Are you ready to put your washing machine to work? There are so many common household items that can easily get overlooked when it comes to cleaning. This could be because they’re not that easy to clean or maybe it’s because you don’t think it needs cleaning. I’m here today to tell you that it probably does. And the good thing about it is that it can probably get put in your washing machine.
Yoga Mats
You may have never thought about this one but you wash your yoga pants in the washer, don’t you? So why not wash your yoga mat as well? Now you can. You should wash your yoga mat in the washer if you have on without center agitator. Washers without a center agitator tend to be more gentle on fabrics. However, if you do have one with a center agitator just unroll the mat and arrange it around the center as evenly as possible and then balance the load with a few towels to prevent unnecessary rocking and tumbling. Wash on a gentle cycle with lukewarm or cool water and heavy-duty detergent.
Sports Equipment
If you’re a sports mom then you know how dirty sports equipment can get. Not to mention the odor it can cause from all of the coating perspiration that lies within it. By putting the equipment in mesh laundry bag you can easily clean it. No more dirty knee pads, shin guards, and sleeves. Simply wash using a gentle cycle, sport defense detergent, and warm water then allow to air dry.
Gym Bags
Vinyl backpacks and gym bags can easily be cleaned in the washer. Empty out all the pockets and turn your gym bag inside out. Treat with stain removal if necessary and then proceed to wash using warm water and heavy-duty sport equipment laundry detergent.
Sneakers
It’s important to know that not all sneakers and tennis shoes can be thrown into the washer. However, most of them can. First, you want to start by removing the laces, you’ll wash those separately in a laundry bag. If the shoes are stained you can then treat them with a pre-treat and let them sit for 15 minutes prior to throwing them into the washer. Proceed to remove the soles and wash them in a laundry bag using warm water and heavy-duty detergent.
Pro Tip: Add a cup of baking soda into the washer to help kill awful shoe odor.
Stuffed Animals
Stuffed animals are a child’s best friend. But they often live a life filled with tears, snot, and germs. So unless the stuffed animals are vintage or have a battery inside it can take a bath in the washing machine. Just like you would wash a pillow the first thing you need to do is check the animal for any rips or tears. They read the label to see if it’s machine washable. Then throw the animal into a mesh bag and wash using cool or warm water on a gentle cycle.
Small Toys
Between eating, using the bathroom, and playing with their toys kids’ toys can become pretty dirty. A haven for bacteria if you will. That’s why it’s important to clean them often to prevent the spread of germs. Taking a mesh bag, throw them in the washer using hot water and heavy-duty detergent.
Lunch Boxes
Lunch boxes have the ultimate potential for cross-contamination. They are mostly used to take to the office or for your kids to take to school. This means they are being exposed to bacteria that may come from other homes. This is bacteria like salmonella, mold, and E. coli which can make you extremely sick. Soft lunch boxes can be washed in the washing machine using lukewarm or cool water on a gentle cycle following an air dr y.
Silicone Baking Pans
These days most kitchens are loaded with silicone baking utensils such as molds, mats, oven mitts, and pans. One of the great things about these kitchen utensils is that they are easy to clean. But did you know they’re even easier to clean then you thought? Just throw them in a mesh bag and then into the washing machine using hot water and heavy-duty detergent. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
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