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Put Salt in Your Washing Machine — Here’s Why Appliance Repairmen Won’t Tell You This! 🧂🧺
It might sound strange at first, but adding salt to your washing machine can actually be a brilliant and natural way to extend the life of your appliance, protect your clothes, and improve your laundry results. While this isn’t something you’ll often hear from appliance repair professionals (for reasons we’ll explain later), it’s a tried-and-true household trick that savvy homemakers have used for generations.
Here’s what happens when you put salt in your washing machine — and why it might just be the smart laundry hack you’ve been missing.
🧂 What Does Salt Do in the Washing Machine?
Salt isn’t just for seasoning your dinner — it’s a natural mineral with powerful properties that can benefit your laundry routine in surprising ways. Just a tablespoon or two of common table salt (or coarse sea salt) added to your washing machine can:
✅ 1. Soften Hard Water
If you live in an area with hard water, you know it can leave mineral deposits on your clothes and inside your machine. Salt acts as a natural water softener, helping prevent lime scale buildup and allowing your detergent to work more effectively. This leads to cleaner clothes and a healthier machine.
✅ 2. Preserve Colors
Salt helps lock in color in fabrics, especially during the first few washes of new clothing. It prevents dyes from bleeding, helping to maintain the vibrancy of dark or bright colors. That means less fading and no accidental pink socks after washing a red shirt!
✅ 3. Deodorize and Sanitize
Salt has antibacterial properties that can help eliminate odors and kill germs lurking inside your machine or in your clothes. This is especially helpful for sweaty workout gear, pet bedding, or musty-smelling towels.
✅ 4. Prevent Detergent Residue
Sometimes, laundry detergents don’t fully rinse out — especially in high-efficiency washers that use less water. Salt helps break down soap scum, leaving your clothes softer and residue-free.
✅ 5. Reduce Mold and Mildew Buildup
Because salt helps to draw out moisture and fight bacteria, it can reduce the risk of mold forming in your machine’s drum or rubber seal — one of the most common causes of musty smells in front-loading washers.
🛠️ Why Don’t Appliance Repairmen Talk About This?
Let’s be real: many repair businesses profit when machines break down or need servicing. While not all repairmen hide helpful tips, extending the life of your machine naturally and cheaply isn’t exactly great for business. Using salt as a maintenance aid is an old-school trick — not a commercial product — so it often flies under the radar in the modern appliance industry.
🧺 How to Use Salt in Your Laundry
Here’s how to safely add salt to your washing machine:
- For color protection:
- Add 1 tablespoon of salt directly into the drum along with your clothes.
