Top tips on caring for your clothes from Samsung

Lightening the Load

The contents of your wardrobe can be among your most prized possessions so when it comes to washing your clothes, its important to treat them with care. High temperatures and fast spin cycles can wear out garments over time so to help you protect your precious threads, we've compiled some helpful tips to save your wardrobe – and your wallet.

Get set – Prepare your clothes for a wash cycle by removing items such as coins and tissues from pockets and turning them inside out. Unroll cuffs and socks and close hooks to prevent them from catching on and tearing other garments. To prevent piling, turn delicate items such as sweaters and cotton T-shirts inside out.

Protect colours - Use colour-safe, non-chlorine bleach to help keep colours bright while removing tough stains. Regular chlorinated bleach is fine for whites.

Set it right – Select the washing machine function that is right for your wash load. For example, delicate clothes may get damaged and wear out more quickly if they are washed on a setting designed for tougher fabrics. Samsung washing machines feature a variety of settings for both common and uncommon garments, including an Outdoor Care system for water-repellent clothes like Gore Tex and a Wool Care mode that prevents shrinking.

One size doesn't fit all - Avoid using a standard amount of detergent or washing powder for every wash, instead trying to adapt it to the size of the load. Your washing machine may have a capacity of 7kg whereas the wash load may only be around 2kg for lighter loads. Excess detergent doesn't get clothes any cleaner and can in fact lead to problems. Soap can become trapped in the fabric making items stiff and ultimately reducing their longevity. Over time this can also block the washing machine encouraging mildew growth inside. Using more detergent than you need is literally like pouring money down the drain.

To ensure you don't over-use detergent, always read the label and follow the guidelines of your washing machine manufacturer.

Stay cool –The majority of the energy associated with doing laundry involves heating up the water in your washing machine so try and wash your clothes as much as possible at cooler temperatures. Using cold water doesn't have to mean that clothes don't get clean. Features like Samsung Ecobubble, which you'll find in many Samsung washing machines, dissolve detergent before the cycle begins (offering an energy saving of up to 70%). This feature enables cleaning agents to penetrate fabric more thoroughly, removing stains without cooking clothes. And of course, using cold water helps reduce utility bills.

Softly, softly - Dilute concentrated or thick fabric conditioner with a little water before pouring it into the dispenser. This prevents the overflow of the washing machine from getting blocked (which can lead to problems with your washing machine) as thick fabric softener can solidify over time. Any residue in the softener dispenser should be wiped off to prevent it from sticking and to keep the area clean.

Hang it up – Hang up your clothes immediately after washing or drying. This helps to minimize wrinkles and the need for ironing which can cause damage to fabrics over time by applying extra heat to the garment. Remember not to dry dark or colored garments in bright sunlight or they'll fade.

Keep clean - Like all other home appliances, your washer and dryer must be cleaned and serviced and Samsung recommends cleaning the debris filter of your washing machine five or six times per year. For Samsung Eco Bubble washing machines, this can be done by using the Eco drum clean program.

Dry clean only? – Garments with a ‘dry clean only' label don't always need to be dry-cleaned. The unique AIR Wash function by Samsung uses heated, fresh air to remove unpleasant odors and bacteria on all garments and fabrics without causing shrinkage or damage. As well as saving trips to the dry cleaner, this can also save money. Some fabrics however should be left in the expert hands of the dry cleaner, especially those with sequins and embellishments.

Samsung recently launched the Baikal Combo, a washer dryer, which is available at all major retail stores for AED 2,499 (White) and AED 2,599 (Silver).