What happens when you leave wet clothes in the washing machine

It’s happened to the best of us: you throw things in the washing machine late at night, promise yourself you’ll hang it all up, and then forget you did laundry that night.

Have you ever wondered what happens to wet clothes? Alas, nothing good will happen to either her or the washing machine.

It is caused by mold and bacteria, as a humid environment is an ideal environment for their reproduction. As laundry and cleaning expert Johannes Bangao Godoy explains, simply drying won’t eliminate unpleasant odors: you’ll need to rewash clothes with a cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle or use a laundry disinfectant.

Odor isn’t the only side effect of humidity: it also causes fabric fibers to deteriorate. You won’t notice it right away, but something that stays wet for a long time will wear out faster than it should. Some materials, if left in the machine for more than 24 hours, may stretch and warp so that they cannot return to their original state.

You may notice that things have changed color after being in the drum, becoming duller. Another effect is the appearance of stains from leftover detergent and conditioner, which cannot be removed.

It’s not just clothes that get moldy: mold can grow in the washing machine itself. To get rid of it, add a quarter cup of baking soda and a quarter cup of water to the detergent compartment, pour 150 milliliters of nine percent vinegar into the drum and run the longest wash cycle.

A moist, warm environment isn’t just great for mold and bacteria: cockroaches love it. Prussians can settle into the mechanism of a washing machine, which will eventually lead to its breakdown.