“softener leads to machine failure“ Is this true or is it hogwash?

[adam-aussie-vac]

Hey guys just scrolling through a YouTube and I found this and thought this would be a good topic to put here, I’ll post the video under the link thing in the video they claim to tell that softness destroy washing machines while he’s busy steam cleaning and scrubbing the machine

I’ll also be adding a second video as well where it looks like the guy put a bunch of fabric softener into the machine to make it look like it damages it :

 

[DADoES]

 
Bad usage habits in general cause as much destruction to washers as specifically fabric softener.  Many users who overdose on softener are doing so in an attempt to cover the foul odor that results from their overall bad usage habits.

My mother doesn't use liquid softener.  She does wash primarily in cold water (admonished by dad to do so for saving money, triggered by the advertising propaganda) and uses low-quality detergent such as Arm & Hammer liquid and not enough dosage (it's high-sudsing, propaganda says there shouldn't be any visible suds).  This is a Kenmore toploader after 6 years of use.  It had been refurbed by me and in pristine condition when she started using it.  None of that brown smutz on the basket has any relation to softener.  (I'd wiped some off before taking the photos.)

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Like people don’t realise

“that’s just built up dirt, same kind of way that brake dust builds up on car rims” and did you see the second video where looks like all the fabric softener has congealing destroyed the machine ( yeah right ) it’s like everybody expects the washing machine to be like the inside of a dishwasher where it’s all nice, sparkly and clean, it’s like how the dishwasher doesn’t have to deal with a log the dog dropped on the carpet and plus I don’t really catch that “ you must use 30 mL/2 tablespoons of high-efficiency detergent“ that honestly especially in an old-fashioned top loading water guzzling washing machine that’s a drop in the Ocean when you need a river of detergent (the recommended usage where available) Because if you don’t use enough detergent and then you something like vinegar it’s not really gonna do anything just gonna make things smell like vinegar and still look dirty

 

[Unimatic1140]

Great pictures Glenn!! Pictures 2-5 show why I so much prefer using solid-tub washers, such a Frigidaire, Speed Queen, Philco, Norge, Hotpoint, Apex, Kelvinator, etc. While solid tub machines can have grime build-up on the outside of the spin tub and in the outer tub like what Glenn's pictures showed, the inside of the solid-tub is pristine and there is never contact with clothes/water from the wash tub's interior to any grime on the outside of the tub. Once the water is expelled from the solid wash tub there is no way what so ever of anything expelled ever coming in contact with the inside of the wash tub again.

The only exception to this are machines like the solid-tub GE filter-flo that is recirculating water between the outer tub and inner tub however the recirculation water is filtered and it is not bathed in this water like perforated tub machines.

 

[sudsmaster]

Washers seem to stay the cleanest if one:

 

1) Uses warm to hot water for washing

2) Uses a minimal amount of fabric softener

3) Uses high quality laundry detergent to form thin suds layer

4) Lives in an area with good water quality

 

 

[stan]

I’ve cleaned

My 2000 Kenmore like he did in the video twice since new.
Last time was only a month ago.
Both times where nowhere near that bad.
I don’t use FS
I think no matter what one uses it a good idea to check them on occasion and clean them out.
Since last cleaning I’ve been adding STPP to each load to prevent mineral scale.
I think it’s a good idea to use a good powdered detergent (sodium carbonate) once in a while with hot water, even if you running a empty load to clean out oily gunk.

 

[mieleforever]

I have no idea if fabric softener will have an effect on our machine, but we have been struggling with over sudsing for the past year almost now, have checked everything but nothing seemed to work. Changed the detergent that we used from OMO auto to Skip auto, it is a Unilever product and is the most expensive automatic washer detergent in South Africa. Then I have found a video clip on you tube from Bosch stating that if over sudsing occurs one should add a cup of fabric softener with about a litre of water. Ever since we started regularly using fabric softener the sudsing seems to be something of the past.

I hope I am not destroying our Miele in the process.

Regards

 

[stan]

Aldo

Have you tried using half the recommended dosage of your detergent?
You might have a detergent build up already in the fabrics. This can cause over sudsing.
Try washing a load in warm to hot water with 1/2 cup of baking soda or soda crystals (no detergent)
and see if you get suds. If you do, you have build up. Too much detergent, and fabrics are not being rinsed well enough.

 

[mieleforever]

@stan

I will give it a try and see what the outcome is, we have relatively soft water here in our area and we are currently using half the recommended amount.

