A system including an enclosure of a washing machine (100), a drum (122) within the enclosure (111), a mixing unit, within the enclosure (111) but separate from the drum (122) and in fluid communication with the drum (122), a water supply unit coupled to the mixing unit, a reservoir (186) having a conduit fluidly coupled to the mixing unit, and a container connecting assembly (192) configured to fix a spout of a container (200) to the reservoir (186). An apparatus including a reservoir, external to a washing machine, to receive a liquid wash aid, a container connecting assembly coupled to the reservoir and configured to fix a spout of a container containing liquid wash aid to the reservoir, a flexible conduit to pass liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the washing machine, and a wash aid control unit connected to the flexible conduit and adapted to meter a flow of liquid wash aid from the reservoir to the washing machine.