Sanitize without steam might be a slightly more fair comparison. Steam option starts with warm and heats to very hot temp. Energy consumption likely would be less.
An Interesting Test with a New Meter
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realvanman
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One thing that makes towels and the like feel less fluffy as they age is the minerals present in the water. When the towels are dried, the minerals remain, reducing fluffiness. And the next wash does not get them all back out, so they build up over time.
Thus, the more rinse water you can spin out before drying, the less minerals remain in the towels before they go in the dryer, or on the line. So, over time, a faster / longer / more thorough spin should make it take longer for the towels to lose their fluffiness.
Imagine if you could spray in demineralized water during the first part of the final spin! Like the car washes do on the final rinse.
Keith
Thus, the more rinse water you can spin out before drying, the less minerals remain in the towels before they go in the dryer, or on the line. So, over time, a faster / longer / more thorough spin should make it take longer for the towels to lose their fluffiness.
Imagine if you could spray in demineralized water during the first part of the final spin! Like the car washes do on the final rinse.
Keith
Or you could just get a water softener.
realvanman
Well-known member
This is true, although they don't remove all of the ions like distilled or deionized water, rather they just exchange undesirable ones for less undesirable ones? I'm not sure how they effect the softness of laundry... What I remember is the inability to ever rinse the soap off one's skin.
I grew up with one, and kept it going after dad died. Then, one day it failed (major leak), so I threw the bypass isolation valve to keep the water on and... OMG. The water was SO MUCH BETTER after that! We could finally rinse off soap!! So, at least with the water quality in that area, they had a negative impact.
Keith
Deep rinses are crystal clear in the Maytag, maybe a you had a poor rinsing washer.
Okay More Results! So today I washed those same four towels again. I first washed them in the 2007 LG, using only the Sanitary cycle without selecting the Steam option. To my surprised it used ever so slightly more electricity for this cycle. Again remember this LG is 18 years old and I would assume (and hope) the power consumption results would be better in a brand new 2025 LG. Here are the results...
Before washing them I weighed the towels on my good accurate scale so I could test the spin drying effectiveness of the 3 machines. The dry towels weighed 9lbs/10.6oz. I weighed them out of each machine's final spin after the cycle was over. I rinsed and spun out the towels in the Lady Kenmore on the Normal Cycle. Then I completely rewashed them in the Frigidaire Unimatic in plain water without any detergent using its full cycle. Here are the water extraction results:
What surprised me so much was how much detergent was left in the towels after the full LG cycle and a rinse in the Kenmore. Here is a picture of the towels being rewashed (without any detergent or additives). I used Tide HE Free, using the bottle's measuring cup I filled the cup only to the #2 line for the initial washing in the LG. I noticed some suds in the Kenmore rinse, but nothing like I saw in the Unimatic coming out.
This image was taken half way through the wash cycle in the Frigidaire after washing in the LG and re-rinsing in the Kenmore...
and here is the load in the last 10 seconds of final overflow-rinse in the Unimatic which I what I want to see...
Before washing them I weighed the towels on my good accurate scale so I could test the spin drying effectiveness of the 3 machines. The dry towels weighed 9lbs/10.6oz. I weighed them out of each machine's final spin after the cycle was over. I rinsed and spun out the towels in the Lady Kenmore on the Normal Cycle. Then I completely rewashed them in the Frigidaire Unimatic in plain water without any detergent using its full cycle. Here are the water extraction results:
What surprised me so much was how much detergent was left in the towels after the full LG cycle and a rinse in the Kenmore. Here is a picture of the towels being rewashed (without any detergent or additives). I used Tide HE Free, using the bottle's measuring cup I filled the cup only to the #2 line for the initial washing in the LG. I noticed some suds in the Kenmore rinse, but nothing like I saw in the Unimatic coming out.
This image was taken half way through the wash cycle in the Frigidaire after washing in the LG and re-rinsing in the Kenmore...
and here is the load in the last 10 seconds of final overflow-rinse in the Unimatic which I what I want to see...
Reply number 26. Hi Robert that’s pretty impressive. How much suds and therefore probably detergent is still left in the washing after the run in the LG front load washer, not very impressive for LG‘s rinsing ability that’s for sure.
I may have to do some testing myself with my modern front load washers.
I’m assuming you don’t have a water softener what is the hardness of your water?
Are you selecting extra rinses on the LG front loader? I never wash clothing in a front load washer without at least three rinses. I think the only exception I’ve ever made to that rule is something like the bathroom rugs. I might only do the regular two rinse cycle.
John L
I may have to do some testing myself with my modern front load washers.
I’m assuming you don’t have a water softener what is the hardness of your water?
Are you selecting extra rinses on the LG front loader? I never wash clothing in a front load washer without at least three rinses. I think the only exception I’ve ever made to that rule is something like the bathroom rugs. I might only do the regular two rinse cycle.
John L
You’ll get the same results from washing items that went through a cycle in a front loader, then re-washing them in a top loading machine.
Now people will know why I have a disdain and hatred for front loading washers, they will never be able to clean as well as a top loading washer.
Now people will know why I have a disdain and hatred for front loading washers, they will never be able to clean as well as a top loading washer.
Hi John, no I didn't select an extra rinse because I wanted to compare the electrical usage of Sanitary/Steam vs. Sanitary only. The Sanitary/Steam cycle doesn't let you select an extra rinse. I'm sure the extra rinse would have helped quite a bit. Normally when I use LG washers I always select the maximum amount of rinses allowed.
You're correct I don't have a water softener as the city softens our water down to an average of 7-8 grains, which is moderate but good enough for me.
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