There appears to be a problem with many washing machines routinely “causing” small holes in laundry. Judging from the correspondence I’ve received so far it is happening to a lot of people, with different makes of washing machine and with various drum sizes and spin speeds. Therefore, finding a pattern and identifying a definite cause is proving difficult.
However, almost everyone is blaming the washing machine. This article attracted 298 comments (bottom of this article) before being closed. They indicate that many of the holes may not be caused by the washing machine after all, though washing machines can clearly cause holes in laundry.
What’s causing holes in clothes after washing?
There is no one simple answer to the cause of holes in clothes but a detailed look at this article and its comments may help.
One common theory is that the quality of many modern fabrics are to blame, that they are too thin. It may be necessary to try and work out the cause by process of elimination and looking for clues. It’s not as simple as just blaming the washing machine.
The people having problems are finding holes routinely appearing in denim skirts & shirts, cotton shirts, t-shirts, sheets, dresses, corduroy skirts etc. so the problem doesn’t seem to be confined to one type of laundry. Up to now, many people who have complained to their washing machine manufacturer have been told the same thing.
They’ve been told the fault lies with themselves, and that they are probably spinning certain items too fast.
In my experience, many faults are caused by customers either misusing appliances or not reading instruction books (or the wash labels on the laundry!) properly so they are naturally the first suspects.
At this stage it is unclear whether or not there is a problem with the design or quality of some washing machine drums and tubs that could account for lots of small holes in laundry. However, it makes sense for anyone getting holes in their laundry on a regular basis to make absolutely sure that they are not inadvertently causing the problem themselves before pursuing a manufacturer or the seller of the appliance.
Make sure you are not inadvertently causing the holes in clothes
If you are experiencing regular random holes in your washing you need to check that you are not washing items on wash programmes with a final spin speed that is too fast for them. This is the explanation some manufacturers have given to customers who complained about holes in washing.
If you know you are definitely using the washing machine correctly then at least you can say with confidence that the manufacturer, or their engineer is wrong if they try to blame incorrect spin speeds for the damage.
To help you decide you really should check out the instruction book but here is a rough guide from my Miele 1400 rpm spin washing machine operating instructions which has a 6kg drum.
Different manufacturers and different models of washing machine may vary but this chart shows that certain items should not be spun at full spin speed
- Cottons: – 1400 rpm
- Minimum iron: – 1200 rpm
- Delicates: – 600 rpm
- Woollens: – 1200 rpm
- Silks: – 400 rpm
- Shirts: – 600 rpm
- Denim: – 900 rpm
Make sure you aren’t overloading the drum
Many people don’t realise that different types of laundry have different wash load capacities and that exceeding them amounts to overloading.
In most cases the consequences are more likely to be reduced wash efficiency but if you put a full load of denim, or shirts on a wash programme that does the maximum spin then the manufacturer could claim some may get damaged.
Here is a link to a previous article showing the maximum recommended loads for certain fabrics (again, consult your washing machine’s instruction book because the load sizes will vary amongst manufacturers and models – especially models with larger or smaller drum capacities) Laundry comes out of washing machine badly creased?
Other possible causes of holes
Bra wire (or underwires)
Bra wires are an extremely common problem with washing machines. Many of them (especially from cheaper bras) escape during the wash and get trapped under the drum.
Commonly you will hear a gentle metallic scraping noise as the drum turns but depending where it settles it may not make any noise at all. The ends of bra wires can be sharp, especially if they break. As the clothes are forced through the small holes in the drum (particularly cottons) during spin they can snag on the underwire and cause damage to the laundry.
If underwires from a bra are removable they should always be removed before washing. I’m sure many of them are supposed to be hand washed only!
Here’s an article I’ve published about washing nets designed specifically to protect a bra in the washing machine – Bra washing nets
Other obstructions in the tub, a damaged drum, loose drum lifter etc.
Coins and other metallic obstructions commonly cause problems with washing machines. They can damage the drum or loosen and break the plastic drum lifter (paddles) leaving a small hole or gap where laundry can snag.
Carefully examine the drum for dints or even tears, maybe an elongated drum hole that now has a sharp edge. TIP: Try using a nylon stocking stretched over a hand to feel all the way round a drum and paddles to see if anything snags.
Check none of the drum lifters or paddles are damaged or loose revealing a hole with sharp edges.
If you have a loose or broken drum paddle (lifter) it can cause damage to clothes. You can buy a replacement drum lifter or paddle for your washing machine on Spares4Appliances Drum lifter (paddles)
Zips and buckles
As a precaution try turning garments with zips inside out after zipping up the zipper. Watch out for garments that have metal buttons or buckles. Also try placing delicate laundry in net wash bags.
Biological detergents could damage woollens and silks
I’ve just written another related article describing how some holes in clothing could be caused by using biological detergent.
