front load washers not for humid basements?

[washerfetish]

I only have space in my basement of my old house to keep the washer. My basement is generally humid at around 70% RH during the summer but around 20% in the winter. since i basically have a humid basement I started to think that I should never put a front load washer in my basement. Probably due to the possibility that all front load washers have that 'mildew' smell problem because the dont dry out around the seal unless you leave the door open. I know that Europe has been using front loaders for a long time, but they don't usually have basements and instead keep their washers on the main or upper floors. Since I can't have my washer on an upper floor, which has dryer less humid air, I think I have no choice but to search for a top loader for my basement.

 

[golittlesport]

Your choice of course, but if you leave the door open on a front loader when not in use, I don't think there is any difference between the two. I've seen mold and gunk in top loaders. Proper use and maintenance is the key with either type of machine.

 

[kb0nes]

"all front load washers have that 'mildew' smell

That is quite the assumption there. I'd say only the ones poorly used and maintained machines will have odor/mildew problems.

If your basement is so humid as to cause odors in a properly used FL machine, it may cause the same in a toploader too. As Rich mentioned above, topload machines aren't immune from growths and odors either. If I had a basement that was that humid, I think might try to address the humidity problems.

Or perhaps you are just wanting to talk yourself out of a frontload machine...

 

[jkbff]

De-humidifiers that have auto drain capabilities are available as well. at 70% you probably have more issues than just a moldy front load washing machine.

That being said, you can leave the door open and the dispenser tray slid out.

 

[washerdude]

Our Whirlpool duet is reaching an year now and we have no signs or smells of mold growth. We run clean washer with an affresh tablet at the start of each new month along with cleaning the boot seal and detergent dispenser compartment with lysol whipes. Yesterday, I just pulled back the seal that covers the front lip of the outer tub and there was no mold or smells. We also leave the door open along with the detergent drawer too. So far so good.

 

[washerfetish]

ah yes I am trying to avoid the lysol or bleach wipes. i don't have leaky doors on my old top loader because of a dirty door seal. only happens with the front loaders. maintenance is required. its a lot easier for water to evaporate from a top loader with door open as the vapours rise as opposed to a front loader where the water vapour has to move forward out the door and then away.

 

[yogitunes]

never thought of it that way, now I get it....

so your saying things like my dryer would dry better if it was top loading for the heated moist air to vent versus the horizontal stream of heat......imagine that, air does not move sideways....

I agree with the others, you have more issues with that degree of moisture, or should I say rain showers in your basement than worrying about a washers mold/mildew issues, which occurs more from user error than the machine itself...

not to mention the heater, water heater, or even electrical panels....all made of metal...

 

[dascot]

I've never had a front load machine that smelled of mildew - whether it was in the kitchen, basement, utility or garage. I think it's safe to say that they only smell mildew-y when they're not used properly - you don't need to leave the door wide open, just ajar between cycles. You need to run heated (or hot water) cycles relatively regularly, and make sure that there's no bits and pieces left in the door gasket - not really much maintenance needed.

I don't use any special wipes or cleaning tablets/concoctions either.

Then again, I've only been using them for 30+ years... ;-)

 

[askolover]

18 years

and counting with my Asko...no mildew or smells ever...stainless inner and outer drums and my favorite...NO BELLOWS front door seal!!!! Washing a few loads in hot water and chlorine bleach prevents those problems even though Asko doesn't recommend it...been doing it for 18 years!

 

[foraloysius]

You're indeed talking yourself out of a frontloader. You say in this thread that you are more interested in toploaders.

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?60941

 

[ronhic]

I've never heard such rot....

