Spoelen

Spoelen is a Dutch verb with several related uses, most commonly as a general term for rinsing with water and for winding a coil of conductor. In cleaning and food preparation contexts, spoelen means to flush away dirt or cleaning agents with water. Examples include groenten spoelen (rinse vegetables) and het spoelen van was in een wasmachine (the rinse cycle). The action can be performed manually or by machine and is often followed by drying or another processing step.

In electronics and mechanics, spoelen refers to winding a conductor around a form or core to create a coil. This is a common procedure in the construction of inductors, transformers, and electromagnets. The resulting component is called een spoel, and its electrical properties depend on factors such as the number of turns, wire diameter, and insulation of the winding.

The term spoelen also exists in the sense of a spool or coil used to store thread, wire, or film. In this sense, spoel describes objects that serve as windings or storage for flexible materials, linking to the common root of the word.

Overall, spoelen covers both practical household actions and technical manufacturing processes, illustrating how a single Dutch verb can span everyday and specialized domains.