The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides on its official website a series of recommendations that can be applied at home to preserve the good functioning of appliances and everyday systems. Among them is a washing machine trick that is easy to apply and can make a difference: leaving the door open when the wash is finished. Why experts advise leaving the washing machine door open when the wash is finished The EPA advice is to leave the washing machine door open after using it so that all the moisture from the wash can evaporate. This is a way to prevent mold, which can damage the appliance and cause bad odors. Other home tricks experts recommend for the washing machine In order to save water and energy, the EPA also advises: - Do full-load washes whenever possible - Avoid prewash or extra rinse cycles unless they are considered absolutely necessary - Try to have the washing machine use cold water as much as possible - Avoid rinsing with hot water - Choose products certified as Energy Star which use less water and energy compared with other options Removing common stains from clothing: what is the expert advice? To complement a good clothes wash, Mississippi State University provides a guide that can be used to know how to remove common stains that we may notice on clothing, including: Drinks It is advised to soak the garment in cold water, pre-treat it with stain remover before washing with liquid laundry detergent, or use powdered detergent with water. Grass Pre-treat with a bar stain remover or an enzymatic product. If the stain does not come out, the advice is to mix alcohol with two parts water. Grease In this case, one of the recommendations is to use spray stain remover, liquid laundry detergent, or detergent booster. Blood The clothing should be soaked for 30 minutes, and then detergent should be applied to the stain to rinse and wash it. A general recommendation from the institution is never to put the garment in the dryer until you are sure the stain has been completely removed.