knowledge from both an appliance expert and dermatology specialist, you can bid farewell to laundry woes and safeguard your beloved washing machine from unnecessary wear and tear caused by unsuspecting culprits like wet bath mats. Remember: prevention is key when it comes to preserving household staples like our trusted washers!
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