Cleaning softener dispenser

[spiralactivator]

I'm moving into a new place for the summer, and by some quirk of luck it includes a washer and dryer (late '80s Kenmore 70 Series, DD/DAA). Unfortunately, the washer's softener dispenser is all full of God knows what...a thick buildup of hard white crud. Can anyone suggest a product/method of cleaning this up? I've never used a softener dispenser before, and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[MrX]

I don't know if this will work with a US machine or a congealed US fabric softener but this is what I do..

Occasionally the fabric softener section of the drawer will get a bit crudded up. Simply remove the drawer and flush it out with hot (from a tap) water.

Try just pouring warm water into the fabric softener drawer..

I would also suggest that you use a "clear" softener rather than a cloudy/milky type if it blocks up regularly.

If it's simply hard water perhaps you could use a lime scale remover that's suitable for coffee makers / kettles?

Although if you do use any chemicals I'd suggest running a lot of water through the machine .. draining it and running a full wash cycle (Without clothes and at maximum water level) afterwards!

 

[MrX]

to clarify something

I know US machines don't have drawers

I mean, run hot (but not hot enough to damage plastic i.e. no hotter than the temps the machine would normally use) into the fabric softener despensor.. (not sure how that works on a toploader though!)

 

[zipdang]

Try soaking it in very hot water with white vinegar or Dawn dish detergent. That should break up the gunk, and then flush it thoroughly with lots of water so no residue is left to deposit on your clothes. Good luck!

 

[cleanteamofny]

Just run it under hot tap water and a old tooth brush that should remove most buildup......

 

[westytoploader]

The fabric softener dispenser is removeable in case anyone didn't know. Since it's a Kenmore, there's a blue ring on the dispenser you pull up. After that, give the dispenser a tug and it should come right off.

Run it under hot tap water and throw it in the dishwasher afterwards...should clear things up. I don't use FS dispensers for that very reason...

 

[westytoploader]

Oops...strike that

Tom S. emailed me and mentioned that a gunked-up fabric softener dispenser SHOULD NOT be washed in the dishwasher; it will leave a nasty film all over the dishes that will have to be hand-washed, and probably won't be good for the dishwasher either.

 

[foraloysius]

White crud??

Can it be they put the detergent in the softener dispenser? I once talked to a guy when I was in the US and he told me they always put the detergent in the detergent cup that was on the agitator. I asked what kind of washer they had and he told me he thought it was a quite new GE. Somebody ever heard of a newer GE washer with detergent dispenser on the agitator...???

 

[toggleswitch]

What else goes in there?

Speaking of odd stuff in a DW...

I have heard or or seen the following..

1) Baseball caps (with or without specialy designed-for-the purpose holder/form)
2) Chadelier crystals and glass-plates.
3) Ash-trays
4) Steaming aluminum-foil wrapped Salmon
5) Pet dishes.
[Dog licks self and/or nibbles goodies on sidewalk,etc. Dog licks dish. Water spreads germs to other dishes...]
6) Air-filters of the central- A/C electrostatic-precipitator variety.

..what else have I missed?

These seem odd to me in that mom is a germ-freak. My friends have to be told that the brief-case that sits on the subway platform or on the sidwalk does not go on the kithcen table. [They stare at me blankly as to the concept of kithcen table should remain clean.] Ditto grocery bags that have been on the sidewalk and that find their way to the counter-top (work-bench => UK)

For those concerned, I survived my childhood realtively unscathed and am not OCD germ-obsessed. [However the topic is still open to debate. HA!]

 

[user 12105]

spiralactivator

If you use Downey fabric softener just remember to dilute it with some water to keep the sludge from building up.

 

[MrX]

Rinse aid!

I wouldn't try poaching salmon in a european dishwasher it would be dosed with rinse aid during the end of the cycle!

Also on the USA/Canada vs UK/Ireland kitchen terminology:

Counter top - Worktop
Kitchen cabinets tend to be called kitchen units.
Washer - Washing Machine
Clothes Dryer - Tumble Dryer
Stove - Cooker
Cooktop - Hob
Oven - Oven
Extractor hood - Cooker Hood

Oh yeah, also beware that imperial measures like teaspoons, tablespoons etc may share the same name and origin as a US equivliant but are often different sizes If you're ever using recipes from the opposite side of the atlantic make sure they're converted to metric first or you'll end up with a complete mess or incompatable non-metric sound-a-like measurements.

