Fabric Washing Requirements

1. Water Use

Water is divided into soft water and hard water. Hard water contains lime salts, which easily combine with detergents during washing to form insoluble precipitates that remain on clothes along with dirt. This not only wastes detergent but also causes clothes to yellow, gray, become sticky, and brittle. Therefore, soft water must be used. The simplest way to soften hard water is to boil it, then cool it before use; alternatively, a small amount of salt can be added and stirred to precipitate calcium and magnesium salts. After settling, the precipitate is removed, and the water is softened.

2. Water Temperature

The temperature of the water affects the cleaning ability. Higher temperatures increase detergent solubility and improve cleaning. However, some fabrics are not heat-resistant and may shrink, lose luster, or become brittle. Therefore, warm water between 30℃ and 40℃ is recommended.

3. Appropriate Amount of Detergent

Using too little detergent results in no cleaning power, while too much wastes detergent and reduces cleaning effectiveness. Unless otherwise specified, detergent concentrations between 0.2% and 0.5% provide the best cleaning effect. The usual method is to put detergent into a basin, then add warm water to dissolve it, and pour it into the machine's detergent inlet. If no special instructions are given, prepare a detergent solution of reasonable concentration, soak clothes for about 15 minutes. For heavily soiled clothes, soaking time can be extended appropriately but should not be too long to avoid reducing fabric lifespan due to hydrolysis and fiber damage.

4. Drying Clothes

Generally, clothes should not be exposed to strong sunlight. After washing, drying should be done by a drying process. Drying temperature should be adjusted according to fabric type, generally controlled between 40℃ and 50℃. When clothes are about 70-80% dry, remove them and air dry in a ventilated place to avoid wrinkles caused by high temperature inside the drum. Remove clothes should be stretched; pile yarn fabrics should be laid flat on a board to dry; knitted fabrics should be stretched by hand while wet to restore shape.

5. Economical Washing Methods (Applicable to WJSX-8, WJSX-10, WJSX-20)

① Soaking. Dirty clothes should be soaked before washing. Simply immerse clothes in water without adding detergent for 10 minutes to loosen dust. Then drain the dirty water, add fresh water and detergent, soak for another 15 minutes, and proceed with normal washing.

② Prevent Clothes Tangling. When washing long-sleeved shirts, button the cuff buttons to the chest buttonholes to prevent tangling with other clothes and avoid wrinkles.
③ Soap Washing Saves More. Using soap instead of washing powder not only cleans well and rinses easily but also has unexpected effects. Method: cut one-tenth of half a bar of transparent soap with a knife, dissolve it completely in hot water, controlling concentration at about 0.4%.
④ Clever Removal of Laundry Foam. When rinsing clothes, washing powder foam is hard to rinse off. Adding an appropriate amount of soapy water to the washing powder foam solution and running the wash cycle for 2-3 minutes can eliminate foam. Alternatively, adding a small amount of glacial acetic acid (white vinegar can be used instead) during rinsing will also make the foam disappear.

6. Washing Silk Clothes

Silk clothes generally shrink 5-10%. Use neutral detergent and wash in warm water at 30℃-40℃. Silk has poor wet fastness and should not be rubbed hard or wrung out. Spin dry for 15 minutes, dry until about 70% dry, then remove, reshape, and lay flat to dry. To make silk fabric glossy after washing, add a small amount of white sugar to the last rinse water. To prevent fading, add a small amount of glacial acetic acid during washing.

7. Washing Silk Shirts

Soak in clean water for 10 minutes before washing, preferably well water or water left standing for a day, as freshly drawn tap water contains chlorine which damages fabric. Silk is sensitive to alkali, so use weakly acidic, neutral, or special detergents. After washing, soak in water containing tannic acid for half an hour to increase gloss.

8. Washing Velvet Clothes

The fabric is mainly cotton fiber dyed with sulfur dyes. Add a small amount of salt to the water when washing to prevent fading. If there are obvious stains on the velvet surface, use a soft brush to brush along the direction of the nap to prevent fluff loss.

