Better stop making assumptions and start reading. It’s about companies providing an offline patch or tools to host a private server. Not giving up source code or running servers indefinitely. For example “The Crew” had a hidden offline mode which got patched out after lunch. Forza horizon 4 always had an offline mode an will continue to run after the server shut down.
Image buying a car that said it requires connection to the manufactures server to drive. Without a date when this connection or manufacture will be abandon. After 5 years the connection is discontinued to deminish costs and you can’t use that car anymore. Doesn’t it sound a bit scammy for you?
If they harden up because of hard water (for example water with a high lime content). Try to put them in a bucket with water and two big scopes of citric acid powder 4h to 12h before washing them. You can get citric acid almost anywhere online (ebay, Amazon etc.) This should soften them.
You can also use citric acid as a washing powder replacement if you don’t look for deep cleaning but softening your cotton cloth, but don’t use to much of it or too often because it can and will attack the metal parts of the washing machine.
But usually the the motor will die before serious damaged is caused as long you don’t overdo it.