 

[toggleswitch]

English spoken , American understood

English spoken , American understood ==> sign seen in pub, London.

Here are some others that are difficult for us to "see"

UK => US

Rubber = > eraser. (To us this type of bag prevents inter-personal transfer of DNA)
dipswitch=> dimmer switch
flat => apartment
lift => elevator
underground ==> subway
"way out" sign => still an "exit" sign here. LOL
Lu => toilet /bathroom
holiday => vacation
swill => rot-gut (bad inexpensive booze/alcohol)
randy => Desirous of adult play/relaxation,not golf (we use Randy as a short version of Randall)
William => Richard. (Think!)
Fanny => no..can't say, "butt" It's not just for ladies.
Fag= > definitely not a cigarette here. Very funny when ased on the street "Where can I find a fag?" The answers is nearly never "Mission accomplished..How can I help you?"
plughole=> From another thread.. drain

there have to be better ones than these..

 

[kenmore1978]

terms

bonnet=hood (of a car)
windscreen=windshield (of a car)
boot=trunk (of a car)
lorry=truck
ring up=call (on telephone)
bumbershoot=umbrella
barrister=lawyer or attorney
petrol=gasoline
torch=flashlight
carriage=railway car
tram=streetcar or trolley

 

[kenmore1978]

Speaking of odd stuff in a DW

I have, or would be willing to put, all of said items in the dishwasher

 

[maytagbear]

Divided by a commom language!

Mince = ground meat

Liquidiser = blender

Caster Sugar = extra fine, or fruit sugar

Cocktail stick = toothpick

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[kenmore1978]

terms

dummy=pacifier

In this case, the British word describes what the item IS whereas our term for the same thing describes what it DOES

perambulator=baby carriage

 

[DADoES]

It's not easy to get a brush into a Kenmore (Whirlpool/KitchenAid) DD/DA softener dispenser. Although the dispenser snaps out of the agitator, it generally cannot otherwise be disassembled to easily clean the interior. The best you can probably do is run VERY HOT water through it, from both top and bottom, soak and repeatedly shake it vigorously to dislodge the build-up.

It may be more productive to simply replace the dispenser, depending on how bad is the condition.

 

[petek]

Not just terms but spelling

Canadian english and spelling is more or less a mix of both the UK and the US..The majority of words are spelled the same as in the US other than colour,favour,honour and centre, but leaving the U out is pretty much left to the individual, it's not considered incorrect.
Every once in a while some twit will write the newpaper editor complaining about them not using proper English spelling, that they should get a better spell check "program" for English. That same complainer is usually unaware that most Canadian spelling does not follow the UK standard. but they see that "u" dropped and think the sky is falling.
i.e..
Cdn/US UK
program - programme
aluminum - aluminium (added i )
carburetor - carburettor (added t )
tire - tyre (as in car tire)
curb - kerb (at the side of the road)
civilized - civilised

Most Canadians pronounce Z as zed rather than zee.
But if the see a black and white striped horse creature they call it a "zeebra" not a "zeb-ra" a la UK .
If our dog is foaming at the mouth it's rabid, ra-bid not ray-bid as it would be in old blighty.
I'm used to all the odd pronunciations having two English emigres for parents.

I think the Ozzies tend to stick to the traditional English spellings though. don't they?

 

[toggleswitch]

Fabric softener dispenser

Why not just run it through a T/L wash cycle?

 

[veg-o-matic]

FS dispenser: soak in hot water with some detergent then scoop out any remaining crud. If there's a lot of crud, you may have to soak it overnight.

British->English
Jon, correct me if I'm wrong, but if I were to visit you at home, wouldn't I promise to 'knock you up'?

