Alternative method rinses tissue debris from washed clothes

There’s nothing worse than finding tissue debris inside washing machines and stuck to washed garments. It can be frustrating to remove but there are steps Britons can take to remove the tissue fragments.

With this in mind, Fantastic Service’s domestic cleaning expert and supervisor Petya Holevich, has shared several ways to remove tissue fragments from washed clothes and the washing machine.

Once homeowners notice tissue paper bits in the washing machine, clothing items need to be removed one by one from the appliance and given a gentle shake.

The shaking action will help to dislodge any loose fragments from the fibres. After that, homeowners need to pick off the tissue fragments by hand using a pair of tweezers being careful to avoid damaging garments.

Petya continued: “If you have a dryer, transfer them from the washing machine in it. The tumbling action and the dryer’s lint trap will help collect the remaining tissue fibres.

“Once the clothes are dry, inspect them for any remaining tissue pieces.

“Roll a lint roller over the fabric, or use a piece of adhesive tape, pressing it gently against the affected areas to lift off any remaining ones.

“If there are still visible tissue bits or if the clothes feel excessively linty, you may need to rewash them, following the same steps.”

Petya also shared an “alternative method” to removing tissue bits from clothing – leaving them in the washing machine and adding fabric softener.

After adding fabric softener, run the cycle once, followed by the spin or dry cycle.

Petya explained: “This method works because the tissue bits bind to clothing fabric because of the opposing electrical charges and using a fabric softener will break that bond. This makes them slide off and be rinsed away.”

After removing tissue from clothes, it’s important to clean the washing machine to prevent any lingering tissue bits from transferring to future laundry loads.

Any pieces that remain in the machine can end up in its filter which can damage the appliance.

The best way to do that is to run an empty cycle with hot water and a cup of distilled white vinegar or baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda). This will help break down any remaining tissue and eliminate any unpleasant smells.

To avoid similar mishaps in the future, make sure to thoroughly check all pockets before loading clothes into the washing machine and removing tissues, receipts and other items.