Note to housewives: what is pre-washing in a washing machine?

The “pre-wash” mode often causes confusion among owners of modern washing machines.

They do not have a clear understanding of what it is for or how to use it, so they try to avoid activating this useful function.

Read the article about what it is - a pre-wash mode, how to use it in a washing machine and what results can be achieved.

What does the concept mean?

The preliminary mode of processing things in a washing machine can be briefly described as “wash before washing”. It cannot be selected as a separate program.

To use it, you must click on the appropriate button. In some modes this function is enabled by default.

What is the mode for?

It is known that soaking items before the main wash always improves its quality, promotes better stain removal.

Therefore, many housewives, before sending the laundry to the machine, keep it in a basin with washing powder.

The pre-wash mode should not be confused with soaking, although both of these processes have the same goal - removing stains.When it is activated, things stay in water with dissolved detergent an order of magnitude longer, but unlike soaking, the drum is not static.

It rotates, but at low speed. The exact values ​​depend on the washing machine model.

An integrated approach allows you to cope with even difficult stains. It includes 3 factors at once that have different effects on laundry:

• water softens and washes away impurities;
• detergent helps break them down;
• mechanical action when the drum rotates enhances the effect.

Pre-wash mode needed in the following cases:

1. Difficult spots.
2. Old pollution.
3. Washed, yellowed items.
4. Stains on delicate fabrics that should not be exposed to bleaches or stain removers.

How does the function work?

Pre-wash can be combined with almost all modes:

• cotton;
• synthetics;
• delicate wash;
• intensive wash;
• wool;
• jeans;
• dark things;
• baby clothes etc.

The mode consists of several stages:

1. Water is drawn into the drum.
2. The heating element heats it up to 30 degrees.
3. The detergent that has been placed in the desired compartment enters the tank.
4. The drum rotates and the clothes are washed.
5. The waste liquid is drained from the drum, after which it is filled with fresh water with detergent dissolved in it.
6. The main wash cycle starts.

What is the symbol in the powder compartment?

Washing machines have a separate compartment for pre-washing. It is designated by the number 1 or I, less often you can see the letter A in the powder receiver tray.If the mode is not used during laundry processing, the section is left empty.

How long does the cycle last?

Prewash takes about half an hour. This is the average time. It will differ depending on the brand of SMA and even its model. There are also devices that allow about 2 hours for pre-washing.

Water temperature

The water temperature during prewash is set by default and is 30 degrees.

With such values ​​from the fabric It will be possible to remove complex stains, for example, stains from:

• cosmetics,
• guilt,
• blood,
• berries,
• fruit juices and more.

However, this does not mean that the user does not need to independently set the temperature he needs. The parameters set at the initial stage will be applied during the main wash stage. If they are not adjusted, the water temperature will be the one provided for the selected function by default.

Features of use

When using the prewash mode The following features need to be taken into account:

1. You cannot pour washing gels into compartment number 1. Only bulk detergents are suitable for this purpose.

   This is due to the fact that when the function is activated, any liquid concentrate will drain into the drum ahead of time, that is, by the time of washing it will not be in the compartment.

   As a result, things will simply rinse in clean water.

2. The mode is not used for quick washing, for example, when you need to refresh things.Express programs are designed to process items that do not have complex stains or heavy dirt, which means they do not require pre-washing.
3. Conditioners, stain removers and rinse aids are not poured into the first compartment. Only powder marked “Automatic” is poured into it.

Instructions

To activate the prewash mode, The following instructions must be followed:

1. Sort items by color and degree of soiling, remove all contents from pockets, and turn laundry inside out.
2. Place the items in the drum and close the hatch cover.
3. Pour “Avtomat” powder into compartment No. 1. For pre-wash, one tablespoon of detergent is enough. At this stage, it is necessary to add powder and fabric softener to other sections in the recommended proportions. Don't worry about them getting into the drum ahead of time. The compartments are washed with water at different stages. This is included in the basic SMA program.
4. Select main wash mode. This could be “Cotton”, “Synthetics”, “Bed linen”, “Children’s things”, etc.
5. Activate the “Pre-wash” function by pressing the desired button. On modern SMA models, it is highlighted in a separate column. There are manufacturers who label the button with words, and there are also those who mark it with an icon depicting a vertical line lowered into an empty basin.
6. Click the “Start” button.
7. Wait until the wash is completed, remove the laundry from the drum and send it to dry.

For example, in SMA Samsung it enters Sport mode.Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to indicators.

If a program has been selected and the light above the “Prewash” icon lights up, or information about its activation appears on the display, you should not worry. The main thing is not to forget to pour the powder into the first compartment so that time is not wasted.

Advantages and disadvantages

Benefits of use Pre-wash mode:

1. Delicate stain removal. This function can be safely activated when caring for items made of silk, cotton, and synthetics.

   Low water temperature and slow rotation of the drum will not harm the fabric.

2. Increasing the efficiency of the main wash. It's no secret that changing the water temperature and increasing the washing duration helps to remove stains better.
3. Possibility to refuse re-processing of laundry.
4. Saving personal time. This mode allows you to avoid hand washing.
5. Taking care of things. During pre-washing, dirt will be removed without the use of bleaches and stain removers, which to some extent damage fabrics and lead to color fading.

Flaws:

• increasing washing time;
• increased consumption of resources - water and electricity;
• increased powder consumption.

Video on the topic of the article

The video will tell you what the pre-wash mode is and how to use it:

Conclusion

Pre-wash is a useful feature that will help deal with difficult stains and remove stubborn dirt. Its correct use allows you to increase the efficiency of washing and save time that housewives spend on manual soaking.