A

Anchor Bolts

The anchor bolts, or transit bolts, are used to secure the drum in place whilst the washing machine is transported. These are incredibly useful to keep, just in case you move house in the future.

Anti-Crease

The anti-crease phase of a washing cycle will rotate the drum periodically to help prevent creases from forming in the damp clothes. You will be able to open the door to the washing machine any time during this anti-crease cycle to remove the clothes.

Aperture

This is a term used to describe the opening in the drum, so for example, you can have a wide aperture which makes it easy to load large items such as bed sheets and duvets into the drum.

Automatic Dosing

Some washing machines will feature an automatic dosing unit. This will work out how much detergent is needed to wash your clothes and then add it in automatically.

B

Baby Care

Some washing machines will have a baby care program, which is very intensive and followed by several rinses to try and remove as much detergent from the clothes as possible, to be soft on children’s skin.

Bedding

The program for washing larger items such as bed sheets and duvets.

Brushless Motor (also known as an Inverter Motor)

Some manufacturers choose to use brushless motors. These are designed to be quieter and more robust than more commonly used motors. Built-in

Built-in or integrated washing machines

These are built into your kitchen and covered by an exterior door. This makes it look like any other cupboard in your kitchen, giving a sleek and stylish finish.

C

Capacity

The capacity will measure you many dry clothes can be fit in the drum, in kilos. Typically, this will be how many clothes the cotton washing program can handle, other programs will handle a reduced load. A 1kg capacity will roughly fit 1 outfit, including 1 pair of adult trousers, a shirt, underwear plus a pair of socks.

Care Labels

The care labels on the inside of your clothes will tell you the best way to wash/dry/iron them.

Cold Fill

Almost all washing machines available in the UK will be cold-fill models. This means that you only need to connect the machine to a cold-water valve, and the water is heated inside the machine before washing.

D

Delay Start

This feature will allow you to decide when your wash cycle starts, so you can set the washing machine to start later that day, e.g. when you’re at work or late at night when electricity is cheaper.

Delicates

This program is suitable for washing more delicate fabrics, such as rayon, acrylics, viscose and other synthetics fibres. This program may also be suitable for washing curtains and nets, as long as they are specified as machine washable.

Door Seal

The rubber band around the opening of the drum. It is important to wipe around this seal occasionally after using the machine to help prevent the build-up of mould.

Drum Bearings

When the drum bearings are in good condition, the drum will turn smoothly. Though if it starts making a loud noise, open the door and turn the drum by hand. If you feel a slight resistance or notice the drum is out of line with the rubber seal, your drum bearings may have worn down or need replacing. Replacing these bearings will require a professional, so visit Joe Graham Appliance Repairs for a reliable service at a great price.

E

Eco-Mode

Eco-mode is not a program, but a function you can select to alter how the programs on your machine work. For instance, if you choose a 40c cotton cycle and activate the eco-mode, the washing cycle will be more energy efficient. However, the program will take longer to complete so keep that in mind!

Elbow

The elbow of the washing machine is a horse-shoe shaped bit of plastic that your waste hose threads through.

EU Energy Label

The EU Energy Label will show the official energy rating for each model of washing machine. The current ratings are A+++ (the most efficient), A++, A+ and A (the least efficient). The more efficient your machine is, the more it will save you on your energy bills.

Extra Rinse

An extra-rinse function will allow you to add an extra rinse to the end of a washing program. This extra wash is designed to help wash out excess detergent, so is an excellent choice for those with more sensitive skin.

F

Feet

Washing machines will have four small feet underneath the machine, which will allow you to adjust the height and level it. It’s vital to make sure the machine is completely level to stop it from rocking around and moving.

Freestanding

If your washing machine stands uncovered, it’s known as a freestanding model. Freestanding models will usually have a larger range of capacities compared to integrated ones and more features.

I

Intensive Program

The intensive program is specially designed to help with removing tough stains - this is helpful if you have clothes covered in stains like grass, blood and chocolate.

M

Maximum Load

The maximum amount of clothes you can put into the wash in one go, expressed as a number of kilos of dry clothes. Typically, it’s only the cotton washing programs that you can fill to a washing machine’s maximum capacity and other programmes such as the synthetics wash programme will have a smaller limit.

N

Noise Level

The amount of noise the washing machine will make, measured in Db. The lower the decibels the better. Anything under 60Db shouldn't disturb you.

O

Overflow/Leak Prevention System

Most washing machines will be manufactured with an overflow/leak prevention system. This means that if the machine is faced with a leak, the water supply will be automatically cut off.

P

Pre-wash

This is a great feature for particularly tough stains.

Q

Quick WashR

Rating Plate

The rating plate will contain the serial number, and possibly more information such as the model number. This plate is normally found by opening the door and checking the area where the door sits on the machine, though it may also be behind the machine’s kick plate if it has one.

S

Semi-integrated

Semi-integrated washing machines are still built into a cupboard in your kitchen, but the cupbaord panel over the front will not hide the control panel at the top. This means that you can alter all the programmes and settings without having to open the outer door.

Service Wash

A service wash, or maintenance wash will help prevent any build-up of mould and bacteria in your machine - which is a very common problem. If you happen to notice a musky smell coming from the drum, it's best to run a service wash.

Spin Speed

The maximum spin speed is the number of revolutions the drum will do per minute to remove water from your clothes at the end of a cycle. The most common max spin speeds will typically be 1000, 1200, 1400 or 1600rpm.

Stacking Kit

A stacking kit will allow you to place a tumble dryer on top of a washing amchine to ensure that it is completely safe to use both machines.

T

Transit Bolts

The transit bolt is a large metal bolt which allows you to secure the machine and drum for transportation. If you have Purchased a new washing machine, you must remove the transit bolts before using the machine. Make sure you store the transit bar away safely, just in case you move home.

U

Unbalanced Load

An unbalanced load is a very common problem and can cause a lot of damage to the machine. It will typically happen when you are washing a load of small items with one bigger heavy item such as a dressing gown or towel. The towel will absorb lots of water during the wash, making it very heavy and then during a fast spin cycle it will become heavy on one side of the drum. This will gradually unbalance the machine enough for it to enter an error mode and stop washing your clothes. To avoid this happening, try washing heavy garments with other heavy items of washing to balance out the load.

W

Waste Hose

The hose that transports the used water from the washing machine to a drain/waste pipe in your home.

Water Inlet Valve

The valves at the rear of the washing machine where the water enters.

Water Supply Hose

The hose between the water feed and the inlet valve on the machine.