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.
Another great experiment there, Robert. Keep them coming! I'm surprised at how little water remained in your towels after spinning. Are they 100% cotton? I've just washed a small load of thick towels. The load weighed 2.65 kg (5 lb 13 oz) when dry and 4.46 kg (9 lb 13 oz) after being spun at 1,200 RPM. So, if my calculations are correct, the towels contained 1.81 kg or 1.81 litres of water (4 lb) after spinning, giving a remaining moisture content of 1.81/2.65 = 68%.
I washed them here in Madrid in a Siemens (Bosch) washer at 60 ℃ with 3 rinses, consuming 1.35 kWh and 90 litres (24 US gallons) of water and taking 1 h 45 min. The water meter happens to be right next to the washing machine! The wash ended with a high-level cooldown dilution and then each rinse used 20 litres (just over 5 gal). I have no idea of the cost, as the utilities are paid by the landlord. The water here in Madrid is naturally soft at 3 GPG.
This apartment came with a Siemens washer and matching Siemens heat pump dryer. I didn't like the dryer as it didn't reverse and couldn't cope with bedding. It also got the load very hot and took a long time to dry, so I bought a used Miele vented dryer and I've stuck the hose out of the window (all sealed up). The load of towels took 57 minutes to dry (including cooldown) and consumed exactly 2 kWh.
AFAIK, only the cycle called "Eco 40-60" is rated for consumption and performance on European washers. I've never used that eco cycle on this washer. I am very happy with the rinsing done by this Siemens on all the cycles I've used, even on the express cycle, which can do 3 rinses with plenty of water. It seems to me like the front loaders in the US use hardly any water for rinsing and they don't seem to do many rinses either. I have never seen any testing or evaluation of rinsing performance in the US.
I washed them here in Madrid in a Siemens (Bosch) washer at 60 ℃ with 3 rinses, consuming 1.35 kWh and 90 litres (24 US gallons) of water and taking 1 h 45 min. The water meter happens to be right next to the washing machine! The wash ended with a high-level cooldown dilution and then each rinse used 20 litres (just over 5 gal). I have no idea of the cost, as the utilities are paid by the landlord. The water here in Madrid is naturally soft at 3 GPG.
This apartment came with a Siemens washer and matching Siemens heat pump dryer. I didn't like the dryer as it didn't reverse and couldn't cope with bedding. It also got the load very hot and took a long time to dry, so I bought a used Miele vented dryer and I've stuck the hose out of the window (all sealed up). The load of towels took 57 minutes to dry (including cooldown) and consumed exactly 2 kWh.
AFAIK, only the cycle called "Eco 40-60" is rated for consumption and performance on European washers. I've never used that eco cycle on this washer. I am very happy with the rinsing done by this Siemens on all the cycles I've used, even on the express cycle, which can do 3 rinses with plenty of water. It seems to me like the front loaders in the US use hardly any water for rinsing and they don't seem to do many rinses either. I have never seen any testing or evaluation of rinsing performance in the US.
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Hi Mark, wow 24 gallons for 5lbs of towels that is a shocking amount of water used, considering I can wash nearly 10lbs of towels in 28 gallons in the Unimatic.
Yes my big bath sheet towels are 100% cotton although they are a few years old so they aren't as fluffy as they were when they were new and certainly don't produce as much lint as when they were new.
I checked your math and you're right on, but it seems like more water should have been removed. It is shockingly bad actually as the 525rpm Kenmore came in just over 70%. Does your Siemens (Bosch) spin at 1200rpm for long or does it slowly ramp up and then only spin at high speed for a minute or two?
Yes my big bath sheet towels are 100% cotton although they are a few years old so they aren't as fluffy as they were when they were new and certainly don't produce as much lint as when they were new.
I checked your math and you're right on, but it seems like more water should have been removed. It is shockingly bad actually as the 525rpm Kenmore came in just over 70%. Does your Siemens (Bosch) spin at 1200rpm for long or does it slowly ramp up and then only spin at high speed for a minute or two?
It was indeed a lot of water for such a small load. But I did select the "water plus" option (or whatever Siemens calls it) which could explain it. I could try a load of towels without that option. If I washed double the amount of towels, it would be interesting to see by how much the water usage would change.
My towels are 100% cotton and are a few years old. Fieldcrest from Target.
It did spin at full speed for a few minutes but probably not nearly as long as it would have done on the cotton cycle or eco cycle (I used the "mix" cycle). I'll have to test that. I have the exact same towels in the US and I'll have to try this test when I'm back there. I think I weighed these towels a couple of years ago after being spun in one of my TLs (I can't remember which, possibly the SQ at 710 RPM) and I think the RMC was over 100%.
It would be very interesting if anyone else could weigh a towel when dry and also after spinning and let us know the weights.
My towels are 100% cotton and are a few years old. Fieldcrest from Target.
It did spin at full speed for a few minutes but probably not nearly as long as it would have done on the cotton cycle or eco cycle (I used the "mix" cycle). I'll have to test that. I have the exact same towels in the US and I'll have to try this test when I'm back there. I think I weighed these towels a couple of years ago after being spun in one of my TLs (I can't remember which, possibly the SQ at 710 RPM) and I think the RMC was over 100%.
It would be very interesting if anyone else could weigh a towel when dry and also after spinning and let us know the weights.
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Wow! Very shocked by mild difference in energy consumptions w/ and w/o steam. Water level with steam is lower.
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