Laundry guide. Washing Tips and Machine Advice.

Transcription

1 Laundry guide. Washing Tips and Machine Advice.

2 The Laundry Guide from OMO. Laundry doesn t have to be a dirty word... It s all about getting the best results, with minimum fuss. This Laundry Guide is designed to give you helpful hints, easy advice and troubleshooting tips so you can achieve brilliant results with every wash. OMO has a rich heritage spanning over 50 years being at the forefront of innovation and technical inventions to deliver brilliant cleaning results. OMO stands for stain removal, in particular the stains that children bring home after a day in the great outdoors exploring or playing sport. OMO believes Dirt is Good and that kids need to be free to go out and get dirty in order to learn and grow. With a product to suit every need and machine type, OMO allows you to continue exploring and living life to the full, no matter how dirty you get in the process. OMO products give your family s clothes that little bit of extra care and long lasting freshness. OMO comes in three formats to suit everyone s needs - liquid, powder and capsules. THE BASICS

3 The Basics. Sorting your washing and loading your machine may sound simple... These tips will help ensure you re getting the basics right in order to help you radically improve the results of each wash. Sort COLOURS. Sort your washing into whites, light colours and dark colours. FABRIC TYPE. Separate naturals, like cotton or linen, from synthetic man-made fibres, like nylon or polyester. Remember, garments made from delicate fabrics, like wool or silk should be washed with products specially formulated for silk or wool. HEAVILY SOILED ITEMS. Always wash very dirty garments separately. At OMO we believe Dirt Is Good and the great news is that no matter how dirty your or your family s clothes get, a wash with OMO will ensure that they emerge bright again. READ THE CARE LABEL.The advice on the care label is there for a reason. If a garment is marked hand wash only, don t risk washing it in the machine. Remember you can use OMO for hand washing too. Remember to rinse hands and dry thoroughly afterwards. If your skin is sensitive or damaged we recommend wearing water proof gloves. Load It s important that you don t overload your washing machine. So, what s the right amount? For a front loader machine you should be able to fit your hand between the top of the load and the machine drum. When you reach that level, that s it, no more! For a top loader machine, place garments loosely into the machine don t push them down to fit more. Clothes should be able to move freely around the agitator when the machine has filled with water. What happens if I overload? White garments may lose their brightness and turn greyish over time as they can t move freely so the dirt can t be effectively washed away. Stains will not wash out as the cleaning action of your detergent and the agitation of the machine become ineffective. Your wash will be badly creased. This is because fabrics are heavier when wet, causing crushing of fabric when the machine is overloaded.

4 The Basics. Dosing To get the best results from your washing machine always use the right amount of detergent... Using too little detergent can cause poor cleaning results as dirt or hard water deposits may build up in your machine. Using too much is uneconomical and increases the risk of poor rinsing of clothes. If laundry detergent mixes with fabric conditioner they can cause a white or grey sediment which is hard to remove. That s why machines have a special dosing area for fabric conditioners. Read your machine s instruction guide to locate your fabric conditioner dosing area and look on the side of your laundry detergent for the dosing guide. The Right Product Ensure you use the right product for your machine. In Top Loader washing machines, only use detergent recommended for Top Loaders. For High Efficiency and Front Loader washing machines, use laundry detergents that are formulated for Front Loader washing machines. Both Front Loader and High Efficiency washing machines need to have low foaming formulations for the washing machine to work efficiently. Did you know? OMO has the extra cleaning power of pre-treaters for an amazing cleaning result every wash. THE BASICS

5 The right temperature for your wash. The wrong temperature can ruin a favourite garment with just one wash, so here s a quick guide to help you find the right temperature... Cold (20 C) Ideal for fabrics that might shrink or fade in warm water and recommended for typical wash-and-wear items. It is recommended to use cold water washing for dark colours and delicate fibres. Warm (40 C) Ideal water temperature to get excellent results first time. Best for synthetics and permanent press items, including light to medium colours. Hot (55 C) This is best for items that won t shrink and can stand hot water without losing colour. Mainly used for heavily soiled work items or sports clothes. If you re not sure what temperature setting to use for a particular garment, try a cool setting. Normally you should expect to find the wash temperature on the fabric label. Remember! The choice of hot, warm or cold water for a wash load depends upon a number of factors, including: Amount and type of soil Colourfastness Type of fabric Advice provided on the garment care label

