Decoding washing machine symbols Here's what they typically mean: "II" or main wash symbol: This is where you put washing powder or liquid detergent for the main wash. "I" or pre-wash symbol: Use this compartment if you're running a pre-wash cycle. Flower symbol: This indicates where fabric softener should go.
Some machines have a special section for pre-washes (the line looks like a capital “I”), which you can use to add stain removers or an extra dose of detergent. You should put your liquid or powder detergent in the drawer with the double line (“II”) The flower symbol is for fabric softener.
1 Main wash compartment: Detergent for the main wash, water softener, pre-soaking agent, bleach and stain remover. 2 Softener compartment: Fabric softener (do not fill higher than the line indicated by MAX). 3 Prewash compartment: Detergent for prewash or starch.
The detergent for the main cycle goes into the slot marked "II" (or 2). This is the most frequently-used slot. The amount of detergent you put in it depends on how dirty your laundry is.
Decoding washing machine symbols
"II" or main wash symbol: This is where you put washing powder or liquid detergent for the main wash. "I" or pre-wash symbol: Use this compartment if you're running a pre-wash cycle. Flower symbol: This indicates where fabric softener should go.
Bleach is great for whites, but don't add it at the beginning of the wash. It will deactivate the enzymes in the laundry detergent that are responsible for breaking down dirt. You don't want to kill them before they have done their job. Add bleach in the wash portion of the cycle, as bleach works best at 60C.
Putting detergent in the wrong compartment can also result in detergent residue remaining on the fabric, which can cause skin irritations, according to the IKW.
Two-Line Symbol – The two-line symbol represents the main wash compartment and is the slot you'll put the detergent into and use most of the time to wash your clothes.
Instead, liquid chlorine bleach should be added to your washer's bleach dispenser, which automatically dilutes the bleach with water the machine adds to the drum. If your washer doesn't have a bleach dispenser, add it to the wash water as the washer fills, before you add clothing.
First compartment
It's usually marked as '1' or 'I'. If your cycle has a pre-wash element that helps remove dirt before the main wash part of the cycle, this compartment is the one you should use for the laundry detergent, like Ariel Matic Washing Powder or Ariel Matic Liquid Laundry Detergent.
As discussed previously, the detergent's job is to help pull away the dirt and grime from the clothing and rinse it out with water. The actual "wearing" out of clothes is more likely due to the rubbing of clothes in the washing machine (i.e. the agitation), not from the detergents themselves.
Which tray does the detergent go into? If your laundry is very dirty and needs a pre-wash, put your detergent in the first tray. Add detergent to tray 2 for the main cycle. For a normal wash, put your detergent in tray 2.
the 'pre-wash' compartment.
This setting is essentially a wash that happens before your clothes experience the main wash cycle, so it's mostly used to remove really tough dirt or starch. And in that case you'll need to pop some detergent in the pre-wash drawer compartment which is usually marked with a 1 or an I.
The drain pipe should be a minimum of 1-1/2" I.D. (inside diameter) to ensure proper draining. The Washer drain hose is a 1-1/4" O.D. (outside diameter). To be confident that no siphoning of water will take place, the drain plumbing must be a minimum of 30" high for Top Load Washers.
The powder detergent goes into the largest section of the drawer, usually on the left-hand side. If in any doubt, check your washing machine's manual. The liquid softener goes into the partially covered section of the drawer with the flower symbol.
Determine the size of your load to avoid overloading your washer. Take the laundry pac out of the box with dry hands. See more in the following section on how to dose correctly. Place the pac(s) at the back or bottom of the machine drum, not in the dispenser drawer.
What Should I Do if I Used the Wrong Detergent? If you notice that you accidentally used regular detergent in HE washer, the first thing you should do is cancel the wash. Then, start it again, but only at the spin cycle. Next, follow up with a cycle that is rinse and spin only, in order to remove the suds.
Add it during the rinse cycle: Rather than adding vinegar directly into the washer drum, pour it into the detergent dispenser during the rinse cycle. This allows it to mix evenly with the water and thoroughly clean your clothes.
Distilled white vinegar, lemons, baking soda, bluing, and sunshine are all non-toxic alternatives to bleach. To determine which works best for your clothing, experiment on a small area before using the substance on your entire garment. And remember, don't use these methods on colored clothes.
You can add bleach to every load of bleach-safe laundry along with your regular detergent to clean, whiten, remove stains and sanitize your clothes.