What is prewash? Many people think that this is soaking laundry. And indeed, this is exactly what they did with heavily contaminated things. At first they were soaked for several hours, then they were wrung out and washed. But such complex actions were needed until automatic washing machines appeared. Manufacturers took into account all the points, so they programmed different programs that are effective in any situation, including those with very dirty things. Modern devices can soak, wash, rinse, wring and even dry. All these processes require minimal human participation. Manipulations with things are done in automatic mode, which allows not only high-quality cleaning of linen from dirt, but also to save water, electricity.
The “prewash” function is available in all automatic appliances. Let's see what is programmed under it. Also, the owners of automatic machines will be useful to know why it is needed, in what programs it is used, how long the washing process takes. So, it's time to give answers to all the questions posed.
General concept
Prewash in a washing machine - what is it? This question is often asked by owners of automatic devices. Given that this mode is in almost everyone, such an interest is fully justified. What is it for? How is it used? A prewash program helps to remove stubborn dirt. When using it, things do not deteriorate and do not lose their appearance. Designed to free a person from the process of soaking. Let's see how to use this mode.
What is the mode for?
Many people believe that manufacturers of washing machines specifically come up with different programs in order to increase the cost of the appliance. In some situations, this is true, but not with prewash. This mode frees a person from many rather difficult processes.
What is the program for? It is not difficult to answer this question. It is designed to clean things that are heavily soiled. It is mainly used for washing linens, 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 spots on things, then removing them through such programs will not work. For high-quality cleansing, soaking will be required. Modern people often do not have enough time to do this manually, so manufacturers of household appliances have come up with a special program. It is she who will perform all these manipulations in automatic mode.
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 compatible only with those programs that are designed for a long wash cycle. These include:
- "jeans";
- "cotton";
- "baby clothes";
- hand wash mode;
- "dark things";
- "eco cotton";
- "intensive washing";
- "synthetics".
It is worth noting that the names of some programs may vary 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 preliminary option, the time will increase significantly, which contradicts the name "express".
The efficiency of cleaning linen
What factors affect the effective cleaning of linen with heavy soiling? There are three main ones. These include:
- composition of detergents;
- water temperature
- mechanical impact on linen.
It is these points that manufacturers took into account when programming the prewash mode. Although it is an analogue of conventional manual soaking, it is significantly 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 gets wet, but rotates regularly. Such translational movements in combination with chemical detergents help to “knock out” dirt from the fibers of the fabric.
Also, when choosing a prewash, you need to be prepared for the fact that the cycle time will increase by approximately 30-40 minutes. That is how much it will be spent on soaking the laundry before the main program is activated.
Mode designation
The control panels for washing machines vary by brand. Each manufacturer tries to arrange it in an individual design. Instruments use numbers, special characters, or names to indicate programs. For example, the prewash in “Indesit” is programmed under “1”. In some models, this mode is called “Cotton: Soak Wash”. To select it, turn the knob by 1.
There are also such manufacturers who prefer to designate programs and options in the form of certain characters. In this case, an icon remotely similar to the printed letter “w” - \ _ | _ / will indicate a preliminary mode .
There are also washing machines in which the mode is indicated by the full name. Finding it will be easy. For example, a 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 an additional option is activated. In the box into which the powder is poured, there are two compartments. One is for the main cycle, the other is for prewash detergent. It may be indicated by the symbol indicated above or the symbol “I”. After the powder is added, you must select a program. To do this, use the regulator. Next, the prewash mode is activated.
After clicking on “Start” the device will start to draw water. It heats up to the set temperature. During washing, detergent will be gradually removed from the first compartment. In preliminary mode, the drum rotates slowly with swaying movements.
Depending on the choice of the main program, the wash cycle may even exceed 2 hours. Periodically, the machine will drain the water and add a new one. This is necessary in order to get rid of dirt. When the pre-wash time period has ended, the appliance will completely drain the water and pick up clean for the main cycle.
It is not recommended to use liquid detergents in this mode. Why? The fact is that until the machine reaches the main wash, the gel simply drains into the drum.
Recommendations
In order to qualitatively wash the laundry, you need not only to load things into the drum and pour detergent. For the effectiveness of the process, it is important to observe the following rules:
- Sort things by degree of pollution.
- Treat stains with an additional tool.
- Turn things inside out if they have buttons.
- Do not wash colored laundry with white.
- For things with rhinestones it is better to use special mesh bags.
If there are old dirt stains on the laundry, then it is recommended to pre-treat the area with a liquid detergent or rub it with household soap. After that, you can immediately send it to the washing machine, including not only the main program, but also the preliminary one.
Breakage
All modern washing machines are equipped with a self-diagnosis option. If any malfunction appears, the device notifies the owner about this. Many users are interested in: "What should I do if the indicator light is blinking and the washing process does not start?" In this case, it is first of all to check whether the hatch door is closed. To do this, open it and press it down to the case 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 disconnect the washing machine (even from power). Leave it in this position for approximately 20 minutes. Then restart the loop.