As for the dishwasher, if I can cram it in there, it gets washed in there. That's HOT water, friends, and detergent that'll take the chrome off a car bumper. Yes, even the dog dishes. Kinda hard not to put them in there when I use Honey as my "pre-rinse"!

veg

 

[toggleswitch]

English spoken, American understood

Quote: ...wouldn't I promise to 'knock you up'?"

Veg, considering the plumbing involved in that scenario that configuration/ hook-up may not work as planned.

behave! (like I should talk.. HA!)

LOL ROFL Should we explain that "Americanism" to our international friends or let them just suffer from morning-sickness? LOL

-Steve

 

[MrX]

Wouldn't suggest doing that in Ireland either

Mmmm don't go around knocking people up in Ireland either unless you plan on paying child support!

Slang here can be quite radically different to the UK at times... and it does cause a bit of confusion. I think there's an odd bit Irish-English (hiberno-English) in some of the Northeastern US dialect / accents.

I noticed some very familiar phrases in New England like "are you all set?"

and "yous" (or in certain parts of the west "ye" is still used!!)

There are a few uniquely Irish phrases too applicable to the kitchen:

US/UK "Cupboard" : IRL "Press"

The closet that contains the hotwater heater is refered to as "the hot press"

So, if you are in Ireland do not squish things through a steam press if someone suggests that you put it in the hot press!!

Also the world "loaf" is never used in reference to bread.

A sliced loaf is a Sliced Pan.
And that's even printed on the packaging and marked up in the supermarkets..

 

[frigilux]

My Dad was English and he used the term 'trolley' for a grocery cart. And what we would call a semi (truck), he called an 'articulated lorry'. When he wanted me out of the way, or wanted me out of the room, he'd say "On your bike, son!" Possibly the funniest one, though, was when he'd say "I'll knock you up"----which meant "I'll stop by your house".

My mother was from Italy, so growing up with two different accents in the household was pretty interesting. My Mom's accent was very heavy, and when she'd say something to my friends, they would immediately look over to me for translation.

 

[gansky1]

FS dispenser cleaning

Unless it's a very new Kenmore (or WP) washer, stop by a local appliance shop that sells used machines, they should have several lying around. I never clean them on machines I sell anymore, I just toss them out and grab a clean one that I've found. Since you cannot disassemble them as Glenn said, they are nearly impossible to get completely clean without boiling them or pouring boiling water through them several times.

 

[petek]

My dads favorite saying directed at me..
"If ye dinna shut yer gob I'm gonna give ye a good hiding"

 

[tolivac]

Odd things in the dishwasher

When I worked in the commercial radio stations-one friend who worked at his station used the dishwasher in the station to clean patchbays and transmitter power tubes to be sent out in the dishwasher.Washed the dust,crud out of the patchbays and the dead bugs from the tube radiators.
In the studio business-Recording and broadcast-"Perambulator" meant a type of rolling microphone stand.You could roll it to the performers or area needded and also position the mic with the levers on the unit.-In that case -"gunning the mic" meant swinging it into position very fast.Sometimes you would hear a "woosh" sound if the pot was open.-you closed it while gunning the mic."pot" is the potieneometer on the audio console.

 

[kenmore1978]

US/UK

Although I knew what a "cupboard" was, I learned that things like dishes and glasses and non refrigerated food were in the "cabinet" or if one lived in a larger house, the food might be kept in the "pantry".

"A sliced loaf is a Sliced Pan"

Funny, since the Spanish word for bread is "pan" (pronounced "pawn")

 

[toggleswitch]

Bread

French is not far off where bread => "Pain" to wit "Au Bon Pain" => The Place of Good Bread, per their website

 

[toggleswitch]

ICK!

Ok Tolivac.

Maybe the other things I listed were not so "ICK" to other people, but this, I think gets an "ICK" esp. if the DW is then used for food.

LOL. but I'm sure it does just fine.

Flashback=> Lage corpoerate office in a mahnattan sky-scraper. Cell-phone co. when cell-phones were new. Last ones out were the attorneys. They chose to start the dishwashers (3 in total). We had to show them that liquid hand-washing soap was a no-no. Flooded over and made a suds-pie many a time. LOL

Book-smart yes.
Life smart-- apparenmtly not. LOL