You can't wash bathmats

[StealthPolarBear]

So the washing machine engineer tells me.
So what does one do? Disposable ones? Use hand towels? Just let them get dirtier and dirtier?
Apparently the bathmat was why the machine 'walked'.

There is nothing nicer than standing on a crisp dry bathmat in a clean bathroom. I totally agree, one of life’s little pleasures!

I also throw my (cheap, IKEA) bath mats into my (cheap, unbalanced) washing machine, I had no idea that was against The Rules. I will continue to do so though, until the washing machine explodes or something.

Our 15 year old washing machine didn't seem to have any issues with bathmats...

namechange that is an absolute classic!!!

They absolutely should be washed - just read this!

"There's one item in your bathroom that often gets neglected in terms of hygiene: the bath mat.

In fact, it is likely one of the dirtiest pieces in the room.

According to Expert Home Tips, you should wash them at least once a week at a high temperature to keep them free of germs and bacteria.

The main reason that bath mats get so dirty and unhygienic is that they don't get the opportunity to completely dry out in between people using the bath or shower. Germs can fester as the mats are static on the floor and not aired properly.

Bath mats are also trodden on by shoes and bare feet, enabling the spread of dirt and germs."

Mine are from M&S and have wash care labels on them I put them in with the towels.

He was having you on. Of course you can wash a modern towely bathmat

I put bathmats in with a fullish wash and put the spinspeed on lower, respinning on higher if necessary, to avoid imbalance ( kerthUMP !)

I wash ours. It does unbalance the machine if you put loads of heavy things in there at once - so I always limit numbers of towels and jeans added at once, but you can also just do it on a slower spin cycle.

The most annoying thing is duvet covers, I've never had it on any other machine, this one seems to make duvet covers eat the rest of the washing which means that it all sits in a giant ball which really upsets the machine and it refuses to spin. However if I just tell it to spin manually it goes righty-ho and does it anyway. I don't seem to have to rearrange it. I mean it's quite handy to be able to pull every bit of washing out in one go but I do think it probably damages the seams. The machine somehow undoes the poppers in its eagerness to fill up the duvet cover and everything.

I once did this, the bathmat was bobbly but 100% cotton, it all came apart and blocked the filters, however it also buggered the machine, which was newish. Curry's replaced it

We've bought the last few as expensive ones in quick succession and have finally decided you don't get what you pay for when you buy washing machines

Rebadging has a lot to answer for. I've no idea what they are like now but we have Miele washing machine and dishwasher - both >20 years old and neither sad nor sorry.

Mine sometimes doesn't spin bathmats as it gets unbalanced so I just chuck a towel in and it seems to work

I've always washed mine. Asda ones. They come out fine and so does the machine.

He said I should just use it to get them partially dry, then hang them out on the line

That's the total opposite of what I do. I get them as dry as I can on the line or clothes horse, then finish off in the tumble. I'm sure its cheaper on the electricity that way.

My washing machine like to dance about my utility room, regardless of whether there is a bathmat in there or not (washed every weekend always with a towel to "balance it")
I got an anti-vibration mat for under the machine because the noise annoyed me it really helped.

I have one of those bathmats with the thick bobbly twists and it's heavy and it's apparent that my washing machine doesn't like it much. I can hear it bashing against the drum so it probably isn't that great for the machine.

This reminds me of returning children's shoes to the shop when they split after a week. Accusations of "wearing them".

My bathmats go in the wash twice a week at least. I do have one though that is huge and very thick and I no longer use it because the machine seized up with it in.

you don't get what you pay for when you buy washing machines
Said to me by many a repair man. They are all the same just some have more bells and whistles and everyone only uses two settings.

I just use designated towels now, don't see the point of those huge carpet-like rubber-backed ones, now they would be hard to wash and dry. Used to have one, now in the workshop for DH to stand on at his workbench!

the "green mould" which only grew on metal and had eaten away the connections in the box outside my house ... He meant rust

He probably meant copper oxide.

IME, bathmats are fine, but always do with some towels or a few mats together. My machine copes with a largeish Turtle Mat too - I usually chuck in a couple of dog towels with it so the weight can distribute better.

I always fasten duvet covers to stop them eating other washing.(smug)
I once tried to return a jumper to Marks and Spencer because it had pulled badly soon after I bought it and was told it was because DS had worn it under a coat.😂

Pilled, not pulled.

Oh yes shoes and jumpers are for display only you philistines.

This is probablt not where I should admit to machine washing walking boots... They come out lovely

Walking boots???

What kind of awful racket do they make on the spin cycle?

Of course you can wash them. Hate to think how dirty his must be.