6 Fabric care symbols. Whether you re washing your clothes, drying them or ironing them, the Care Label on your garment will give you special instructions that will help you to keep your clothes looking their best. Confused or unsure? Check out our website or call the OMO Careline on: Washing symbols For the washing process, a washtub is shown. The number within the washtub is the maximum wash temperature. Mild treatment Bleaching symbols Chlorine based bleaching allowed Do not use chlorine based bleach Drying symbols Tumble drying possible, normal drying cycle Tumble drying possible, drying at lower temperature setting Ironing symbols Cool iron (110ºC) Warm iron (150ºC) Do not tumble dry Hot iron (200ºC) Very mild treatment Line dry Do not iron Hand wash only Drip dry Dry Cleaning process Dry flat Treatment not permitted CARING FOR FABRICS

7 Clothes Care. Washing your clothes carefully is only one part of the story... To keep them looking, feeling and smelling great, they also have to be dried, ironed and stored with care. Here are some helpful hints on how to look after your clothes to help preserve their original appearance and condition. Drying Drying clothes appropriately can make all the difference to how they look and feel when you come to wear them. ACRYLIC KNITWEAR. Dry flat, away from direct heat, unless otherwise advised by the care label. COTTON AND LINEN. These can be dried on a washing line. DELICATES. Check the care labels to find out whether these can be trusted in the dryer, whether they should be hung on a line, or dried flat. USING A TUMBLE DRYER. Check the care label for any specific instructions. Some clothes are not suitable for tumble drying and will need to be dried on a washing line or dried flat. Regularly remove any build-up of fluff from the lint tray. To avoid excess static and make tumble dried clothes easier to iron you can add a fabric conditioner to your wash. When setting the desired drying time remember that you may want your clothes slightly damp if you are planning to iron them afterwards. POLYESTER AND POLYCOTTON. These can be dried on a washing line or on a low setting in the dryer. WOOLLENS. Garments made from woollens can lose their shape when hung up, so it is best to dry them flat, either on a special drying screen or on a table on which you have first spread a towel. Dry away from direct heat or sunlight which can cause yellowing of woollens. LINE DRYING OUTSIDE. Most garments can safely be line dried. Sunlight may cause some darker colours to fade, so dry bright and deep dyed colours in the shade and where possible turn them inside out. To help avoid that stiff as a board feeling after line drying, use a fabric conditioner like Comfort during washing.

8 Ironing You are not alone. most people hate to iron. Many items can be taken off the line and folded away or hung on clothes hangers without the need for ironing. Using a fabric conditioner like Comfort in the final rinse of the wash cycle, will also reduce the need for ironing as will buying drip dry fabrics. General tips for great results Always follow the instructions on the care label Remember that the temperature of the iron takes time to change when you alter the setting The indicator light shows when it has reached the right temperature When lowering the heat setting, wait for the light to come on and then go off before ironing your clothes If you sort articles into piles of cotton and synthetics before starting to iron, you will only have to alter the temperature once Ironing particular fabrics COTTON. Iron slightly damp on the right side with a hot iron LINEN. Iron damp on the right side with a hot iron SILK. Iron slightly damp on the right side with a cool iron WOOL (KNITTED). Press dry or nearly dry on the wrong side with a warm iron or steam CARING FOR FABRICS

9 Stains. Stains happen... Most stains vanish completely if you act quickly and wash the garment normally, but some are more difficult to remove and require special attention. OMO has the extra cleaning power of pretreaters to tackle and remove tough stains like grease, blood or grass. Check out our stain removal guide on the next page. Every product in the range is designed to be tough on stains and deliver amazing cleaning with every wash. Handy Hints Act quickly to remove and prevent a stain setting. The faster you act the milder the remedy needed Never rub a stain this just pushes it further into the fabric, dab the stain gently Never neglect a stain, as more drastic remedies for set stains may not be used on delicate fabrics OMO Tip! For the tough stains - even 48 hour dried in stains - use OMO Ultimate Liquid. Pour a drop on tough stains and the rest into the wash. If you are using stain removal agents, do not saturate the stain and always work from the outside of the stain to the middle Always treat a stain from the underside wherever possible Stains on dry clean only items should be treated by your dry cleaner