Will give it a go and see what the outcome is. Funny though, if the machine stands still for a while after the suds lock event and it abort the spin and we manually select a spin cycle there is non of the suds lock that we seem to get the usual excellent spin results.

Hopefully your advice will work.

Regards

 

[stan]

Let us know Aldo

You can also run a empty load (no clothes no detergent) with hot water and just the soda crystals (washing soda) to help remove any detergent build up in the machine.
Same thing will happen if you have build up in machine (You’l see sudsing)

 

[mark_wpduet]

Bad washing habits...Not FS use

I use liquid FS sparingly and my machine is approaching 18 yrs old and smells super clean...what you would expect a washing machine to smell like.

I do have this routine where I do color loads first in which I use FS...but the last load I do whites with no FS..Just bleach / detergent and hot water...so I think that kind of washes anything that may have accumulated in the machine away. A few days later repeat...

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Oh cool, glad to hear it’s doing wonders for you

I would’ve thought of the hot water and bleach actually helped clean things out, how much detergent do you use? The recommended amount or just a tiny small amount

 

[gelaundry4ever]

I say hogwash!

I have used many washers and have no issues with softener before, especially with the ones in the laundromat.

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Same here and what’s your opinion on only using 30 mL

(Two tablespoons ) of high efficiency detergent???

In my opinion, that’s way too little to clean anything, Plus has that we probably be something more for high sudsing detergent not hi efficiency detergent so it just kinda makes you wonder does this guy have a vendetta against all the big brands of detergent/softener

 

[combo52]

Excess fabric softener use

Can lead to some nasty build ups in machines if the clothes aren’t being washed properly in the first place.

It’s very important if you’re going to use fabric softener to always wash in hot or warm water and use plenty of detergent otherwise you’ll get a buildup of softener in the clothing and in the machine you have to wash it away each time you rewash clothing.

There is no such thing as detergent build up in clothing or in machines I have never seen it it is really impossible to have detergent buildup in clothing each time it’s washed.

It’s also impossible to have A buildup of detergent inside a machine detergent dissolves easily and simply rinses away you couldn’t get it to build up that’s just not gonna happen.

In general it’s better to air on the side if using more than less detergent more will never hurt anything unless you go to extremes.

John L

 

[gelaundry4ever]

1 ounce of HE detergent

That's not enough. I go by the recommended amount or just use pods without issue.

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Preach it GE

Reply 14, I have actually seen detergent buildup in machines, but that’s only with front loaders only where the detergent drawer is, as they wouldn’t have been enough volume all the water wouldn’t be hot enough to very quickly dissolve it at low flow rates, it’s not the machines fault, it’s generally because the area would’ve had low water pressure or using a cheap detergent doesn’t health matters either, as from my previous workplace they always used to use really cheap detergent and I was the one who always had to deal with the tiny detergent cake that would always build up, so I started the trend of asking them and training new staff members to put it into the drum instead of in the detergent drawer, we used to use fabric softener then we went to nothing at all, and then I got them on the band wagon of using vinegar as a sour to counteract the cheap Alkaline detergent, I don’t know if they’re still doing it, if they are I’ll be impressed

 

[stan]

Detergent can build up on fabric

It’s referred to as encrustation.
If you google “encrustation on fabric” you find explanations of how and why it happens.
If Laundress stops by, I’m sure shel be able to explain further.
STPP is one additive that helps prevent this.
Good rinsing and neutralizing of alkaline detergents is useful as well.
But..Overdosage of detergent on a load of laundry, improper wash temps, inadequate rinsing, and rinse temps then baked in with the dyer..Well there you go.
If this mistake is repeated with the same articles of clothing on next go around, reside will be reactivated and may get worse especially if the same mistake isn’t corrected.
I use to work in professional Dry Cleaning and Laundry.
It was common practice to use professional laundry sour in the first rinse
“first rinse being the operative words here” the laundry sour first to neutralize alkalinity, then a additional rinse.
Who ever was pressing shirts would be the first to know that the person running laundry that day had overdosed and or missed adding the sour. Fabric would immediately turn to a yellow or brown when iron heat came in contact. It would sometimes look scorched. This is a example of detergent build up or detergent reside. It meant everything in that load had to be soured and rinsed again. Often times in hot water.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating for under using detergent like whats being proposed by the dude in the Video.
I have to say, He did a good job getting the machine clean though!

