A washing machine makes your life incredibly easier – provided you treat it and your laundry correctly. However, many common everyday habits can damage your clothes over time or shorten the life of the appliance.

Here are the 7 most common mistakes and how to easily avoid them:

Overdosing on detergent
Mistake: “More is better” – using more detergent results in cleaner laundry.
Reality: Too much detergent creates excessive suds. This builds up on fabrics (making them stiff) and leaves a musty residue in the washing machine hoses.

Tip: Strictly follow the dosage instructions on the packaging and adjust them to the water hardness in your area.

Closing the washing machine door after washing
Mistake: The door and detergent dispenser are closed tightly as soon as the laundry is removed.
Reality: A damp, dark drum creates the ideal environment for bacteria, mold and unpleasant odors.

Tip: After each wash, leave the door and detergent dispenser slightly ajar to allow the washing machine to dry.

Only wash at low temperatures
Mistake: For environmental and energy reasons, people only wash at 20°C or 30°C.

Reality: While low temperatures save energy and protect fabrics, they do not destroy bacteria and grease deposits in the washing machine. Over time, the washing machine will start to smell.

Tip: Wash white laundry or towels/bed linen at 60°C at least once a month (ideally with an intensive powder detergent) to disinfect the drum.

Leave zippers open and buttons closed
Mistake: Pants and jackets simply fit into the drum as they were taken off.

Reality: Open zippers act like tiny saws and damage delicate fabrics. Closed buttons, on the other hand, are subjected to a lot of tension during the spin cycle and can tear.

Tip: Always close zippers, but leave buttons on shirts and bed linens open.

Using fabric softener on the wrong fabrics
Mistake: Fabric softener is added to every wash for the scent.

Reality: Fabric softener coats fibers with a thin film. In sportswear, it clogs breathable membranes; in towels, it drastically reduces absorbency; and elastane (e.g. in jeans or leggings) loses its elasticity.

Tip: Use fabric softener sparingly and avoid it altogether on sportswear, microfiber, towels, and wool. Alternatively, a little white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment can help.

Overfilling the drum
Mistake: The laundry is packed as tightly as possible in the washing machine to save on wash cycles.

Reality: The water and detergent can no longer circulate evenly. The laundry is not washed properly and the washer’s shock absorbers and bearings wear out extremely quickly.

Tip: As a rule, there should always be a distance of about the width of your hand between the laundry and the top of the drum.

Never clean the filter and seals
Mistake: The washing machine is considered a self-cleaning appliance.

Reality: Hair, coins and tissue paper are collected in the lint filter (foreign object trap). Wet sludge accumulates in the rubber door seal.

Tip: Wipe the rubber seal regularly after washing and clean the lint filter every 2 to 3 months.

The material was prepared by the editorial team using artificial intelligence tools. All information was checked and edited before publication.