10 Always Remember Read the care label to make sure that your garment will not be damaged when you attempt to remove the stain Check your garment for colourfastness and dye stability first Heavily stained items may require repeat treatment If you have a stain on a woollen or silk garment use a ph neutral non-enzymated detergent to launder Do not soak wool or silk, non colour-fast garments or items with metal trims/zips Some expensive fabrics like silk can be difficult to spot clean at home - if in doubt, OMO recommends consulting a reputable dry cleaner for assistance Colourfastness Test Before beginning your wash, it is important to determine whether or not your clothes are colourfast, otherwise you may end up with a messy wash with dyes running into other clothes! We recommend that you check the care label and do the following colourfastness test. Dampen a small area of hem or inside seam with water, then iron a piece of white fabric or kitchen paper on to it. If any colour blots off, the garment is not colourfast. Wash non-colourfast items separately in cold water, and rinse immediately without soaking. Dry cleaning is safer for garments that lose a lot of colour, but check the care label first. For information on how to remove the even the toughest of stains visit Find lots of cleaning tips for everything from getting grass stains out of your whites to chocolate out of clothes. Simply search for a stain, select your fabric and whether the fabric is white or coloured to receive a manner of stain removal hints and trick. TREATING TOUGH STAINS

11 Easy ways to treat tough stains. The following stain solutions apply to Front Loading and Top Loading machines. You can use OMO powder, liquids or capsules depending on your preference! Type of Stain Stain Solution & Method Remember! Always read the care label to help ensure your garment will not be damaged when you attempt to remove the stain. Always check for colourfastness and dye stability before soaking. CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM BEETROOT Remove excess ice-cream. For brilliant results wash in warm water with OMO. Flush stain from the back with cold running water, then wash immediately with OMO. If stain persists, soak overnight in OMO. BLOOD COFFEE OR TEA GRASS LIPSTICK SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE VOMIT If the stain is fresh, flush it out under cold running water. If the stain remains, soak the garment in a plastic bucket of cold salted water (1-2 tablespoons salt/litre water) for several hours and then wash as usual with OMO. For persistent stains soak in a tepid solution of OMO powder. CAUTION: Do NOT treat blood stains with hot water as it will set the stain onto the fabric! Soak the garment overnight in OMO Ultimate then wash as usual. Soak the garment overnight in a warm solution of OMO Ultimate then wash the garment as usual. Lightly dampen the stain and rub with laundry detergent. Wash in warm water with OMO. Remove excess food. For brilliant results wash in warm water with OMO. Dry the garment in the sun which should fade any residual stain. Scrape off any surface deposits and rinse the garment with cold water. Soak overnight with OMO in warm to hot water then wash normally. TOMATO SAUCE

12 MUD RED WINE If the mud stain is fresh, rinse the stain under the tap from the back of the fabric to help loosen the mud from the fabric. Alternatively if the mud has dried, gently brush off excess. Wash the garment with OMO in the hottest water that the fabric will allow (check the care label first). If stain persists, soak overnight in OMO Ultimate. NOTE: Some kinds of mud are dark in colour, and can be very difficult to remove fully. Rinse immediately in cold water then wash in OMO. If the stain persists soak the garment overnight in OMO Ultimate. Wash as usual with OMO. OMO products. What s the best detergent for your washing machine? OMO has a range of products to suit your needs whether your preference is for liquid, powder or capsules washing detergent. You can also select from OMO s Core, Sensitive or Ultimate formulations to ensure that you get the most amazing washing results. For more hints and tips on how to remove stains visit or call the OMO Careline on The formulations in OMO have the extra cleaning power of pre-treaters to tackle and remove tough stains like grease, blood and grass. TREATING TOUGH STAINS

13 Caring for your machine. Every washing machine deserves a little tender loving care... That way your clothes will keep coming out fresh and clean. Here are some simple tips from OMO to keep your hard working machine functioning properly and continuing to deliver outstanding results. Maintenance Washes Over time, water deposits, grime and residues build up in your machine, which affect its ability to clean effectively. To counteract this OMO recommends that you do a regular maintenance wash in your machine. Simply run the machine without any clothes in the drum, on the hottest cycle, with the standard amount of OMO for a normal load. This washes out all the pipes and cleans them of all the grimy bits that like to cling on and will help ensure your wash results are consistently perfect. A maintenance wash once a month is sufficient if you use your machine daily and 3-4 times a year if you wash less often. Loading Overloading can cause poor wash results, damage to garments and ultimately damage to the machine itself. For most fabrics, the machine should be loosely filled. CARING FOR YOUR MACHINE

