Cutting Clothing Costs

certain that when you wash your clothes, youre not throwing money downthe drain. That’s the advice from home economists who say that much of the premature wear and tear that happensto clothing occurs in the washing machine. At high-speed spins, clothing can actually pene- trate the water exit holes in many washing machine drums. After a number of washes, that can wear down the integrity of fabric and cause clothingto pill. Considering that the average There are ways to get more wear out of that favorite shirt. clothing, damage caused by wash- holes than other washing machine drums. The drum’s network of household invests five to 10 percent of its income in washable ing machines can add up to more than just a drop in the bucket. So what’s the best way to reduce damage to clothing caused by washing? According to Matthew Kueny of Miele Inc., the key is to reduce the numberof exit holes in a wash drum. “Our revolutionary Honeycomb drum’s patented design severely restricts clothes from contacting the water exit holes,” says Kueny. “The design allows for thorough washingresults and effective water extraction that have been proven to be gentler than hand washing.” His company recently released honeycomb-shaped channels creates a thin water layer around the drum. Kueny says the layer cushions and protects fabrics as they spin in wash andrinsecycles. It’s estimated the machine can help clothing last four times longer. The washing machines in the Miele line also come with internal water heaters that let people wash—and sanitize—clothes at higher temperatures than most other washing machines allow. Kueny says the feature provides superior stain removal and whitening, without bleach. An added bonus: Washing clothing in a washing machineline called the the proper temperature can help drum that has 80 percent fewer www.miele.com or call 1-888-3464353. Touchtronic washing machine series. The machines use what’s called a Honeycomb washing extend the life of some fabrics. For more information, visit