What is prewash? Many people think that we are talking about soaking laundry. Indeed, this is exactly what they did with heavily soiled things. First, they were soaked for several hours, then wrung out and washed. But such complex actions were needed as long as there were no automatic washing machines. Manufacturers have taken into account all the moments, so they have programmed different programs that are effective in any situation, including heavily soiled things. Modern machines can soak, wash, rinse, wring and even dry. All these processes require minimal human involvement. Manipulations with things are done in automatic mode, which allows not only to qualitatively clean the laundry from dirt, but also to save water and electricity.
The "pre-wash" function is available in all automatic appliances. Let's see what is programmed under it. It will also be useful for owners of automatic machines to know what it is for, in what programs it is used,How long does the washing process take? So, it's time to answer all the questions posed.
General concept
Prewash in the washing machine - what is it? This question is often asked by owners of automatic devices. Considering that this mode is available in almost everyone, such interest is fully justified. What is it for? How is it used? The prewash program helps to get rid of stubborn dirt. When using it, things do not deteriorate and do not lose their appearance. Designed to free the human from the soaking process. Let's see how to use this mode.
What is the mode for?
Many people believe that washing machine manufacturers deliberately come up with different programs in order to increase the cost of the device. In some situations this is true, but not with a prewash. This mode frees a person from many rather difficult processes.
What is the program for? It is easy to answer this question. It is designed to clean things that are heavily soiled. It is mainly used for washing bed linen, work clothes. Many people prefer fast modes to save electricity and water. However, they are only effective when the laundry is lightly soiled. But if there are stains on things, then it will not work to remove them through such programs. Soaking is required for good cleaning. Modern man often does not have enough time toto do it manually, so appliance manufacturers came up with a special program. It is she who will perform all these manipulations automatically.
Programs
It is worth noting that not all pre-installed programs are pre-washed. Some users have a completely logical question: “Why?” The fact is that this mode acts as an additional option. It is only compatible with programs designed for a long wash cycle. These include:
- "jeans";
- "cotton";
- "baby clothes";
- hand wash mode;
- "dark things";
- "eco cotton";
- "intensive wash";
- "synthetics".
Note that the names of some programs may differ depending on the brand. Other express modes are not compatible with prewash. Washing time is their main advantage. As a rule, in fast programs it is 15 and 30 minutes. And if you activate the pre-option, then the time will increase significantly, which contradicts the name "express".
Laundry cleaning efficiency
What factors affect the effective cleaning of heavily soiled laundry? Three main ones can be distinguished. These include:
- composition of detergents;
- water temperature;
- mechanicaleffect on linen.
It is these moments that the manufacturers took into account when programming the prewash mode. Although it is an analogue of conventional manual soaking, it is much superior in quality to this method. The fact is that the automatic machine is able to maintain optimal conditions, that is, a temperature of 40-60 ° C. At the moment of activation of the preliminary mode, the laundry does not just lie and get wet, but rotates regularly. This progressive motion, combined with chemical detergents, helps to "knock" the dirt out of the fibers of the fabric.
Also, when choosing a prewash, you should be prepared for the fact that the cycle time will increase by approximately 30-40 minutes. This is how much will be spent on soaking the laundry before the main program is activated.
Mode designation
The control panels of washing machines differ depending on the brand. Each manufacturer tries to design it in an individual design. Instruments use numbers, special characters, or names to designate programs. For example, the pre-wash in Indesit is programmed under "1". In some models, this mode is called "Cotton: Wash with Soak". To select it, turn the knob to 1.
There are also manufacturers who prefer to designate programs and options in the form of certain symbols. In this case, the preliminary mode will be indicated by an icon that is remotely similar to the printed letter "w" - \_|_/.
There are also washingmachines in which the mode is indicated by the full name. It won't be hard to find him. For example, the button to activate it is located under the screen in LG models.
Washing process
Let's take a closer look at how the washing process goes when the additional option is activated. The box in which the powder is poured has two compartments. One is for the main cycle, the other is for the prewash detergent. It can be represented by the icon above or the symbol "I". After the powder is added, the program must be selected. For this, a regulator is used. Next, the prewash mode is activated.
After pressing "Start", the device will start to draw water. It heats up to the set temperature. During washing, detergent will gradually be taken from the first compartment. In the preliminary mode, the drum rotates slowly, with a rocking motion.
Depending on the choice of the main program, the washing cycle may even exceed 2 hours. Periodically, the machine will drain the water and add new water. This is necessary in order to get rid of dirt. When the prewash period is over, the appliance will drain the water completely and fill with clean water for the main wash.
It is not recommended to use liquid detergents in this mode. Why? The fact is that while the machine reaches the main wash, the gel will simply drain into the drum.
Recommendations
Toto wash clothes with high quality, it is necessary not only to load things into the drum and pour detergent. For the efficiency of the process, it is important to observe the following rules:
- Sort items by soil level.
- Treat stains with an additional product.
- Turn things inside out if they have buttons.
- Do not wash colored items with whites.
- For things with rhinestones, it is better to use special mesh bags.
If there are old stains of dirt on the linen, then it is recommended to pre-treat the places with liquid detergent or rub with laundry soap. After that, you can immediately send it to the washing machine, including not only the main program, but also the preliminary one.
Breakdown
All modern washing machines are equipped with a self-diagnosis option. If there is any malfunction, the device notifies the owner. Many users are interested in: "What should I do if the indicator light flashes and the washing process itself does not start?" In this case, the first thing to do is to check if the hatch door is closed. To do this, you need to open it and press it against the body again - a characteristic click should sound. Also, sometimes owners accidentally press the "Pause" key. If the device has a screen, then when it is activated, a special icon appears. Excluding these two options, you will need to completely turn off the washing machine (even from the power). Leave it in this position for about 20 minutes. Then restart the cycle.
