Have you ever tossed items into your washing machine other than clothes and linens? If your answer is no, keep on reading to save yourself time and effort. Fortunately, your washing machine can do much more than just wash clothes. From running shoes to pet beds, there are many unexpected items you can throw in the washer instead of cleaning them by hand. Here are some non-clothing items you can easily wash in a washing machine: Bed pillows Bed pillows: Repair torn or loose seams before washing your pillows. Put two pillows at a time into the machine to keep it balanced during the spin cycle. You can add extra towels if you don't have two pillows. Using fabric softener and your regular detergent, set the washer on the delicate cycle using warm water and a cold-water rinse. Wash and then rinse twice in cold water. Fluff the pillows in the dryer. Small rugs and bathmats Small rugs and bathmats: Toss your bathmats and small rugs in the washer. Use warm water, less than the regular amount of detergent, and a gentle cycle. Cold or hot water can make them shrink or can crack the rubber liner on the bathmats. Allow to air-dry. Hair ties and headbands Hair ties and headbands: Place hair ties and bands in a small netting laundry bag and wash on the delicate cycle in cold water using a small amount of detergent. Then let them air-dry. Washable mop heads Washable mop heads: Wash your mop heads in warm water with regular detergent. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Allow them to air-dry before using again. Running shoes Running shoes: Remove the laces and inner soles from your shoes. Zip them into a pillow case or a mesh laundry bag, and then place in your washer along with two or three bath towels to muffle the noise. Add a little less than the regular amount of detergent and one cup of vinegar to remove odours. Wash in warm water on the delicate cycle and let them air-dry. Yoga mats Yoga mats: PVC and tightly woven fabric mats are usually machine-washable. If the care instructions on your mats allow them to be machine-washed, throw them in the washer once a month. Use cool water and a small amount of mild detergent on the gentle cycle. Do not spin, as this can stretch them out of shape. Put into the dryer on a medium to high heat. Makeup brushes Makeup brushes: Pre-soak your brushes in a soapy solution to start the products on them breaking down. Put them in a pillowcase and tie shut. Wash them all at once on a warm, delicate cycle. Don't spin. You'll get spotlessly clean brushes. Plastic toys Plastic toys: Place lego, action figures, dog toys and other plastic items in mesh laundry bags and wash separately on the delicate cycle using cold water and regular detergent. Let them air-dry. The toys will be grime and germ-free. Pet beds Pet beds: Experts recommend vacuuming pet bedding before washing. Place the bed in the washer using hot water and a regular amount of detergent. Rinse twice. Dry on high for 10 to 20 minutes to give the bed a head start on drying. Then let it air-dry completely before returning the bed to your pet. Backpacks and gym bags Backpacks and gym bags: Open and unzip the pockets of your bags. Place them with the straps inside in a netting bag before washing. If the netting bag is not big enough, you can flip the bag inside out so the straps stay contained. Hang out to dry completely. Soft lunch boxes and coolers Soft lunch boxes and coolers: Open and remove any leftovers and then wash the lunch boxes and soft coolers along with two or three bath towels. Use the regular cycle using cold water and regular detergent. Hang out to dry. Microfibre cloths Microfibre cloths: Rinse your cloths thoroughly before putting them in the washer. Place them in a mesh laundry bag and wash on a regular cycle using a little less detergent. Do not use fabric softener. You can either air-dry or dry in the dryer.