 

[sudsmaster]

How to avoid washer grunge:

 

1) STPP

2) Hot water washes

3) Non-excessive fabric softener

4) Really filthy loads might require two washes.

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Thank God I’ve got a machine that can do all of us apart fro

M STPP As my little German machine has an option for double washing, which basically means by you can do to 90° washes in the same cycle

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

1) Preetty much figure my detergent contains this, otherwise I hope the lack of is my washer's only antagonist!

2) Prefer warm washes, cold for my own clothes, which is all I wash in cold; hot seldom used, but then again, my daughter's guinea pig linen, maybe I should turn her on to using...

3) Don't use--surprisingly my near-top-of-the-line Kenmore lacks a dispenser for, though I have a bleach dispenser, that went from seldom-used, to bleach never needing to be just poured directly in...

4) That machine gets the filthiest loads done with just one wash...

So, pretty certain erosion is likely to happen even using plain water, only keeping a washer unused for those many years those vintage New In Box opened after fifty or more years is how to get your vintage machine off to a good start, with regular maintenance...

-- Dave

 

[gelaundry4ever]

The guy in the video

The guy in the video doesn't know what he's talking about. Why would I wash clothes in an ounce of laundry detergent without fabric softener? I use softener all the time without any issues. He must've used cold water, quick cycles, and not enough detergent and too much softener. He should've gone by the recommended amount. I will not add vinegar to my laundry. I'm sorry, but I don't want it to smell sour.

 

[DADoES]

 
Vinegar doesn't impart a sour odor to laundry in a washing machine unless MUCH larger quantities are added than is typically involved.  I often wash laundry, with more than an ounce of detergent, and no softener.

Another toploader I cleaned up this past week.  Fetched it from a seller on 12/12/2020.  It's 13 years old (serial Feb 2009).  There was moderate evidence of residue in the agitator-mounted softener dispenser, or maybe it was from sloppy handling of detergent.  None of the muck generated any suds upon flushing it with pressure-washer spray.  I should have taken more photos but I got going with the several-days full disassembly-and-clean-up, didn't think about photos.  It cleaned up nicely and doesn't need any repairs.

 

[stan]

Glen

Nice job of cleaning it up.
It didn’t look like it had detergent build up or gunk.
More like hard water deposits?
Noting too unusual for its age.
They all need a good cleaning from time to time no matter what one dose.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

softener use

I used fabric softener at the laundromat by the recommended amount. Guess what? I had no issues. Again, the guy in the video doesn't know what he's talking about. Use the recommended amount of laundry detergent and fabric softener, then you won't have an issue with them.

 

[bradfordwhite]

I've switched. No longer using softener.

Instead with about 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the dispenser.

Much better.

Even though I wasn't using that much softener to begin with, maybe half a teaspoon, I liked the smell and memories of it from years ago.

BUT,

when the clothes are dry the first couple of days, there was a minor allergic reaction.

---

Not anymore. The clothes do not smell like vinegar. If anything it brings out the subtle smell of the laundry detergent.

 

[askolover]

25 years of using softener in the Asko with no problems.

 

[combo52]

Using vinegar in the laundry

Be very careful using vinegar in a washing machine or in a dishwasher.

Vinegar destroys the rubber parts like the critical rubber seals and pumps etc. it does very little good in the amounts people typically use it will not do what fabric softener does.

I again have used fabric softener all my life, or at least since the mid-60s and it will not cause problems if you’re washing your clothes properly and temperatures above 100°F and using plenty of good detergent.

The problem with fabric softener comes in if you try to use a little bit of detergent when doing laundry and use cold temperatures you can get a buildup of fabric softener in your clothing and in the machine.

Detergent on the other hand cannot build up in clothing or in the machine detergent dissolves readily and rinses away.

John

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Not all detergent, I’ve seen some detergent buildup

Only on some front loaders that use a BOL Detergent that’s a really fine powder

 

[combo52]

If you’re seeing a fine white film or deposit

In a washing machines outer tub etc. that is a mineral detergent cannot build up detergent will rinse away the next time you use the washer, If it was actually detergent which I doubt.

I have never seen any kind of detergent filled up in a washing machine and 50 years of fixing washing machines.

I have seen build ups of dried detergent in dispensers, I’ve even seen old belt drive whirlpool washers it has so much detergent poured on the top of the machine we would get a non-spin complain because the lid would even close lol.

But I challenge somebody to show me a picture of detergent filled up in a washing machine where the water hits it.

John