Gone are the days when doing the laundry entails spending hours, applying physical pressure and scrubbing really hard. Thanks to technology, we are now in a stressfree era with the invention of machines such as the washing machine. Without an iota of doubt, they indeed serve as the best alternative for laundry.
The washing machine washes different texture of clothes automatically in the absence of any form of supervision and exertion of physical energy. It takes in the amount of water and detergent required and goes further to set the timer for washing, rinsing and drying according to the selected mode and the number of clothes inside.
TYPES OF WASHING MACHINE
Washing machines come in sleek designs with unique features to make your washing easy. From mini semi-automatic washing machines to more modern sleekly designed automatic washing machines. Here is a list of types of washing machines to guide you in making a choice.
Mini washing machines: by the name ‘’Mini’’, you can already guess what this washing machine is. Mini washing machines are the first type of washing machines to be manufactured. They have just a single tub, used only for washing. Using this type of washing machine requires you manually taking the clothes out of the tub when the timer goes off, and rinsing and drying them yourself as they do not come with a separate tub for spin-drying. Due to its size, mini washing machines do not occupy a lot of space and it is easy to move around in the house. It is the ideal washing for people who don’t do heavy laundry or have enough space.
Top-loading semi-automatic machines: this type of machine has twin tub, unlike the mini machine. One tub does the washing and the other spin-drys. Although it has two tubs, you will manually remove your clothes from the washing clothes and into the dryer, that why it is semi-automatic. They come in big sizes and occupy a lot of space.
Top-loading automatic washing machine: this type of washing machine is fully automatic, unlike the semi-automatic one, it has one tub like the mini machine that does both the washing and spin-drying. Meaning that you are not required to manually transfer your clothes from the washing tub to the drying tub like the semi-automatic ones. It comes in large sizes and has its door on the top, which is where its name is derived from. It is also more expensive than the other two types above, but its price is nothing compared to the convenience it offers.
Front-loading automatic washing machine: this type of washing machine also comes with a single tub that does both the washing and drying, like the top-loading machine, the difference, however, is that this one has its door in the front and not on the top. It is designed with modernized features such as an inbuilt tumble wash, for a more thorough wash, in-built heater for an added convenience, longer time wash for effective washing, fabric care symbols for the care of each fabric, etc. it is also water efficient, unlike the other types of washing machines.
ADVANTAGES OF WASHING MACHINE
While some may consider it a luxury and others, a necessity, the importance of having a washing machine can never be overemphasized. Some of the advantages are as follows:
Time-saving: apart from not having to spend hours doing your laundry by yourself, you also save time with the washing machine by not having to sit there, waiting for the timer to go off. Once you have loaded the machine with your laundry, set the time and setting to your choice and you can go about doing other things.
Cost-effective: for the modernized and sleek designed washing machines, you get to spend less on water bill as they are built to be water effective. They tend to require a lesser amount of water even for heavy-duty laundry. You also get to wash a lot of clothes with the same detergent unlike when you have to do your washing manually.
Cycles: washing machines are designed with different cycles and wash timers suitable for different kinds of clothes. You can use a heavy or fast circle to remove tough stains, or for larger or heavy-duty clothes. Or you can use a softer cycle for delicate clothes and medium cycle for clothes that are neither delicate or though stained. Whatever you are washing, you need to know the right circle to use as using the right cycle and wash timer ensures that your clothes are not damaged during washing.
Strength effective: the strength and physical power needed to wash clothes manually are eliminated when using a washing machine. All you need to do is throw your clothes in with detergent and start the machine. A washing machine allows you to pretreat clothes that are stained before allowing the machine to do the washing.
The disadvantages such as occupying space, being expensive and energy or power consumption, are minimal compared to the truckload of advantages it has.
When buying a washing machine, you should consider the space in your apartment, your budget as well as your convenience. When you have these in mind, making up your mind on the type of washing machine to buy will be an easy task.
To prepare yourself, you can read up on how to maintain your washing machine here.