1. Poor Stain Removal Results

Cause: Not treating stains quickly enough.

Prevention: Any stain is more likely to be removed entirely if it is soaked in cold water before it has had time to set.

Cause: Overfilling machine with too much laundry for the amount of detergent dosed.

Prevention: Leave a hand’s width gap between the wash load and the top of the drum. Also make sure you are dosing correctly, taking into consideration the amount of dirt and water hardness.

Cause: Washing on a gentle cycle and/or at the wrong temperature.

Prevention: If the garment care labels allow, use a stronger wash cycle. Don’t forget to check that the temperature dial has been set correctly.

2. Detergent Residues

White, powdery streaks are left on clothes at the end of the wash cycle.

Cause: The washing machine is overloaded.

Prevention: Leave a hand's width of space between the wash load and the top of the drum.

Cause: Low water pressure in your home may mean that some of the detergent has not been fully flushed into the machine during the wash process. This leaves detergent in the drawer which can be flushed into the machine during rinsing.

Prevention: Make sure all detergent is flushed into the drum during the wash fill.

Treatment: Rewash the effected garments with no detergent, making sure they are part of a small load.

3. Dispenser Residues

Mould/mildew build up in your washing dispenser.

Cause: Spills when pouring detergent and/or fabric conditioner into the dispenser.

Prevention: Take care when adding and if spills do occur, try flushing them straight away with a cup of tap water.

Cause: Mould/mildew can build up over time where there have been residues (residues from detergents and/or fabric conditioner provide food and moist conditions - ideal for bacteria to live on!).

Prevention: Clean dispenser compartments under a hot tap. Scrubbing with an old toothbrush may help. Clean your dispenser on a regular basis.

Cause: Low water pressure supplied to the washing machine.

Prevention: Check the installation guidelines in your washing machine booklet.

Prevention: For Tablets/Liquitabs and Gel detergents, try adding directly into the drum. For Tablets/Liquitabs; place in the empty drum, then place laundry on top. For Gels; place the filled cap on the top of your laundry.

4. Disappointment in Softness

Cause: Blocked siphon in the fabric conditioner compartment.

Prevention: Clean dispenser compartments under a hot tap. Scrubbing with an old toothbrush may help.

Cause: Overfilling fabric conditioner beyond the 'Maximum' indicator.

Prevention: Never fill beyond the 'Maximum' indicator. If you do fill beyond the 'Maximum' level indicator, this triggers immediate release of the fabric conditioner, which means it will interfere with how well the detergent cleans. As a result, you won't get any of the benefits of using a fabric conditioner.

Cause: My towels aren't as absorbent as I'd like them to be.

Prevention: Try washing towels in Bold 2in1 powder. Its built-in fabric conditioner uses a different kind of technology to liquid conditioners that helps the towels to absorb more water.

5. Colour Related Issues

Colour has bled from various parts of the garment. Other garments in the load may have been marked, either by the original dye or a component of the original, e.g. blue colour from a purple garment.

Cause: Colours will bleed if the wash temperature is too hot.

Prevention: Always check the fabric care label for the manufacturer's washing recommendations.

Prevention: Sort your wash load into whites, light colours, colours and delicates.

Cause: The garment has unstable dyes that need special care.

Prevention: If in doubt, test for colour fastness before washing. If the garment is not colour fast it should be washed separately.

Treatment: Re-dying may restore the original colour.

Also, garments looking old

Cause: Prints can be rubbed off or scratched by the friction of washing and wearing.

Prevention: Turn any printed garments inside out before washing to reduce abrasion.

Also, spots of colour on dark garments

Cause: Your washing machine is overloaded.

Prevention: Avoid overloading your machine to ensure partially dissolved powder or tablets do not get trapped against the surface of a sensitive coloured garment.

6. Removal of Odours

Smells from your washing machine after a wash.

Cause: Dirt removed from clothes can remain inside the washing machine creating an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. In the dark, warm and damp interior of a washing machine, fast breeding bacteria can begin to release unpleasant smells. In extreme cases these smells are transferred to the clothes in your wash.

Prevention: Carry out a hot wash (60˚C or more – 90˚C recommended) once a month with no clothes in the machine and with a bleach-containing detergent such as Ariel Biological powder.

7. Clothes Damaged in the Machine

Holes, rips, grey marks and tears.

Cause: Open zips, bra catches or underwired bras may damage other garments that are washed with them.

Prevention: Fasten zips before washing, and wash other potential problem garments separately or in a wash bag.

Cause: The machine has been overloaded, resulting in the garment becoming trapped between the rubber gasket and the drum of the machine during spinning.

Prevention: Take care not to overload the machine.

The grey marks may be reduced by pre-treatment with Ariel Liquid, then a normal wash following the fabric care label. If the fibres have been torn the damage is irreversible.

8. Underarm Stains

Underarm stains on shirts, blouses and dresses. Colour can vary from pale yellow to black.

Cause: Occurs when perspiration reacts with some underarm deodorant. Certain deodorants react differently to others.

Prevention: Changing your brand of deodorant may avoid the problem.

Treatment: Soak overnight in water containing peroxide bleach, making sure the solution does not dry on the fabric as this can cause damage to colours. Rinse and wash as normal, following the fabric care label. Soaking or washing immediately after wearing will help the detergent remove the stain.

9. 'Bobbling' and fading of dyed garments

'Bobbles' on the surface of cotton fabric, caused by broken fibres which may also give the garment a faded appearance.

Cause: When cotton or cotton-rich garments are washed and worn repeatedly the friction causes fibres to break, leaving 'bobbles' on the surface.

Prevention: Always check the fabric care labels for the manufacturer's washing recommendations.

Cause: Fading of fabrics happens mainly with cotton. Repeated washing and wearing can cause some dyes to lose their intensity. You can reduce the chances of this happening by choosing better quality dyes fabrics and the correct detergent.

Prevention:Use Ariel Liquid to reduce fading and keep your clothes looking newer for longer.

Treatment: 'Bobbling' can be removed by brushing, cutting or picking 'bobbles' from the fabric. There is no treatment for fading once it has happened, although fabrics can be redyed.

10. Attraction of loose dye by nylon and elastane-containing fabrics

Coloured patches appear on nylon and other stretch fabrics.

Cause: When washed, some garments bleed a small amount of dye into the wash solution. This usually has little or no effect on the colour of other garments. However, nylon and other fabrics containing elastane immediately absorb this loose dye and change colour.

Prevention: Wash any garments containing white nylon in a 'whites only' load.

Treatment: None.

11. Mildew on garments

Small black spots that may be grouped in a larger area, possibly with shades of red and green.

Cause: The garment has been left damp for a period of time.

Prevention: Wash dirty wet garments as soon as possible rather than leaving them damp, and dry your laundry immediately after washing.

Treatment: Soak in peroxide bleach for 2 hours, making sure the bleach solution does not dry on the fabric, then wash as normal following the fabric care label. Successful treatment is not guaranteed, especially if the garment’s fibres have started to break down.

12. Greasy marks on 100% polyester garments

Greasy-looking dark stains on coloured garments.

Cause: Oil or grease from cooking or food spills.

Prevention: Wear an apron when cooking with oil.

Treatment: Pre-treat with Ariel Liquid and then wash at the highest temperature recommended on the fabric care label.