Clean freaks, beware.
Before you toss that soggy bath mat into the washing machine for a quick spin — don’t.
Laundering your mat at home could do major damage to your appliance, according to one laundry-loving expert.
Scott Flint, an appliance repair tech also known as Scott the Fix-It Guy, says they get so heavy when wet that they can wreak havoc on spin cycles, busting parts and potentially racking up repairs that could set you back a whopping $1,000 or more.
“I’ve seen too many front-loaded washing machines ruined because customers used them to wash bathroom mats,” Flint explained in a post on DIY site Family Handyman.
He pointed out that the highly absorbent floor coverings can become too heavy for washing machines, which “have a much faster spin rate than washers of the past, up to 1,200 revolutions per minute during high-speed spins.”
That creates “large amounts of force with heavy items, and the increased weight tears the washer apart,” warned the appliance guru, who has more than three decades of repair experience.
In other words, placing bathroom mats in a home washing machine could lead to serious — and expensive — issues.
For one, it could damage the machine’s motor, as the mat may fly apart and obstruct it, he said.
“Long fibers on some mats break off during the wash cycle and clog the drain,” Flint said, adding that repairing or replacing a drain motor typically costs around $240.
Bath mats can especially do a number on the spin basket bearing, which helps the drum rotate and tends to take the hardest hit under the strain of waterlogged mats.
“When the bearing fails, the fix can cost $500,” Flint wrote.
Even worse, the extra weight frequently causes the spider bracket, which holds the spinning mechanism, to break. That repair price tag is also around $500.
Flint helpfully revealed that a loud, clunky noise during a high-speed spin could be your washer waving a white flag — it’s a sign of a worn-out rear bearing.
And while it might limp along for a bit, he said, it’s only a matter of time before the spinning stops for good.
Flint offers two obvious solutions to avoid catastrophe: take your bath rug to a laundromat with sturdier machines, or scrub it by hand.
But Dr. Mona Gohara, a Yale dermatology professor, told the New York Times there’s another alternative: use a wooden mat instead.
It’s “probably a safer option” because “it just dries out much more readily, quickly,” making it less likely to become “damp, moist and dirty.”
A cotton or polyester rug, Gohara warned, is “like Disneyland for fungus and yeast.”
To avoid unwanted buildup on wooden mats, experts recommend wiping them with a vinegar-water mix — and no matter the type, Gohara advises cleaning them once a week.
Read the full article here