14 Technical tips. Problem Likely Cause Suggestions Possible Solution Overfoaming outside of the machine (front loader) The machine is dead Machine stops mid-cycle Machine is not taking in water The load size may be too light for the dosage used You may be using a laundry product that is for a Top Loader machine by mistake The switch is turned off The water supply is turned off or not connected The washing machine door is not shut correctly The electricity supply is off It may be stopping to allow the water to heat The water mains may be off The electricity mains may be off The inlet hose may be kinked Make sure you are using the recommended dose of OMO. Refer to the instructions on the OMO pack Make sure you use OMO Front Loader for a front loading or High Efficiency machine Switch it on Turn it on Close the door properly Check the plug or plug socket If none of the above remedies the issue, call for a machine repairman or electrician This is normal, no action is required Turn it on Check by unplugging the machine and check the trip switch Straighten out the hose

15 Machine is not pumping out water Machine empties continuously Machine vibrates A noisy machine The outlet hose may be kinked Outlet hose may be too low The transit bars may be intact The machine is not level The machine is incorrectly loaded An object could be being washed in the load a coin or another solid item for example Check if the transit bars at the rear of the machine are still intact Gently straighten the hose and position it so it will remain unkinked Lift the hose slightly so that it s away from the base of the machine Refer to your instruction booklet to see how to remove Adjust the level so it is evenly balanced (check your instruction booklet) Load the machine correctly and evenly don t jam all your washing in! Interrupt the cycle check your instruction booklet first and then remove the object Refer to your instruction booklet to see how to remove If in doubt, refer to your instruction manual and consult the help line of your machine manufacturer. Remember! If you have any other questions, we are here to help. Contact the experts at OMO for advice on CARING FOR YOUR MACHINE

16 General laundry problems. Possible Cause Problem Poor sorting Wrong temperture Excessive spin Mixing colours and fabrics Overloading machine Incorrect handling Under dose of detergent Kink in outlet pipe Build up of scum in drum Suggested Solution Excessive creasing Rewash, fabric condition, drip dry when damp. Stretching/Shrink of knits Check for possible fabric defect. No remedy to restore condition. Loss of shape Fluffing Check for possible fabric defect. No remedy to restore condition. Remove as much fluff by hand as possible. Rewash. Use Fabric conditioner. Pilling/Fibre damage Pilling may be removable, try a lint shaver. Discolouration or dulling Wash with OMO at the highest temperature for that fabric. Do a maintenance wash. Poor wash results Rewash with OMO using the correct dosage. Do a maintenance wash.

17 Money saving tips. Now that you ve bought your new washing machine, here are some tips to reduce its running costs: What s the cheapest way to wash your clothes? WASH YOUR CLOTHES IN COLD WATER WHERE POSSIBLE. This saves you having to heat the water with electricity or gas. Washing in cold water saves you money as a cold water wash uses less energy then a warm one. It also helps protect clothes from fading and damage. WASH FULL LOADS. This reduces your water and electricity bills as it minimises the number of times that you need to use your washing machine. REDUCE THE WATER LEVEL. If you can t wash a full load, reduce the water level to match the amount of clothes being washed (some machines do this automatically - check your machine s manual if you re not sure). OFF-PEAK WASHING. If your electricity plan includes off-peak pricing, washing your clothes at 6am will be cheaper than washing them in peak-time at 6pm. Check with your electricity retailer to see what your cheapest times are. What s the cheapest way to dry your clothes? Using the sun can save you money! DRY YOUR CLOTHES OUTSIDE. Drying your clothes outside is free of charge and far gentler on your clothes. GIVE IT A SPIN. If you have to use the clothes dryer, reduce your drying time by giving your clothes an extra spin in the washing machine. OFF-PEAK DRYING. If your electricity plan includes off-peak pricing, drying your clothes at 6am will be cheaper than drying them in peaktime at 6pm. Check with your electricity retailer to see what your cheapest times are. KEEP YOUR LINT FILTER CLEAR IN YOUR DRYER. This ensures that it works with maximum efficiency. MONEY SAVING TIPS

18 Unilever Australasia 219 North Rocks Road, North Rocks NSW 2151, Australia Freecall: (AUST) Please note: Manufacturers often recommend washing procedures designed with that particular garment in mind, which is why OMO always recommends you consult the fabric care label first. For problems with your washing machine please read the instruction manual and consult the help line of the machine manufacturer. All care was taken in the preparation of this guide, however, Unilever Australasia accepts no liability for any errors or omissions in this guide, except any liability that cannot be excluded by law.