2015 Speed Queen Washer Model AWNE82SP113TW01

[launderess]

Congrats on great score!

Plus more praise for hard work done cleaning up machine.

Whiff of mold/mildew can be difficult to erase even with through cleaning and sanitizing. Things just become deeply embedded in porous materials making deep down and total eradication difficult.

Am adding my voice to others suggesting with frequent hot water washes along with healthy dosing of bleach, whiff should die down on its own in due time. Keeping lid open allowing good air flow should likely help I shouldn't wonder.

 

[DADoES]

 
9/14/2021, CNN-Underscored -- How -- and how often -- to wash sheets and comforters, according to experts (who all tout cold washing for everything)

 

[mrsalvo]

Interesting that you never saw a lint filter. SQ should have built one into their machines. The model I have is a 2015 AWN432SP, even a filter inside the agitator (like the older Maytag line) would have helped. It was one of my biggest complaints with this washer, have had to learn in loading the washer not to wash shedders with catchers (towels).
You did a beautiful job on the refurbishment, admire your abilities.

Barry

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Thank you Hyacinth!

 

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

I saw that Glenn! All the ads were from Tide.

 

[Ultramatic]

 

 

Thanks Barry. I never liked the idea of a washer not having a lint filter. The Kenmore Elite that I have doesn't have one either.

 

[eriksp]

I must say that it is strange that laundry recommendations should vary so much between countries! Here in Norway! Here, laundry researchers from government agencies and product developers from detergent companies alike all recommend washing bedding, underwear and kitchen cloths in a 60 degree celcius cycle, which I assume would be equivalent to American hot cycles. Most also recommend running an occasional boil wash to keep the machine clean, and to use that cycle for cloths that have made contact with food like raw chicken, as well as for any white towels and the like that you want to brighten with a powdered detergent for whites.

 

[appnut]

The perfect example of what happens to a washer when every cycle is cold is the washer poor Louie had to rehab and reconstruct. It's disgusting. I hope some day all this dillusional crap causes significant dermatological issues and people spend thousands on dermatologist visits to counteract their skin diseases thanks to poor laundry habits. Me, I use as hot a water temperature for my laundry and kitchenware as appropriate and needed for the situation.

Cold clean stupidity!!! Next thing you know, we'll be cold cleaning dishware and laboratory items and all hospitals.

 

[foraloysius]

"Elks says that people should own at least two sets of sheets to increase longevity."

Ofcourse dear, twice as long I suspect. lol

"Protein stains like sweat, which are common on sheets, are best treated with an enzymatic stain remover, like Zout, while Shout is best for food and drink stains, like chocolate or coffee."

So washing in cold water doesn't really work...

 

[launderess]

@eriksp

Difference is front loading washing machines with built in heaters long have been norm in Europe. You also have 208v-240v electrical wiring to supply enough power for fast heating of water.

On this side of pond top loading washing machines in all forms have long dominated, and they don't have built in heating. Hot water is what comes out of the taps, and even then that could be 120F or maybe 140F.

American housewives and others doing laundry here largely abandoned boiling water on wash day when semi or fully automatic washing machines arrived. Much of this can be traced to love affair Americans have with chlorine bleach. That substance covers up a multitude of wash day sins.

Rise of modern fabrics and increased use of colors and dark hues have made chlorine bleach a no go. Energy policy in USA since 1970's has pushed turning down water heaters to 120F...so there you are...

 

[eriksp]

Thanks for the history lesson, Launderess. Interesting to understand more of the American fascination with bleach!

Though, even running just 120 degree Fahrenheit washes would surely go a long way in preventing icky residue like seen in this machine? I'm still somewhat at a loss as to why it is explicitly discouraged - maybe it's because the energy required to heat water for a top loader is so much greater than the miniscule amount required for a front loader? Because the government here is certainly no stranger to rigid energy consumption guidelines otherwise.

 

[mrboilwash]

We`ll never know for sure what led to this kind of build up.
Apart form constant cold water washing which most likely seems to be the culprit it could have been the result of home made "detergent" made from borax and soap flakes or even from constant underdosing of a good detergent in warmer water by misjudging the soil level or for fear of some suds in the last rinse.

As to why those CNN "experts" recommend cold water washing for sheets and the difference of laundry recommendations in different countries I think there is a lot of political propaganda involved which is not always as obvious to the public as it should be.

All governments have environmental and energy departments and then there`s all this lobbying from all kinds of groups like clothes retailers, detergent industry, textile industry, appliance manufacturers and so on.
Anyone of them wants something from the government and in turn has to give something.
For instance in parts of Europe we`ve had what is called a "voluntary agreement" of the detergent industry to go without phosphates in laundry detergents even though the use was not outlawed yet.
I think care labels and laundry recommendations have gone a similar path.

 

[combo52]

Mold and Gunk In A Fairly New Top Load Washer

Yes we will never know precisely what led to this mess, as service techs we see it fairly often and often in otherwise immaculate very nice expensive homes.