.....relative humidity in coastal Northern NSW and Queensland is regularly higher than 70%

 

There are a couple of simple things that ALL people should do when using, or when finished using, a front load washing machine:

 

- wash one load a week in HOT water

- many say powder is better than liquid as it generally contains a bleaching agent

- make sure you use significantly less fabric conditioner compared to a top load machine (smaller volume of water needs less for the same effect)

- ALWAYS wipe the door seal out after you've finished

- ALWAYS leave the door ajar (place a folded, dry cloth over the door/glass and push it until it rests against the seal)

 

Not exactly rocket science.....not exactly labor intensive maintenance and with the exception of the door seal, you should be doing the exact same process with a top load machine too!

 

 

 

[appnut]

I think you're just wanting to bash front loaders for whatever reason come up with. 

 

[iej]

You should get advice in that basement.

If there's a serious problem with humidity and dampness it could begin to cause structural of lens for any wood parts of your home.

In general front loaders are unlikely to be impacted by environmental humidity. The mould issues usually come down to choice of detergent and use of only short was cycles.

They're wet inside anyway so, the environment won't make that much difference.

They need a good wash through with detergents that contain bleach (oxygen based or, if compatible, chlorine based) once in a while.

European front loaders last for decades without any issues IF they're run on a very hot cycle once in a while.

The biggest issue your basement is likely to cause for appliances is rust! Many of them do not like being in damp environments and you'll get corrosion. The electrical components aren't meant to be in damp environments either.

 

[iej]

iPhone post there - excuse typos!!

 

[aeg03]

Why don't you leave the door and detergent dispenser ajar. I live in quite a humid apartment and I have absolutely no problem with mould and mildrew. In the UK we have front loaders as our main type of machine.

I have grown up with front loaders and have never ever experienced mould with any front loader myself or family have owned. But I have seen machines in disgusting state, due to users doing cool washes and also leaving the door shut after every wash.

 

[washerfetish]

I ended up with a front loader. LG WM3170CW as my wife wanted to try the front loader based on it being Energy Star Most Efficient 2014 and 2015. The first normal full load only took 45 mintues. It is very quiet too which we like in our tiny home.

We never use bleach. We are too concerned about the environmental impact of dumping an EPA known pesticide directly into the water system. Let alone having to breathe it in which is known to cause asthma in the long term. You just don't need it!

As for the mold and mildew everyone knows that here in North America it has been a problem when these front loaders first came out. They are just not the same as what is done in Europe. Here, doors would be left closed and therefore that lead to mold or mildew smells. Then the manufacturers started adding little magnetic door holders so you could close the door but leave it open just a little bit to help get it evaporate inside. I also noticed that in the instruction manual it said that if you stick your drain hose in too far into the stack pipe, that is more than 4 inches, mold could get back into the washer. So I will have to be mindful of that. Hopefully, this machine lasts 20-30 years.....ha ha ha.

 

[yogitunes]

to each his own.....

the problem with mold/mildew issues is not the machine......its with the user....if it was the machine, it would be ALL machines, and EVERYONE would be having issues....

I wash in Warm/Hot water, bleach with whites, and never leave the doors ajar or dispensers open....

actually filthy machines I got in to repair, once I start using them, all those issues disappear....sorry, I can't put full blame on the machine....

as for bleach, its made from salt water....once used, it breaks down back into salt water.....its been in use for decades....

my wash water used to pour out onto the lawn......and you could note my house had the greenest, thickest, plush grass on one side...

 

[dustin92]

I'd say you need a dehumidifier in your basement! 70% humidity is far higher than should be in any indoor space. Our finished basement will run up to 80% without a dehumidifier, which causes mold and mildew problems in short order. With one dehumidifier running, it stays right around 60-65%, no mold or mildew. When we have humid days, we have 2 more dehumidifiers that can be run- two in the basement and one in an enclosed porch area on the walkout side of the basement. We have a front loading washer in the basement, and no trace of mold or odor as long as the door is left open after laundry is done. As mentioned above, you really should do regular hot washes with bleach occasionally- bleach is made frok salt water and returns to salt water after it is used- that is why liquid bleach goes bad- it slowly breaks down into salt water, even while still in the bottle.

 

[alr2903]

I think a SQ TL would be perfect for your application.