For a regular-sized load of laundry, add about ½ cup of salt directly into the drum of your washing machine. If you’re dealing with particularly hard water or tough stains, you can increase the amount to 1 cup.
Run a Maintenance Wash:
Periodically, run an empty wash cycle with just salt and hot water. This helps to clean the inside of your washing machine, remove limescale, and eliminate any lingering odors.
Combine with Detergent:
You can add salt along with your regular detergent for each wash. This will boost the cleaning power of the detergent and keep your clothes looking vibrant.
Precautions and Considerations
While adding salt to your washing machine has numerous benefits, it’s important to keep a few considerations in mind:
Frequency:
Don’t overdo it. Using salt in every wash isn’t necessary. A maintenance wash once a month or adding salt to particularly tough loads should suffice.
Compatibility:
Check your washing machine’s manual or consult with the manufacturer to ensure that using salt won’t void your warranty or cause damage to specific parts.
Type of Clothes:
Be cautious when washing delicate fabrics or garments with embellishments, as the abrasive nature of salt could cause damage.