 

It seems that the customer is almost always using Free&Clear type detergents because they always say that their husbands etc  are allergic to the perfumes in laundry products, we always laugh about that because the washer is full of mold which is much more likely to cause allergic reactions than a little perfume.

 

On this particular SQ washer the water supply might have been part of the problem, to have mold in the fill flume might indicate that it was on well water or a home system where they were removing the chlorine, we have customers that have such systems and we have done service calls where they have heavy accumulations of mold clogging the dispenser drawers on there machines etc.

 

I am glad you got this machine Louis I think you will enjoy it, yes us appliance guys go a little overboard cleaning things up.

 

Other than cleaning up under the tub cover and the top of the outer tub etc this washer would have cleaned itself up fairly quickly with proper use, we see. machines this bad all the time.

 

For the record it did not need a new pump or belt at this age, yes the belt showed some wear but it is not a Tre on your car where it could fail on the highway and cause a real problem, the washer will not work any better with the new belt or water pump.

 

When installing a new pump the pump clips are sometimes hard to get on, if you slightly straighten them and put a lint bit of lubricant on the tabs they will go on easily, I would not sand down a new water pump. [ and always wear gloves to protect your hands and get a tetanus shot every 5 years ]

 

Let us know how you like the washer, if it was my laundry room I would keep the Kenmore you have it is a better performer other than the SQs slightly faster spin.

 

John L.

 

[blockeight88]

I own a TC5000WN. How does the machine “self clean” itself?

 

[littlegreeny]

John, how do free and clear detergents muck up a machine? Besides green/bio-based detergents, free and clear detergents have the same ingredients as the scented ones.

 

[yogitunes]

I dont think it is meant as Free and Clear alone....but what you will find going into certain homes....F&C and machine set to COLD....and then you find a machine like this, you look around, and not hard to figure out where the problem has started...

as most people go for this thinking that it is Free and Clear of fragrance and dyes....and not exactly true, sometimes a certain dye is added to offset the color to make it more clear, and fragrance is added to cover up the true chemical smell of the raw mixture...otherwise it would smell more like petroleum...

they have people so brainwashed into using cold water for washing.....I was thankful with my first FLer, a chance to wash just about everything in hot/warm without killing half my water tank supply for one fill, AND a warm rinse......for real, how much hot water are you using for a FL machine, 2 or 3 gallons tops....an HE or FL machine is efficient on its own versus a TL.....

but we have seen the pros and cons of washing in Hot/Warm versus Cold only....

 

[good-shepherd]

Cold clean stupidity!!!

Exactly.

Do you bathe in cold water, wash dishes in cold water?

 

[good-shepherd]

love affair Americans have with chlorine bleach

Guilty as charged.

I love the smell of chlorine bleach. One cup and bath towels stay fresh for several wash cycles.

 

[mrboilwash]

Free and Clear

is marketed to a certain group of consumers who either have or just imagine to have a very sensitive skin or who are indeed badly allergic to some detergent scents.

I think this group of consumers is more prone to disrespect (cut down) the recommended dose than others.
A little bit of residual suds in the last rinse which is absolutely normal when washing a porous material like cotton with man made surfactants is not what this group of consumers wants to see.

So John`s remark makes perfect sense to me, there`s more laundry sins out there that lead to a nasty washer than just cold water washing alone.

 

[foraloysius]

There seem to be some misconceptions about allergies etc. in this thread. There is no such thing as an allergy for scents because there are no allergens involved. In case of an oversensitivity for scents, the problems is that certain scents irritate the receptors in the nose and in the lungs too much. Especially triggering the receptors in the lungs can lead to asthma attacks if you have non-allergic asthma. BTW It's not that long ago that it was discovered that you don't only smell with your nose, but also with your lungs.

If you respond to allergens, for instance mould, dust, pet skin cells etc. you can have allergic asthma. That's a different thing. People with allergic asthma get their asthma attacks from allergens, but not per se from scents. That can only happen when you have both forms of asthma. I'm "lucky" to have hit both jackpots. So I know something about this.

Misconception #1 is that mould would always cause a more serious reaction than scents. That's not necessarily true.

Misconception #2 is that people who buy Free & Clear products don't use enough detergent because of allergens/sensitivities. We buy that stuff so we can use enough. And most people with allergens or sensitivities don't use fabric softener because we know that's a much bigger problem than detergent.

Besides that, when I was diagnosed with asthma, I was also taught how to wash (if possible always at 60C or 140F, use enough detergent and enough rinses, about dedicated detergents etc.) and dry (no indoors line drying unless you ventilate enough which was about the same as outside line drying) etc. I don't know how it is in the USA, but in the Netherlands people with allergies and asthma get educated about how important it is to handle laundry well in order to keep allergies in control.

Dr Louis has spoken. lol. End of rant!