While washers rarely damage fabrics, rare occurrences are possible due to an oversight during the washing process.
- Regular wear and tear of clothes lead to their threads becoming old and vulnerable to tearing under stress.
- Towels and bedsheets are most likely to get damaged, in addition to collars and cuffs of shirts that suffer from most wear and tear due to high sweat during normal wear.
- Clothes that come into contact with harsh chemicals such as undiluted bleaching agents, battery acid, hydrogen peroxide, hair dyes etc. might feature tears.
- Clothes when washed a multiple number of times gradually fray as the edges around the holes become weak and tear without difficulty.
- Chlorine-based bleach if used incorrectly can also result in clothes tearing. The correct way is to dilute bleach in water as recommended by the manufacturer before adding it to a washing machine without a dispenser.
- The bleach should be added before placing clothes in the washtub to avoid spilling.
- Snags in cotton knitwear are unnoticed before washing, but create small holes after washing or drying/spinning. Zippers and small hooks, especially for ladies’ clothes, can also snag so close all zippers, hooks etc. Similarly, hairpins, ornaments and small items may damage fabrics in the same way. Remove any such items before washing.
- Placing excessive load into the tub restricts free movement resulting in undue scratching. Load the machine with dry, unfolded clothes for better performance.
- Exposure to sunlight for prolonged periods can cause tearing and discolouration, as the fibres become weak due to sunlight or the stress of washing.