Troubleshooting

Quick How-To use Wad-Free the right way versus the wrong way graphic. The wrong way has a red sheet thread through the hole of the Wad-Free with a big red symbol indicating that is the wrong way. The right way graphics show a green sheet with the fabric covering an open clear round tab which is then pushed through the circular hole in the white base and then slid into the channel of the keyhole in the base All four corners of the sheet are attached to the four tabs of the Wad-Free

While most people have success with Wad-Free right away, others experience a short learning curve. Most people find if they stick with it, they have great success! Below are some common issues, and please also watch the Troubleshooting video. Let us know if your problem isn't covered or you need additional assistance!

Problem: The tabs are too stiff.

Solution: The tabs will loosen up a bit after a couple cycles through the laundry. If you are having a hard time managing them, try putting them in a warm dryer for a minute which will soften the rubbery parts up. You'll find the tabs of Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers to be more flexible than Wad-Free for Bed Sheets

Problem: The tabs opened up or fell out.

Solution: As you attach the Wad-Free, make sure there is plenty of slack covering the tab. Once it is in the channel, give the bedding a slight tug back to make sure that the sheet is secure before you place it in the washer. Make certain that the washer is not set to a high spin speed. If a tab comes out of the base, reinsert it from the bottom, one pointy wing at a time. If you lose a tab, they are replaceable. 

Problem: My bedding slipped out

Solution: If your bedding came out: 

1. Make sure there is plenty of slack covering the tab when you attach it (this is especially important for slippery material).

2. See the Right Way/Wrong Way graphic to make sure the Wad-Free is attached properly. Note that you do NOT thread the fabric through the hole in the base; rather the fabric is placed completely over an open tab, which is then pushed up into the hole and slid back into the channel similar to a garter clip. This is repeated for all four corners.

3. Make sure the washer spin speed is not on high. In some cycles you have to manually dial the spin down; if your appliance does not have a way to manually adjust the spin speed, select the Gentle/Delicates cycle.

Problem: My sheets wadded.

Solution: First, make sure the cycle you selected on your appliance matches your fabric care instructions. Wad-Free is designed to work in conjunction with the fabric care instructions of your sheets, which usually call for the "Gentle/Delicates" or "Normal Cycle", Cold or Warm water, a Low or Medium spin speed, and a Low or Warm dryer. A high spin speed is not to be used when using Wad-Free. Next, when you load your appliances, do so according to the manufacturer's specifications, and also so that things are separate to begin with. Try picking each sheet up by the Wad-Free and fluffing it out so that it resembles a parachute. Load the bedding one at a time into the washer, and transfer them one at a time to the dryer. In top-loading washers, load sheets around the perimeter like a donut with the Wad-Free on the top. If that doesn't solve the problem, keep reading...

Problem: My fitted sheet still wadded after I loaded them one at a time like parachutes as described above. 

Solution: Some sheets just don't want to behave! Next time try attaching the Wad-Free to your fitted sheet a little differently using the alternate attachment location: locate the corner pocket seam and follow it 10" to 24" from the edge of the sheet. At this point, place that double-layer of fabric over an open tab and push the fabric-covered tab up through the hole, then back into the channel instead of using the fabric near the elastic edge. You can experiment with how far up from the elastic edge to attach Wad-Free. This alternate method usually solves the misbehaving fitted sheet problem and is also used with fitted sheets that have 1" thick elastic and fitted sheets with deep pockets. If your fitted sheet is particularly pesky, try using Wad-Free for Blanket & Duvet Covers instead.

Wad-Free alternate attachment location for thick elastic, full elastic, and deep pockets Follow the seam of the corner pocket to where it ends and this is where you will attach the double layer of fabric over an open tab of the Wad-Free

 

All four corner pocket seams of a light blue fitted sheet with 1 inch thick full elastic are attached to the four tabs of Wad-Free

Problem: I can't get my 1" thick elastic fitted sheets attached.

