Owners of washing equipment from time to time encounter situations when their washing machine tears things during washing. And after such “washing”, tears, holes or other defects appear on clean things.
This indicates a malfunction of the device, because regardless of the cost and manufacturer, it is obliged to handle clothing with the utmost delicacy.
Possible malfunctions of the washing machine
There are several reasons why a washing machine tears things. This may occur due to improper use of the device, accidental defects during assembly at the factory, or malfunction after several years of service. As a rule, the machine tears the laundry in the following cases:
- The wrong program has been selected or the spin speed has been set to high, causing damage to delicate items.
- Laundry detergents are incorrectly selected for a particular type of fabric.
- Loaded laundry contains zippers, hooks, buttons, bones and other sharp or metal objects that can damage items during washing.
- Foreign objects have gotten inside the washing machine drum.
- On the inner surface of the drum there may be defects invisible to the naked eye - chips, burrs, cracks, sharp edges.
- Damage to the loading hatch of a device with a vertical type of laundry loading. These could be springs, chips of plastic or iron, cracks, sharp edges on the doors.
- The drum of the washing machine is offset relative to its axis.
Possible problems should be considered in more detail to understand how to get rid of them.
Wrong washing mode selected
Before using the washing machine, you should carefully study the instruction manual. It will be indicated there that for most types of fabrics there are special modes in which the laundry is washed efficiently and with the utmost care. Other programs may damage the item. Unfortunately, some housewives neglect this rule or believe that they understand better than the device manufacturer.
If the list of modes does not include a special program for a particular fabric, you should install the most gentle one, and also take into account the information on the clothing label. It provides useful information on how to properly wash an item so that it lasts for a long time.
Also, you should not abuse setting high speeds (more than 800) during spinning. The washing machine is likely to tear delicate fabrics during this procedure.
Incorrectly selected detergents
Choosing unsuitable detergents is another common case of user violating the rules for operating the device.Manufacturers recommend using non-aggressive and low-foaming products, otherwise they will gradually destroy the fabric, and friction during washing and spinning will complete the damage to the item.
Sharp objects on clothing or inside the drum
Improper loading of clothes into the drum is another possible reason why your washing machine tears clothes.
According to the instruction manual, before loading items into the drum, you must remove all items from the pockets and also hide any metal or sharp parts. These can be zippers, buttons, dogs, rhinestones, etc. The easiest way is to button the garment and turn it inside out. If this is not possible, you should put it in a special laundry bag. It is mandatory to use this accessory to wash bras and items with hard decorations - sequins, beads, beads, rhinestones, etc. When they come off the clothes, they can tear not only the item, but also damage the washing machine itself. There are often cases when a detached wire from a bra or a small self-tapping screw unnoticed in a pocket not only made many small holes in things, but also, once inside the device, pierced the tank, creating unnecessary complications and dooming the owner to expensive repairs.
To determine the presence of foreign objects, you should carefully examine the inside of the washing machine drum, and also inspect the areas in the immediate vicinity of the cuff, most carefully in the upper part of the loading hole. Also, when operating the washing machine, you may hear extraneous noises, such as knocks, ringing or grinding, which also indicate a problem.
To prevent the machine from tearing things, after each wash you need to remove the clothes and then turn the washing machine drum several times by hand. If there are any small items left inside, they will be detected. Sometimes they can get inside the cuff, so it needs to be folded back and carefully examined.
Defects in the drum or loading hatch
If a new washing machine tears things, this may indicate a manufacturing defect.
To detect it, it is necessary, armed with a flashlight, to carefully examine the drum from the inside. There should be no holes on its inner surface, except for the technological holes for filling water, provided by the manufacturer and having a diameter of 3-4 mm.
If a visual inspection does not reveal any damage, you should take old women's tights or stockings, put them on your hand and carefully examine every centimeter of the inner surface of the drum, running your hand over it. If a metal burr or chip is really present, it will definitely reveal itself during such a check.
If a defect is found in a new washing machine, it is recommended to contact the store and write an application for an exchange of goods or a refund. If the device is old, you can solve the problem on your own by cleaning the problem area with fine sandpaper. Work very carefully, otherwise you may cause further damage to the surface of the drum. You should definitely think about the cause of the defect, because this may indicate a complex breakdown. In addition to a malfunction, such defects can be caused by a metal object, such as a nut, bolt or nail, getting inside the washing machine drum.At high spin speeds, they are quite capable of leaving a scratch.
On top-loading washing machines, you need to carefully examine the door. On its inside there is a device responsible for blocking the hatch of the washing machine. If you close the lid abruptly, it may crack, with sharp parts or a spring sticking out. When washing, they will tear things, so the device needs to be repaired urgently.
Washing machine drum offset
Situations very often occur when an item becomes caught between the edge of the tub and the drum of the washing machine during washing. And at a high speed of rotation of the drum, the device tears the thing. As a result, the owner, instead of his favorite thing, will receive a torn rag that can only be thrown away. To understand why a machine tears things, you need to know the design of a front-loading washing machine.
In this case, the washing machine tears the clothes due to a faulty bearing. These items rotate the drum and keep it in the correct horizontal position, and also prevent it from moving to the side while working under the weight of heavy wet things. After a breakdown, they cease to perform their functions, as a result the drum moves, and a gap appears between it and the edges of the tank. The machine will pinch and tear the item if it gets into the gap during washing or spinning.
It is very difficult to repair such a breakdown on your own. You must contact the service center and call a qualified specialist.
If the owner decides to fix the problem on his own, he will need to perform the following sequence of actions:
- Remove the cover and back wall of the washing machine;
- Disconnect the counterweight, pump, motor and shock absorbers;
- Remove the front wall together with the secured loading hatch cuff;
- Disconnect and disassemble the tank;
- Replace the damaged bearing with a new one;
- Assemble the washing machine.
The process is very complicated, so if you are not sure that the repair will be completed successfully on your own, it is better to entrust it to professionals.
In addition to the reasons described above, it is worth mentioning the inadmissibility of overloading the washing machine. Firstly, this has a negative effect on its operation, the bearings in this case wear out faster. Secondly, if there are a lot of things, the water will not dissolve all the powder, which means that the laundry sprinkled with powder will rub much harder. As a result, the washing machine will soon tear the thing.
How to protect clothes from damage during washing
So, there are often situations when washing equipment tears things due to the wrong actions of the owner. To prevent the machine from tearing things, you should follow these simple steps:
- Inspect pockets before washing and empty their contents;
- Fasten zippers, buttons, rivets, turn things inside out;
- To prevent the washing machine from tearing things, delicate items and things with hard decorations should be washed in a special bag;
- If there are doubts about the quality and durability of the item, you should choose the most gentle program and set the lowest number of revolutions during spinning;
- Choose a detergent that is safe for fabrics;
- Do not overload the washing machine;
- After finishing work, inspect the drum and cuff of the washing machine for small objects.
If these rules are followed, the safety and integrity of your favorite things is practically guaranteed.
