christfr
Well-known member
I HAVE TO CLEAN MINE ABOUT ONCE A YEAR. I USE EITHER A GOOD CAR WAX OR A SUPER FINE RUBBING COMPOUND THAT YOU WOULD USE ON A CARS FINISH. TAKES A LITTLE TIME BUT COMES RIGHT OFF
Blue dye in Kenmore dryer
- Thread starter phamq
- Start date
Help Support :
I have noticed that dryers with very long vents or vents that are clogged up, have more problems with dye transfer. I have one customer with a very long dryer vent, who has bright red bath towels, and the dryer drum is all pink. With poor air flow a dryer gets hotter and steamier inside and this might help the dyr transfer.
All -
I don't think this is due just to blue jeans only. Like many things, there is not one simple culprit, rather I think it is a combination of things.
I have a 1986 Kenmore dryer, which I bought new. It is one of the earliest models with the white finish drum. Years ago it was developing that blue hue, which I didn't like, so I called the Whirlpool help line and asked what was going on. They told me it was due to fabric softener sheets, and film build-up that was getting discolored, not the drum itself.
At that point I quit using dryer softener sheets for many years, and the blueness (which was never as healthy as in the pics above) eventually wore off. I certainly never quit wearing or washing my jeans though.
So, I'd venture a suggestion that fabric softener film has built up on many dryer drum and bulkhead surfaces, then a transfer prone garment such as jeans, new towels, etc. transfer their color to the softener build-up. I think it a lot more likely that softener film could be discolored vs. high-heat enamel.
What is odd is that I have a 1978 Kenmore dryer as well, which has the previous gray finish (what hasn't worn off) and I've never seen any sign of discoloration in it, though it's harder to see. It must be something particular to the white finish that attracts or retains the softener. I think the comments about the venting efficiency are especially smart - higher internal temperatues (due to poor venting) probably would encourage softener build-up.
I suspect a cleaner/polish capable of removing surface stains and oxidation from a car paint would remove the discolored softener film.
I didn't want that blue color in my dryer, and it was all my clothes in there. If that were a dryer I bought used, I'd especially want it gone.
Gordon
I don't think this is due just to blue jeans only. Like many things, there is not one simple culprit, rather I think it is a combination of things.
I have a 1986 Kenmore dryer, which I bought new. It is one of the earliest models with the white finish drum. Years ago it was developing that blue hue, which I didn't like, so I called the Whirlpool help line and asked what was going on. They told me it was due to fabric softener sheets, and film build-up that was getting discolored, not the drum itself.
At that point I quit using dryer softener sheets for many years, and the blueness (which was never as healthy as in the pics above) eventually wore off. I certainly never quit wearing or washing my jeans though.
So, I'd venture a suggestion that fabric softener film has built up on many dryer drum and bulkhead surfaces, then a transfer prone garment such as jeans, new towels, etc. transfer their color to the softener build-up. I think it a lot more likely that softener film could be discolored vs. high-heat enamel.
What is odd is that I have a 1978 Kenmore dryer as well, which has the previous gray finish (what hasn't worn off) and I've never seen any sign of discoloration in it, though it's harder to see. It must be something particular to the white finish that attracts or retains the softener. I think the comments about the venting efficiency are especially smart - higher internal temperatues (due to poor venting) probably would encourage softener build-up.
I suspect a cleaner/polish capable of removing surface stains and oxidation from a car paint would remove the discolored softener film.
I didn't want that blue color in my dryer, and it was all my clothes in there. If that were a dryer I bought used, I'd especially want it gone.
Gordon
maytagwc401
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2007
- Messages
- 91
I have a Whirlpool dryer for 10 years now. White Drum. I used liquid fabric softner in every load. I never used dryer sheets. I hate them. I always wash jeans with other dark items. (I never do exlusive jeans loads). I always use the lower temperature for all clothing except towels. My drum is still very white. The only blue tinge is the bottom part of the inside of the door.
I remeber a post on here a couple of years back about a guy's Dad who had an old dryer, Kenmore maybe, that he exclusively used to tumble his pecans to polish them. I thought that to also be a nice gentle way of also polishing the drum. Noisy as hell but gentle. Never tried it. I have 3 pecan trees but still never tried it. I can only imagine the noise of such. Can you also roast peanuts in a Kenmore?
