A surprising number of things can go wrong when washing. We uncover the eight biggest washing mistakes and tell you how you can not only get your laundry clean, but also save water and electricity.

#1 Incorrect filling

You can overfill or underfill your washing machine. Neither is optimal.

If you have too much laundry in the drum, it will get too tangled up and prevent the water from running through properly or really reaching all places. The laundry may not be getting properly clean.

A washing machine that is only half full, on the other hand, wastes energy, water and detergent.

When filling your washing machine, the following rule of thumb applies:

A raised, spread hand should definitely still fit into the drum above the laundry.

There are exceptions here too: for delicates or woollens, the washing drum should be filled no more than halfway, so that the clothes don't rub against each other so tightly.

#2 Using too much detergent

Anyone who thinks that too much detergent is not a problem is wrong. More detergent does not mean that the laundry will be cleaner. On the contrary, too much detergent leads to…

• Under certain circumstances, the laundry cannot be rinsed out properly, which means that dirt and grease particles get stuck and start to smell over time.
• Detergent residue left on clothes . This can damage not only your clothes but also your skin.
• Your water consumption increases . If there is too much foam in the drum, the washing machine pumps more water.
• You spend more money: The more detergent you need, the faster you have to buy new ones.

#3 Not using enough detergent

If you use too little detergent, the opposite is the case. Your laundry doesn't get really clean, which ultimately also means that your laundry not only smells bad, but also stays dirty.

In addition, limescale will be deposited in your clothing more quickly and will wear out faster.

Tips:

• Determine water hardness : The harder the water, the more detergent you need.
• Pay attention to the information on the package: Each detergent package states how much detergent needs to be added per kg of laundry.

By the way: You can save yourself the dosing with the bluu washing strips : the strips are already pre-dosed and just right for your laundry.

#4 Wrong washing program

Nowadays, washing machines have countless different washing programs and combination options on offer: you can choose the program, temperature and spin speed yourself.

If you use the wrong program for your clothes, they can discolour, shrink or suffer other irreparable damage.

So that doesn't happen to you: Pay attention to the care label! This usually tells you everything you need to know about caring for your garment. Also take a look at the operating instructions for your washing machine: There you will find out which washing program is suitable for what.

Roughly applies:

• Bed linen and towels: 60 degrees
• Normally soiled clothing: 30 to 40 degrees
• Delicate wash: 30 degrees
• Wool and silk clothing: 30 degrees
• Synthetic laundry: 30 degrees

Tip: If the label says 30 degrees, then the laundry really only tolerates this temperature and not the 40-degree washing program instead. This minimal difference can be crucial.

#5 Wash with prewash

It used to be useful, but today it is mostly superfluous: your washing machine can handle normally soiled clothing without a pre-wash programme.

If your clothes are very dirty, you are usually better off with home remedies such as curd soap or baking soda and do not waste electricity and water unnecessarily. You can do without the prewash.

#6 Do not clean the dryer and machine

Just like your clothes, your washing machine and dryer also need care and attention. You have to clean them regularly.

If you don't, the following can happen:

• The machine and the freshly washed laundry start to stink.
• Germs and bacteria settle in.
• Limescale is deposited.
• The energy consumption is increased.
• The lifespan of the machines decreases.

You can find out how to properly clean your dryer and washing machine in our blog post .

#7 Use a short wash program

Most likely you have also saved a short wash or eco program on your washing machine. Unfortunately, the name doesn't quite live up to what it promises.

The Eco program requires less water, but all the more electricity! Because to get the laundry clean with less water, the machine needs more time.

It's even worse with the short wash program: In order for everything to go ultra-fast, the washing machine needs a much larger amount of water AND energy to get the laundry clean.

Therefore: Only use the short wash program if you have to.

#8 Use a tumble dryer

Of course, such a tumble dryer is super practical: Put the laundry in, switch it on, take out the laundry.

But: The tumble dryer is usually one of the biggest power guzzlers in your home. And puts unnecessary strain on your clothes.

Better to hang up the laundry. Especially in summer (when it's sunny and dry), laundry dries in a flash.

Tip: If you still prefer to use the dryer, then don't wait between the drying phases. If the dryer is already running at full speed and is still warm from the last load of clothes, it needs less energy for the next one.

You can read more about the pros and cons of the tumble dryer and clothesline here .