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201959
Clothing Concerns
To keep clothes looking white or bright, use good
washing practices at all times to prevent a
gradual build-up of soil or water hardness
minerals on them. If you notice that your clothes
are not as bright as they should be, take
corrective measures immediately.
Sweaters of Manufactured Fibers • Follow directions for comparable knits.
• Button sweaters and turn inside out.
• Stretch to shape after washing.
• Avoid pulling when wet.
Wool Items • Unless labeled “machine washable,” wash by hand.
Permanent Press • Wash often. Permanent press clothes tend to look clean even when they should
be washed.
• Do not wash with lint-shedding loads.
• Pretreat grease stains and oily areas.
• Use the PERMANENT PRESS cycle, hot or warm water, cold rinse and
sufficient detergent.
• Use fabric softener in the rinse water. This will reduce the static electricity
which attracts lint and makes garments cling.
Problem Cause Solution
Gray or Dingy
Clothes
Insufficient Detergent Add more detergent to washtub before loading clothes. Mild
detergents are not suitable for average soil.
Improper Sorting Wash whites separately. Separate light from heavily soiled
items. Clothes can pick up soil from dirty wash water.
Nonphosphate Detergent and Hard
Water
Follow package directions. Soften water if possible.
Water Not Hot Enough White clothes will stay whiter with hot wash water. Increase
temperature.
Overcrowding Washer Clothes must circulate freely through the water for best
results.
Yellowed Clothes Unremoved Soil Skin soil is hard to remove. Check hem edge of sheets and
pillowcases, bottom end of t-shirts, etc. If this portion is white
and center is yellow, the fabric contains unremoved soil. Use
sufficient detergent and a hot wash. Chlorine bleach may be
needed.
Clothes Stained From Iron in the Water To test if an iron stain, use a rust remover on a portion of the
garment. Follow bottle directions for larger items.
Older Clothes Some white fabrics turn yellow with age and cannot be
whitened.
Clothes Tearing or
Damaged
Improper Use of Chlorine Bleach No correction for bleach damaged clothes. Always measure and
dilute bleach. Take extra care to avoid unwanted spilling.
Overcrowding or Overloading Make sure all items can move freely during agitation.
Insufficient Precare Fasten all hooks and zippers. Mend tears. Remove objects from
pockets.
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