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It's intresting though...on my SQ, I noticed that the cycle begins with clear water then suddenly becomes sudsy. Seems to be the same amount of suds (you'll see this in my video soon). This happens when I place it in the empty tub. Is there still water still remaining in the tub from the previous load? My WP always makes a sloshing noise when it stops the final spin...so I'm thinking there is a quart or two remaining...you'd think that would stagnate?

I like the idea of adding first as I don't have detergent saturating the clothes for 8-10 minutes.
 
Depending on if I'm at the laundromat or not......

most of the time here at the apartment, or if I'm lucky enough to get to use a friends machine at their house, I'll put in half the load, the detergent, then the rest of the load. Load up the quarters and start them (however many I'm using) at the same time. If i'm at the laundromat, where I end up using more machines, I'll go detergent first, then clothes. I once added clothes first then detergent at the laundromat and it didn't all dissolve. They were some old crappy DD Whirlpools with a very non aggressive agitator. And I always use powder detergent.
 
Top-loader: I start the fill. When there's at least 2 inches of water in the tub, I add detergent and, if using, Tide Stain Release pacs or SA8's Tri-Zyme. Then I add the clothes. I wait 'til the last 4-6 minutes of the wash cycle to add chlorine bleach to the non-timed dispenser.

Front-loader: I use the dispensers.
 
Brastemp: I use the "tragic-mix" filter for powders.

Unimatic: I can't wait to put a dose of Tide in the center of agitator and see the suds comming out of the holes like a salt shaker.

All other machines, straight on the tub when it starts agitating

Front loaders: Usually don't use the dispenser. I add the detergent straight on the load. Sometimes I use the dispenser for powders, never liquids.

And if I had to use a HE top loader, I'd put a granade instead of a dose of detergent, right in the tub, without clothes.
 
Wool/handwash cycle

When I run Wool/handwash I stir the detergent with some water in a small bowl then i pour it in the drum, then I rinse the bowl and pour this water in the drum then add clothes and start

I make this thing because the machine makes an half tumble (3 seconds) every minute . These 15 half tumbles are not enought to stir the detergent by themselves

On normal programmes I pour the liquid on stains or the powder in the back of the drum. Those rare times I need the prewash I use the drawer (with the liquid dispenser in the main wash compartment when using liquids)
 
detergent dosage in vintage frontloaders and modern ones

With those machines one had to start and wait for some seconds to pour powder in the dispenser so that the drain pump/cointrap hose was filled and the detergent wouldn't be wasted .

Then some producers (Philco and Sangiorgio) developed the pre-fill system : the first water doesn't enter the tub through the dispenser. Once the cointrap/pump system is filled then the detergent is flushed from the compartement

Then in the early 80s Zanussi AEG BSH and Miele used a more developed system : the 2nd hose between the cointrap and the tub bottom. The drum movement forces water through these hoses, so the detergent dissolves and doesn't stick in the cointrap.

Modern frontloaders (90s -->) have a ball valve / tank system
When the pump drains some water is stored in a tank behind the detergent drawer. when the pump stops this water goes back towards the tub (gravity). In the hose between tub and pump/cointrap there is a floating ball valve. So this water makes the ball float and shut the valve without going back into the tub. This way the washer uses/heats only that very water inside the tub, not that one in the drain system. No detergent is wasted
 
The sloshing noise when a DD WP stops spinning is the water in the balance ring at the top of the tub.

The instructions in Maytag owner's manuals were to load the tub, sprinkle detergent over the top of the clothes, then start the machine. I guess they felt that if it went in first, it would fall into the outer tub and maybe there was not much mixing from the bottom of the outer tub during agitation. Some early laundry detergents were very caustic and could "burn" clothing if the powder sat undissolved on the damp items, leaving patches that were discolored or where the color was affected by the detergent sitting on items while the machine was filling. That could have lead to problems if the user followed Maytag's directions, but I guess they were trying to achieve an equal distribution of detergent once agitation started. Where Maytag REALLY had problems was with bleach damage since the agitation stopped when the lid was raised and then when it restarted, the agitators before the lint filter agitators did not immediately move a large amount of water from near the agitator post. That is why their delayed release bleach dispenser was so beneficial.
 
Sometimes I'll just pour it on the agitator base. Wow, so many methods...I should call Mythbusters. LOL The secret life of washing machines intrigues me.
 
Liquid detergent is okay to pour on clothes, but NEVER powdered detergent. I have had a couple of tee shirts ruined this way.

For a front loader use the dispenser.

For top loaders.............Add the machine as it is filling at least half way, then add clothes.
 
Didn't Maytag...

...Used to consider the hollow centre of their agitator post a detergent dispenser? Meaning, you lifted off the lint filter and poured the detergent down the centre of the agitator?
 
Maytag Centerpost Dispenser

I believe you are right on with the centerpost dispenser. The 70's coin-ops would leave the opening and instruct you to add detergent that way.

The Lady-K's hold the detergent till agitation starts. Where's the logic there?

Malcolm
 
What's Odd:

About the "centrepost dispenser" is that I have a set of 806 manuals now (thanks again, Kenny!) from 1976, and the washer's instructions make no mention of it, saying instead, "Add (detergent) to wash basket by moving clothes away from agitator and pouring measured amount around agitator." This was to be done after putting the clothes in the washer. The accompanying photo shows a woman's hand pouring detergent from a measuring cup around the outside of the agitator post.

Can anyone clear up why the change in instructions? And when?
 
When growing up, we (mom, myself, etc) would add the cloths, removed the lint filter from the agitator in the Maytag A700 and pour the detergent as it was filling... OR... after it started agitating.

In my '74 Lady K, I add the cloths, start it and add detergent to the triple dispenser as the tub is filling, which flushes into the tub after agitation starts.

In the GE filter flow I add deterget to the filter, after adding cloths and starting it to fill.

In the 1990 Westy front loader, I add cloths, dump the detergent on top, close the door and start the machine.
 
It depends on my mood-
Top loaders.
1.If you want a sudsy wash add the detergent at the start of cycle.
2. like to add in the middle of filling gives me a good suds level.
3. In my wringer ...i add it when full and agitate then put in clothes.
Front loaders
1. I put it in the dispensers if need more i flush more in with a hose.
2. sometime with additives...Like Arm & Hammer super washing soda tends to clump in the dispensers, i flush as well. Or put it in the basket in the holes and start that way. Also i put the Tide release stain tabs in the same way.

Darren k.
 
Maytag did indeed intend the center part of their agitator to be used as a detergent dispenser. I add the detergent in my A806 while it is filling, pull out lint filter, add detergent, replace filter, fill fabric softener dispenser, and let her go. Great results every time.
 
Tim:

Now you've got me wondering what year 806 you have. Mine's a 1976. I guess what I'm getting at is: Could there have been a change to the agitator that caused Maytag to change the instructions?

My 806 is undergoing some preliminary work before a test run; I only got it recently, so more info on this feature - or lack thereof - would be helpful before I run the old girl for the first time.

BTW, she's the dread Almond, but she's all there, and with a matching 806 dryer. DUAL lighted consoles - woo hoo!
 
Every Color

Every color has its place in history. There are no dreaded ones. However, a mismatched colored set is usually frowned upon....
 

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