New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- Cleaning dried stains can be surprisingly difficult. Sometimes a simple detergent wash just isn't enough to clear out the curry stain from dinner that you attended last Sunday or the wine that you enjoyed with your work bestie after a work party or muddy school uniform from your kids' sports day meet. If you have to pre-soak, scrub and rewash clothes before putting them in the machine every time, doing laundry can quickly become a time-consuming chore.

The good news is that newer washing machines are designed to take more of that hard work off your hands. Features such as steam cleaning and specialised stain-removal modes can help loosen stubborn dirt without requiring the same amount of manual scrubbing.

- Steam W...