Automatic washing machines come in a large variety with different features. They have drawer-shaped installations to keep detergent, fabric softener and bleach. They are called detergent dispense, fabric softener dispense and bleach dispense respectively.
Some washing machines have manual setups while others come with automated setups of releasing detergent and bleach on clothes within a period of time as they get closed once. If you are a new user of such machines, you might have made the mistake of adding detergent or bleach to the wrong compartments. If so this post is for you!
What happens if you put detergent in the bleach dispenser? It’s a big mistake that many people make, and it can have some pretty serious consequences. When you mix bleach and detergent together, it can initiate a chemical reaction that produces heat, fumes, and potentially explosive gases. It’s not a good idea for your machine, fabric and even health.
Using bleach dispense is optional for many machines. This feature is specially introduced for disinfecting extra dirty clothes. However, it’s not suitable for all types of fabric and every wash cycle. It’s recommended to read the guidelines properly before adding bleach to the bleach dispenser.
Can You Put Liquid Detergent In Liquid Bleach Dispenser
As per directed by manufacturers, you can’t put liquid detergent in the bleach dispenser. The reason is that both detergent and bleach do separate functions having different chemical characteristics. They can undergo a chemical reaction to produce unhealthy fumes. It not only damages thin fibres of clothes but also causes irritation in the skin. The gases released in this chemical reaction are harmful to respiratory infections.
Bleach is a type of oxidizing agent that help to detoxify clothes. On the other hand, liquid detergent is alkaline in nature. Detergent cant is used in place of bleach, while bleach cant be used in place of detergent. Moreover, both cant is mixed to get more cleaning. Instead of a cleaning effect, it will destroy your clothes and parts of machines.
Serious Outcomes Of Putting Detergent In Bleach Dispenser
If you have been mixing detergent and bleach so far in ignorance, after reading its outcomes hopefully you will stop doing this. Putting detergent in bleach disp[enser is only safe when the dispenser is empty. It’s always unsafe to mix or add detergent with bleach. Serious outcomes of doing this regularly include losing fabric quality, corrosion of machine parts, and allergic reactions of the skin & respiratory tract.
1-Damaging To Machine Internal Parts
Automated washing machines have sensitive internal construction. Most pipes and parts are made up of metal or plastic. When you put bleach in detergent, the resulting mixture can damage the metallic as well as plastic parts. The metal will get corroded while plastic will start dissolving with a chemical reaction. As a result the p[arts will not do the jobs properly.
If you love your machine and want to avoid the cost of wear and tear dont do this!
2-Damaging For Fabric
The effect of washing clothes by mixing detergent and bleach is deadly. The mixture can damage the softness of your costly fabric material, especially warm clothing. It can also break the thin fabrics of clothing texture. It’s harsh enough to withstand softer cotton made or woollen clothes. Maybe you dont feel the effects instantly, but with time you would feel the damage it has done to your clothing.
3- Damaging To Health
When you wash clothes with detergent mixed in bleach your health is also at risk. The gases produced as a result of this mixing are extremely harmful to people with respiratory tract infections or asthma. It can also cause itching and inflammation on your skin tissues when you touch these clothes to hang outside. For skin-sensitive people or people with allergies, it’s not a good idea.
4-Damage the Cleaning Process
Using detergent in place of bleach or mixed with bleach can reduce the effectiveness of your cleaning process. This means you won’t be getting the most out of your washer and your clothes won’t be as clean as they could be without doing this.
How To Use Bleach Dispenser In Washing Machine Effectively
Nowadays you can see this bleach dispense feature in both front-load and top-load machines. In most of the top-load machines, the dispenser is installed right under the lid at the upper end of the washing tub. It’s located far away from the detergent dispenser and cloth softener dispenser. In such machines, you have options to use them or not. It’s all set to manually add bleach to the dispenser. However, in automated machines, you have to put the bleach inside the dispenser before putting on clothes. The machines will release this bleach according to programmed instructions. It will not immediately release the bleach along with detergent. It will take time to release it gradually after setting the internals. The problem with automated machines is that the bleach dispenser is installed close to the detergent dispenser, pre-wash detergent dispenser and cloth softener dispenser. When users see so many dispensers installed in the same place, they often get confused. As a result, they sometimes add detergent or bleach in the wrong compartments. To avoid such mistakes and to use the bleach dispenser effectively follow the steps below
Step -1
Read your machine menu well
Step-2
Try to identify the dispenser with symbols or read the tag mark below the dispenser
Step-3
Measure the quantity of bleaching liquid according to your clothes
Step-4
Put measured liquid in bleaching dispenser without touching from hand
Step-5
Set the machine programme and close the lid
Can You Mix Bleach and Detergent Together
It’s not advisable. Washing clothes in a mixture of bleach and detergent can harm the soft fabric. It can reduce the quality of clothes. The extreme mixture is not recommended for use in washing machines. Many people have a misconception that this mixture of bleach and detergent will help to increase the potency of detergent.
For starters, the detergent can react with the bleach and potentially create a viscous sludge that could cause the internal parts of your machine to become clogged. This means that even after you remove the detergent, your machine could still be damaged.
What happens if you put detergent in Fabric Softener Dispenser
Fabric softener dispense is installed close to detergent dispense in automated machines. By mistake, if someone put bleach liquid in fabric softener, it won’t have the same effect as a softener. It will either release abruptly causing damage to the fabric.
Fabric softeners dispense is manufactured to release the liquid evenly through clothes after pre-set intervals. It is programmed to add softener when detergent is mostly rinsed out. But when you add bleach it will not be properly rinsed out. It’s really damaging for the next load of clothes.
Wrap Up
Accidentally putting detergent in the bleach dispenser is a mistake that many people make. Unfortunately, it can have some serious consequences if not corrected immediately. The detergent can react with the bleach and potentially clog your machine’s internal parts. The best way to prevent this from happening is to read labels, store products separately, and clean out any detergent spills immediately. By taking these measures, you can ensure that your machine is safe and that your clothes will be as clean and fresh as possible.