9. Washing Synthetic Fiber Clothes

Synthetic fiber clothes have a low melting point; water temperature should not exceed 40℃. Do not rub hard or wring out. Spin dry for 1.5 minutes, dry at low temperature, and iron preferably from the reverse side.

10. Washing Clothes Prone to Fading

Soak clothes in 5% salt warm water for half an hour before washing, or add a small amount of alum during washing to prevent or reduce fading.

11. Washing Bright-Colored Clothes

After washing, during rinsing, add a small amount of peppermint oil (or substitute with floral water) and soak for 10 minutes, spin dry for 2-3 minutes, and dry at low temperature.

12. Washing Black Clothes

Add some strong tea, coffee, or beer to the rinse water to restore the clothes' original luster.

13. Washing White Clothes

Should be washed separately. For whiter results, after rinsing, add 3-5 drops of pure blue ink to the water, stir well, soak the clothes for 2 minutes, then dry. Yellow stains on white clothes can be removed by adding a small amount of ammonia and a few drops of pure blue ink to the detergent during washing (100g sliced ginger boiled in water for 3 minutes, add a few oxalate crystals, then wash normally to restore whiteness; can be used when fabric yellows and cannot be cleaned).

14. Washing of shirts with stiff collars

Shirt stiff collars are generally made of linen and resin fabric. Soak in detergent solution for 15 minutes before washing, then gently brush with a soft brush. Do not wring or rub hard.

15. Washing heavily soiled clothes

For heavily soiled clothes, do not increase detergent amount but increase the number of washes. Add a small amount of ammonia to make the solution weakly alkaline during washing.

16. Washing tight-fitting clothes

Use weakly acidic or neutral detergent, do not rub hard. Adding an appropriate amount of sugar during washing can protect the elasticity of the clothes.

17. Washing denim clothes

Soak clothes in cold concentrated salt water for 2 hours before washing, then scrub with soap solution.

18. Washing woolen clothes

Generally, soak clothes in cold water for 15 minutes, then soak in neutral detergent or special silk and wool detergent for 5-6 minutes. Do not rub hard when washing. Gently brush heavily stained areas with a brown brush. Rinse with warm water, then rinse finally with cold water. Add a small amount of acetic acid during the last rinse to neutralize residual alkalinity. Dry at medium temperature.

19. Washing wool sweaters

Alkali is very harmful to wool. Use neutral or special detergent. Wash in 30°C warm water, rinse also with warm water. Spin dry for 20-30 seconds; too long causes deformation. To keep softness after washing, add a small amount of glycerin in the last rinse water. To prevent color bleeding between embroidered or jacquard wool sweaters during washing, fold the sweater into strips, soak in clear water, then gently rub in warm water (below 30°C) detergent solution for 5 minutes, rinse, then soak in 0.5% acetic acid water for 5 minutes to neutralize alkalinity and restore bright color.

20. Washing down jackets

Do not use too much water. Use neutral detergent. Machine wash must use a drum washing machine. Add a small amount of acetic acid during rinsing to neutralize foam. Spin dry for 2-3 minutes, dry at low temperature.

21. Washing embroidered fabrics

First wet a corner of the embroidered fabric, then rub the embroidery area with a white cloth. If the white cloth is stained, the embroidery thread is colorfast. The first wash can use 5% warm salt water, later use regular detergent. Add a small amount of acetic acid during washing. Do not wring by hand. Spin dry for 1.5 minutes, dry at low temperature.

23. Laundry additives
Neutral detergent: kitchen-specific detergent, suitable for silk and wool fabrics;
Alkaline detergent: ammonia water, sodium sulfate;
Acidifier: bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite;
Other stain removers: toothpaste and edible vinegar can also be used as stain removers;

Glacial acetic acid: colorless transparent liquid mainly used to remove residual alkali in fibers to neutralize, eliminate iridescence, and protect fabrics;

Ammonia water: alkaline agent effective in removing sweat stains, blood stains, paint stains, and various other stains;

Glycerol: transparent viscous liquid that can clean stains on protein fibers;

Anhydrous sodium sulfate: white powder used to enhance decomposition of dirt on heavily soiled areas during washing;
Sodium polyphosphate: white powder used to enhance stain removal effect.