Just like the microwave and dishwasher, your clothes washing machine can effectively handle a bevy of household tasks it wasn't necessarily designed to do. But it sure does help to have another place to clean your vacuum or defrost frozen foods.
It's not the ideal machine for anything but washing clothes. If you're stuck in a pinch, however, one of these home hack tips might save your hide, because you will surely find yourself in the midst of that completely inexplicable moment in the future when you need to:
- Clean plush toys. Even if their tags warn against it, most plush toys are OK for a clean spin through the washer. Just stash them into a few mesh laundry bags and wash in cold water on the gentle cycle before air-drying.
- Defrost frozen foods. In a freezer bag on the delicate setting, frozen foods get a quick and safe defrost from the cold water setting in your washing machine.
- Deep clean sneakers. With laces removed and stashed in a mesh laundry bag, sneakers get a deep clean on the cool water setting. Let them air dry—no dryer spin for your trainers.
- Freshen up your vacuum filter. If your vacuum has a foam filter, it's all good to get a rinse in the washer. Throw it in with your towels on a hot cycle.
- Wash baseball caps. The Ball Cap Buddy Cap Washer is designed to let baseball hats keep their shape inside the washing machine or dishwasher.
- Clean salad greens for a crowd. If you're prepping salad for a crowd, skip the tiny sink and rinse your greens in the washing machine. Put leaves in a pillowcase and spin them in cold water on a gentle cycle.
(Images: Samain, Flickr member Moff licensed under Creative Commons)
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Cleaning greens for a salad?? That's a big salad. It also reminds me of the episode of seinfield, where Kramer makes salad in the shower. Besides, I'm not sure I'm comfortable washing sneakers and my stinky baseball caps and then putting food in. Same reason why I don't do laundry or pee in the kitchen sink.
Forget the article that is the greatest picture I have ever seen.
@kamikezetedibear - agreed!
I agree with Nerves... there is something skeevy about the idea of putting food in the washing machine. Also, knowing my skills with laundry, I'd probably wash the lettuce in hot water by accident and make a big old mess!!
I wash my dog's toys, cloth, rubber and plastic in a mesh bag using vinegar and a little detergent. No dryer obviously. Cleaner and more sanitary afterwards. He doesn't seem to mind they loose their funk.
I totally love the picture as well. It definitely made me lol. And I agree that those plush stuffed animals are definitely machine washable. If I don't have a mesh bag available, I will stick my teddy bear in a pillow case and tie the opening with a rubber band and into the wash it goes.
The picture is hilarious! Thank you, I feel better now I can wash my kids plush toys and stop hiding them...after much contemplation!
@kamikezetedibear - which one?!
the second photo, depicting what looks like a PERSON in the washing machine is pretty morbidly hilarious.
That salad tip is tempting... weird, but still... very tempting! I have a small portable washer that lives in the kitchen, and somehow that makes it seem less gross to me.
For top-loaders, fill with ice and use as an ice chest for parties. Spin when finished. Done!
Back in my house-bound life, the plumbing would freeze in the winter and I got used to melting snow and hauling water from the village spring for a few months. After two or three winters of this, I realised that my washing machine was the first thing hooked up to the water pipes coming from the ground. Surely I could keep that entry point thawed. Yup. The next thing I realised is that a washing machine is a giant bucket that fills and empties. I started doing my dishes in it!!!
Not so sure about putting food in the washine machine. Maybe newer washing machines that get really clean, but if you have an old washing machine, I'd be careful about residue/leftover germs.