This issue is only related to silks and woollens though – Biological washing machine detergents can damage woollens and silks causing holes
Insects – Moths?
Don’t forget that certain insects and moth larvae can damage clothes. They cause lots of small holes that look very similar to the holes in clothes photos I’ve received. Obviously if holes only appear in specific places on clothes (like only the front lower part of a t-shirt) it’s not likely to be caused by insects or moth larvae randomly chewing on them. Try searching for the following subjects – clothes damaged by insects – clothes damaged by larvae – what do moth holes look like? There’s a good artcile here too. Notice the holes are virtually the same as in some of my photos except they are cleaner holes than some of my examples – Do moths eat cotton?
Removing a drum paddle (lifter) to gain access to the bottom of the tub
Bleach
Undiluted bleach should not be used in a washing machine. It’s corrosive. Even dilute bleach can weaken laundry. Read the label carefully before using.
Sometimes you can get an obstruction out through the dispenser/tub hose or the heating element
If you suspect the obstruction is trapped somewhere in the middle of the drum you may be able to get to it through the hole in the outer drum where the dispenser hose is attached. This is where the water and detergent is washed into the drum from the soap drawer.
Sometimes an underwire gets mangled and trapped on the heating element and removing the element can allow access to it. However, it depends where the heater is, some are right at the front of the machine and very hard to access and some are at the back behind the rear panel and easy to access. This method is not recommended though unless desperate because it may involve stripping a washing machine down, and you may not be able to refit the heater even if you get it out.
Worse still you could refit it incorrectly and it pops out during a wash cycle flooding the kitchen, or you don’t get it located under its holding bracket and the drum bashes it relentlessly on spin.
However, this article looks at where is the heater and how to remove it?
I’ve written another article on this subject here Holes in clothes photos which features many photos sent in to me with holes of all sizes and on various laundry.
If tiny holes are appearing only in t-shirts at the front
This can be caused by physical wear caused by rubbing against jeans, belts, and even kitchen worktops whilst working in the kitchen.
Photos of damaged laundry
For further details see the many comments below this article. Several people have identified their holes in the front lower half of t-shirts as being caused by rubbing against the kitchen worktop. Granite worktops are particularly implicated.
Try this experiment
Jeff suggested a great experiment in my comments section, which should prove whether the small holes in t shirts are caused by the washing machine or by the wearer.
Buy a new t shirt of the type that has been getting the holes (but never wear it). Each time you do laundry, throw it in with everything else and see if it ever gets holes. If it does, then as it has never been worn it’s probably the washing machine/detergent/faulty fabric. But if holes do not appear, then the holes in the other t shirts are most probably being caused by something the wearer of the shirts is doing to stress the fabric and not caused by washing.
Protect t-shirts and other laundry when washing
Use a net washing bag to protect delicate laundry, which helps prolong the life of clothes, and prevents wear and tear from friction
Comments now disabled
There are many comments below to research but new comments have been disabled because they have reached a large enough number for it to be impractical for most people to read them – let alone even more.
However, I strongly advise you take the time to read through them if this is a serious problem for you as there are many thoughts, speculations and ideas that may help. If you have any useful advice or information please contact me and I can either open up the comments for you or add your thoughts to the article.
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Hi, I’ve worked as an engineer for one of the major washing companies for the last 20 years and have come across this problem from time to time.Initially I think all of us have been guilty of blaming the customer for spinning at too high a spin speed for the type of material washed and although this can still be a possible cause there is obviously other factors we now have to look at.I may be biased but I’m sure that faulty machines are a very small percentage of the problem.If you look at the damaged clothes the customer produces it is normally from the same wearer or the damage is always on the same area of each article so it is very difficult to comprehend how the machine can be so selective.In my experience as others have mentioned it will be t shirts damaged at the waist level or childrens clothes.When it started happening in my own household a few months ago I eventually had to investigate thoroughly to prove to my beloved that it wasn’t the washing machines fault.After weeks of detective work that Jim Rockford would be proud I found that it was always my wifes tops and my youngest sons tops.After a few more weeks we eventually found that a where my wifes jeans buttoned together at the waist there was a definite edge that pressed out onto her tops.It didn’t feel at all sharp but as the holes have stopped since she stopped wearing the jeans I feel this was the definite cause.As far as the damage to my childs tops this was caused by a rough thread on the harness of his childseat in the car.All the damaged articles were of the same type i.e. small round holes that in the past I would have blamed washing machine fault..So I guess the best advice I can give you is look for a pattern to the damage and then check any thing that comes into contact with that particular item while washing/drying/storing or wearing.Hope this helps.
Well I dispute that theory! All of my family, including my son’s girlfriend have items of clothes with holes in. they are not restricted to any particular area, front/back/top/bottom/sleeves have all been damaged over time.
