Top 3 Key Takeaways:
- Overloading your washer can damage the appliance and shorten its lifespan.
- More detergent is not better — it can actually cause build-up or error codes.
- A quick wipe-down and a cleaning cycle after laundry marathons can prevent funky smells.
Every May, like clockwork, college students return home.
They’re a little older, a little wiser… and somehow, hauling six months’ worth of laundry with them.
At AAA Appliance Service Center, we’re here to support your washer through this heroic season. Because your kid might be able to survive finals — but your washer? It’s about to go through its own endurance test.
Here’s our survival guide for College Laundry Season — built to keep your home (and your appliances) in working order.
1. No Mount Laundry Everest
Overloading your washer doesn’t just make the machine work harder — it can break components like suspension rods, strain the motor, and even cause drainage issues.
The rule: 3/4 full is plenty. If the drum looks stuffed, it probably is.
Tell your kid:
“If you can’t lift the basket, the washer can’t either.”
2. Easy on the Detergent
Your college student may think, “more soap = cleaner clothes,” but too much detergent creates residue, suds errors, and funky-smelling clothes.
Use the cap, not the vibes.
And skip pods in high-efficiency washers unless labeled HE-safe.
3. Wipe It Down Between Loads
Front-load washers are prone to odor build-up. Ask your student to wipe down the door seal, the drum, and the detergent tray.
Bonus points: Let them clean the lint trap in the dryer too.
4. Let It Breathe
Leave the washer door cracked between loads. It helps the machine air out and prevents mold.
Optional sign: “If you forget to close the fridge, you don’t get to close the washer.”
5. Run a Cleaning Cycle After They’re Done
Once the laundry pile is conquered, do your washer a favor: run a cleaning cycle with a washer cleaner tab or a vinegar + baking soda combo.
It’ll freshen up your machine — and help remove the dorm room scent it just battled through.
Closing CTA:
College Laundry Season comes around fast — and sometimes leaves a mess behind.
If your washer isn’t sounding quite right or smells like someone left socks in it since winter break… we’re here to help.
AAA Appliance Service Center
Chicago’s trusted experts in appliance repair since 1950.