Solution: Use the alternate attachment location described above to attach the corner pocket seam 10" to 24" from the edge of the sheet, experimenting as necessary with your particular sheets. You can also use Wad-Free for Blanket & Duvet Covers instead.

Problem: My sheets were in a ball in the dryer but everything was dry inside.

Solution: The sheets were probably dry long before the cycle ended. Since dry sheets weigh less than wet sheets, if they are left to tumble in their dry state too long, they can wind themselves up. Try checking the cycle earlier next time and they might already be dry. 

Problem: I only attached the Wad-Free to the fitted sheet (not the flat sheet), and then it didn’t work.

Solution: The four corners of every sheet in the load must be attached to the four tabs of its own Wad-Free (one Wad-Free per sheet).

Problem: I am having a hard time attaching my thick flannel sheets.

Solution: If you smooth the fabric out over the round tab before you push it up through the hole, flannel sheets will still fit. If you are still having trouble, try using Wad-Free for Blanket & Duvet Covers instead.

Problem: My washer doesn't have the option to select the spin speed.

Solution: Choose the Gentle or Delicates cycle.

Problem: My thick blanket/duvet cover is hard to attach to Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers.

Solution: The thicker your bedding, the higher you will push the fabric-covered tab up through the hole in the base of Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers. before sliding it into the channel. (Pushing the tab higher makes it easier to slide back into the channel.) 

Problem: My blanket or duvet cover is going off-balance in my top-loading washer.

Solution: In top-loading washers, items must be loaded in a balanced fashion. If you can't achieve this with all 8 tabs of the Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers attached, remove some of the tabs for the wash cycle. You can reattach the tabs before the dry cycle. Some bedding works best with just 4 or 6 of the tabs attached. Experiment to find what works best for your particular bedding and appliances.  

Problem: My blanket or duvet cover bunched in the dryer.

Solution: Some bedding works best with just 4 or 6 of the tabs of Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers attached in the dryer, while other bedding requires all 8 tabs attached. Experiment to find what is optimal with your particular bedding.

Some bedding works best with 4 or 6 Wad-Free tabs attached while others require all 8 Photo shows teal coverlet attached to white round Wad-Free with four tabs

Problem: My blanket or duvet cover is damp in the center.

Solution: Fluff the bedding out like a parachute before putting it into the dryer. You can remove Wad-Free for Blankets & Duvet Covers for the last few minutes to ensure even drying.

Problem: I have compact appliances. 

Solution: There must be ample room in the appliances to wash bedding. If appliances are overstuffed, they won't come out very clean and may still bunch up, even using Wad-Free. Laundromats offer larger appliances.

Problem: I want to use the (fill in the blank: sanitize, allergen, bedding, bulky, heavy-duty, quick wash, cottons or hot wash, high spin, hot dryer) cycle but the Wad-Free instructions say I should follow my fabric care instructions which call for cold or warm water in a gentle/delicates or normal wash cycle, a low or warm dryer, and not to use a high spin speed.  

Solution: Hot temperatures don't necessarily harm the Wad-Free, but they do damage fabric. If you don't follow the fabric care instructions, you may have caused invisible harm to the fibers of your sheets. Certain fibers are more vulnerable than others, but the fabric manufacturers specify their washing instructions for longevity of their sheets, which we recommend you follow.  Wad-Free is designed to be used in conjunction with the fabric care instructions of your sheets. A high spin speed is not to be used when using Wad-Free.

Problem: I have another problem you haven't covered.

Solution: Please reach out to us using the Contact Us form.

 

Wad-Free is not for use with sheets containing rayon, which includes bamboo and eucalyptus. (Note that rayon goes by many names, including viscose, modal, Tencel, lyocell, acetate, cuprammonium, nitro silk, Bemberg silk, and art silk, and all fabrics claiming bamboo, eucalyptus, or beechwood are rayon.) Wad-Free is not recommended for weakened, thinned, damaged sheets.