No I am not joking but several times including today I have put a pair in but can only retrieve one from the machine. So I now have some unmatched socks. Also please how can I get blood stains out of a sheet, washing does not work. I had a small cut on my leg which I thought had healed but still managed to mark the sheet.
Yes, washing machines do eat socks. Hubby has several pairs of odd ones. Where they go is anybody's guess.
As for blood stains, you should have treated it before washing I'm afraid as it sets the stain in usually. I swear by Vanish and have a spray in the laundry tub. I give all stains and marks a good spray before putting in the washing machine.
If your sheet is all cotton then the ideal thing is to put some diluted bleach in a saucer or shallow dish and let that patch dip into that for a while. Keep an eye on it and it will more than likely move it. You will need to wash it again then of course.
If you have poly/cotton then I'm not sure that would be safe. Maybe try the same idea with some powder Vanish or other similar product in a dish and let it rest in that for a while.
Thanks Rodo and Ton, so glad in a way that you have experienced the same. I suppose it is possible for a sock to escape from the drum but it will mean taking the back and top off to find the missing ones, not a thing to consider lightly. Probably though if it gets full of lonely socks it will jam. Have tried salt on the sheet which I think is poly/cotton and will try dilute bleach which I hope will not affect the yellow colour. It is only a very small cut, Ton but I keep knocking it and stopping it from healing.
There is definitely an alternative universe where odd socks go to! I regularly lose odd ones
Like Rodo said ideally stains should be treated before the first wash as they tend to set in, but some of the stain removing powders ie Vanish 'can' shift old stains, sometimes....Good luck