Several years ago a top manufacturer was on WatchDog every week because of this problem-I had one of their machines at the time. An independant engineer told me what the problem was and I insisted the manufacturer sent a supervisor and an engineer to my house to test the idea. Lo and behold when they stripped my machine down there was the evidence! Clothes were being pushed through the holes in the drum during spinning, catching on a spindle at the back and then going round and round at speed until eventualy the material broke away. There was a huge bundle of multi coloured material wrapped round the spindle and they were as amazed as me. To their credit they gave me a voucher to go and purchase a machine of my choice for considerably more than I had paid. Then came the Zannusi that had the same problems but they wouldn’t accept it. Now I have a Miele but still getting holes in my laundry!! These big boys should invest some of their profits in trying to solve this problem-it really isn’t good enough.
Jim, I have looked for a pattern (I’ve had this problem for almost 10 years – different machines etc). It has happened to articles in my light wash many times which just consists of light t-shirts and underwear socks etc. No buttons, no zips or fasteners, not even rough or thick clothing. it’s happened to all our t-shirts and not just in the waist area. You answer is not the answer to my problem, unfortunately, but I’m glad you found the solution for you. As I said before, I’m going to go back to using the old duvet cover for some of my washes now! I’m just disappointed that I seemed to have been free of the problem for a few months (during which my machine was new) and now the problem has returned.
Hello Jim R: Thank you very much for contributing. It’s great to get input from people in the trade. We mustn’t forget washing machines can rip and damage clothes, and that sometimes it’s the washer and sometimes it is a user fault, but as you say (and as I say in the original article) there’s no way that so many washing machines can be causing this problem and so selectively too, so it is fair to say that in many cases people need to look at other causes.
If a washing machine is damaging clothes it should be fairly random. It’s hard to imagine how a washing machine can rip only T-shirts. If it’s random then the washing machine may be the culprit.
I did my laundry at my mothers and a sock got ripped to shreds1 I can’t find any snags in the drum, but a second wash was covered in back dots and fluff from the sock.When i put the machine on a rinse cycle with no laundry in, the bits of sock were still coming up! How can I clean the drum to stop this from happening again?
Leigh: Socks getting ripped like that can be caused by getting caught between the drum and the back of the door seal during spin. This is more likely to happen if the washing machine is overloaded and more common on washer-dryers too.
Try to get rid of the bits by putting the machine on wash a few times with no laundry inside. A quick wash or low temperature wash would be best.
If a bit of the sock is missing check the pump filter to remove them before it causes a blockage – How do I clean my pump filter – where is the pump filter?
Related topic – a pair of knickers ripped to shreds – I know why; it’s because a drum lifter on my Hotpoint WF340 broke and I had to do a load of washing with a missing drum lifter. I have now located what I think is the correct replacement parts. But I can’t find any detailed instructions for fitting them (the sort of instructions befitting a total amateur like me!). Can anyone help? Or do I have to get a professional repair person in?
You insert a small screwdriver into one of the holes on top of the lifter and press down on a springy bit of metal then slide the lifter to disengage it.
Which hole, and which way you slide depends on the model, date code and it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
They basically just clip in.
I have been finding small holes, very similar to many people have said on this forum. Always in T shirts and always at the front about 5″ from the hem of the T shirt, and always T shirts. The baby’s clothes or bedding jeans etc have not been affected. It is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have checked the inside of the drum and cannot find any sharp obstruction, I have also checked for moths, and have not found any. I am pulling my hair out, and my husband is bored ridged with me blathering on about it!!
Has anybody got any further with this?
Well done, Jackie ! What a cracking entry – if only more people …..
We have had an excellent Miele washing machine in regular family use for 14 years with no complaints – until about 2 months ago when it started to make a noise like a main bearing going. Then surprisingly, the noise stopped – and the m/c continues to function.
However, in the last month it has started to chew random holes in all sorts of cotton garments. Nothing else has changed in the wash regime, so the cause has to be some sort of mechanical damage (outside the drum, which I have checked internally) in the m/c – as was evidenced by the noise mentioned above. This would confirm Jackie’s findings and experience.
To avoid the problem, we will be using a washing net until the m/c finally packs in.
I am not a lawyer, but would suggest if you are having this problem with a new m/c, the m/c sold to you is “not fit for purpose”.
So, use a washing net to gather the evidence that it is the m/c causing the problem, keep a written record (m/c model, dates, load contents, powder used, articles damaged {take photos}, etc) of your damage experience (with/without the net), and, if justified by the results, submit a claim via the Small Claims Court. The amount of claim should be for the cost of the m/c, plus for replacement clothes, plus for the inconvenience and distress, plus for your time to rectify the problem at say 30 pounds an hour.