9 Things You’re Not Cleaning in Your Washing Machine (but Should Be)

Washing machines — is there anything they can’t do? Just kidding: There are plenty of things you shouldn’t wash in your machine. Plus, the machine itself has to be washed, which is tedious. Still, there are some surprising uses for yours, even if it’s not usable for every situation. Here are a few ways you should be using your washing machine (and probably aren’t) that go beyond the usual clothes, towels, and linens.

Remove mildew from plastic shower curtain liners

Shower curtain liners become mildewy over time, and when they do, you can toss them (or regular plastic shower curtains) into the washing machine, per Molly Maid. You’ll want to use a cool setting and throw in a few towels, too, to help scrub the liner. When it’s done being washed, simply air dry that bad boy by putting it back where it belongs on the shower rod.

Freshen up pillows and cushions

While you should never throw a foam pillow in the washer, regular ones (and cushions) can go in there just fine, so you can give them a more thorough cleanse than just spot-cleaning. Use a gentle cycle, warm water, and mild detergent, then air dry it for best results. If you want to put it in the dryer, add in some towels so the whole thing goes a little faster. You can even toss in tennis balls to fluff the pillows as they dry. This works for outdoor cushions, too.

Toss in your car floor mats once in a while

According to household expert Jill Nystul, you can use your washing machine to clean the floor mats of your car, provided they “aren’t too big or heavy.” You can also wash rubber-backed rugs and mats, like the ones in your bathroom, although doing this too often can cause the backing to lose some of its grip. Wash these kinds of rugs and mats sparingly, when they really need it, and stick to the vacuum in between trips to the laundromat. Try this with yoga mats, too, but don’t use the spin cycle on these.

Spruce up your…leather purses?

Leather can be tricky to wash, so always read up on the specific kind you have and follow manufacturer instructions. That being said, Nystul also tried out a hack for cleaning leather purses and said that yes, they can be thrown in the wash. Use one-fourth of a cup of castile soap and a gentle cycle, then put the bag in the dryer on low heat with some towels or air dry it. Toss some leather conditioner on after this ordeal, and your bag will thank you.

Sanitise those reusable grocery bags

You might have hopped on the reusable grocery bag trend, and good for you. But back when we were using the throw-away kind, we didn’t have to think about the fact that they might get dirty over time and yuck-up our food. We should think about that now, though: You can wash your reusable bags if they’re canvas, cotton, or polyester, according to Apartment Therapy.

Remove sweat and oil from your hair ties

Hair ties ride around in the bottoms of our bags, on our wrists, and in our hair — especially when we’re working up a sweat. We use them over and over again, and therefore, they should be washed to remove all the oil, sweat, hairspray, and daily dirt these things collect. Put them in a small mesh bag and run them through your next load. (This goes for reusable makeup sponges, too.)

Clean the mop that cleans the floor

Wringing out a mop is oddly satisfying, if disgusting, but doesn’t fully clean the thing. To do that, you can rely on your washing machine, per CNet. Put the machine’s settings on a small load with hot water, then put the mop head in a mesh bag. You can just use your regular detergent for this, and it’ll go a long way in making your clean floors even cleaner.

Extend the life of your sponges

It doesn’t take long for a sponge to appear to be past its prime — but you don’t have to replace it as soon as it gets gunky or discolored. Instead, set your machine to sanitize them using hot water and throw them in a small mesh bag. The same goes for your bath sponges. Don’t worry about destroying them — they’re designed to get wet, after all. (You can also stick them in your dishwasher the next time you run it.)

Give your backpacks and lunch bags a bath

Another tip from CNet is this one: You can wash backpacks by turning them inside out and putting them in a warm-water load. Air dry them for best results. Of course, don’t forget to clear out the pockets first. (This works for cloth lunch bags, too.)