Cycle and Fabric Naming Conventions

[Chetlaham]

Does anyone have a list of the various cycle names used or that have been used on automatic washers?

 

For example, here are some off the top of my head:

 

 

Whitest Whites, Whites, Heavy Duty, Normal, Regular, Permanent Press, Permanent Press Whites, Permanents Press Colors, Sheets, Knits, Poly Knits, Delicate, Extra Delicate, Handwash, Handwash Casual, Handwash Plus Fine Delicates, Hang Dry, Woolens

 

 

 

Colorfast, Non Colorfast, Cottons Sturdy, Cottons Whites, Cottons Colors, Colors, Bright Colors, Dark Colors, Casuals, Easy Care, Wash-n-Wear, Gentle, Towels, Bulky

 

 

 

Can anyone add or critique this list?

 

 

 

[pierreandreply4]

If i base myself on this kenmore direct drive there ultraclean 1 ultra clean 2 depending on models permpress 1 permpress2 with wash spin speed selector dial

 

[Chetlaham]

I have to say those Kenmores are my favorite cycle convention, options and motor speed combinations. About the only thing I would add is a hot/warm temperature option, and an extra slow / extra slow speed combination, other than that I think its perfect. 

 

That Kenmore 90 series washers are truly a machine that should still be in production today. I can't think of any other washer ever made that offers a real heavy duty cycle, a real normal cycle, and a real fine handwash cycle except maybe a select few Kitchen-Aids. 

 

[gelaundry4ever]

normal cycle

I remember normal, cotton/sturdy, cotton/regular, and cotton/normal. I also remember colors/normal.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

chetlaham

What did your GE have?

 

[Chetlaham]

My Model T had Cottons Regular on the left side of the dial labelled Heavy, Medium and Light Soil, and rinse was labelled soak. To the right was permanent press labelled permanent press, knits, delicate.  

 

[user 12105]

My LA7680XP Whirlpool Supreme does have a Hot/Warm option but unfortunately no Warm/Warm. The next model up,the Imperial had the Warm/Warm. Of course wash/spin speeds are dictated by the timer.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I had one of those full-featured Kenmore 90-series…

Labeled mine into a Letters-Machine…

— Dave

 

[wayupnorth]

I like my Maytags cycles, Normal, Delicate, Permanent press and thats it. None of that foolish labeling of sturdy, etc.

 

[foraloysius]

I think Handwash Casual doesn’t make any sense. Casuals don’t need hand washing.

 

[appnut]

Our 1963/1964 Norge15 cycle chart.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

chetlaham

My GE model t's largest section was the cottons cycle which went from 30 minute soak to spin only.

 

[Chetlaham]

Jerome, you were lucky in that regard. I like long auto soak cycles that progress automatically into the main wash. I never liked how few washers had this feature. 

 

 

I would like a cycle sequence such as:

 

 

Fill 6 minutes

 

Agitate 4 minutes

 

Soak 8 minutes

 

Agitate 2 minutes

 

Soak 8 minutes

 

Agitate 2 minutes

 

Soak 8 minutes

 

Agitate 2 minutes

 

Soak 8 minutes

 

Agitate 14 minutes

 

Pause 1 minute

 

Spin 3 minutes

 

Spray 1 minute

 

Spin 3 minutes

 

Spray 1 minute

 

Spin 6 minutes

 

Lead out 1 minute

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chetlaham]

Pat- I remember that. Not sure why they did not include a warm/warm setting. Personally I think all normal loads should be washed on warm/warm. Warm water relaxes the fabric and extracts more detergent IMO. Only time cold rinse should be used are permanent press extra delicate fabrics.

 

Dave- I remember your pics! Home made programmed cycle washer. I like the concept of programmed cycle washers.

 

Tim- definitely simpler that way. Though I like to have a casual / mid grade cycle of  slow wash fast spin.

 

Louis- Handwash Casual was a way of differentiating delicate slow speed agitation from handwash plus fine delicate intermittent extra slow speed agitation.

 

 

 

Bob, that is interesting how delicates don't have a cold wash fill, and how soak is cold instead of warm. Also lots more use of hot and warm washes in that washer. Its a shame how many cycle over the years defaulted to cool and cold washing and cold rinsing. Sad, sad, sad. 

 

[DADoES]

 
I have a machine with a Soak option that adds a 2-hr soak at the end of the wash period on any cycle.  Five agitation strokes every 1 min throughout the soak.

Three others that insert the Soak period into the Wash, with half the wash agitation before the Soak and half after, also with five agitation strokes every 1 min throughout the soak.  They also have a few specialty stain cycles that insert a 30-min soak.

 

[pierreandreply4]

if you look closely at canadien inglis whirlpool model

if you look closely at canadien whirlpool inglis washer dryer you will notice wash rinse temp are color code Red hot water yellow for wash and rinse warm water (* for model with warm rinse option) blue for cold

 

[Chetlaham]

DaDoEs, do you have a pic of the machine? That sounds neat. I really like auto soak functions. 

 

 

 

Pierre, do you know what that is? Is it for language reasons? 

 

 

 

 

[gelaundry4ever]

chetlaham

My dad would either use 30 minute soak or 15 minute extra heavy cycle due to smelly laundry particularly on the normal/fast speed setting. We did use it on all 3 temperatures depending on color of the load.

 

[pierreandreply4]

chetlam the reason in Canada they color coded wash rinse temp was because of the Quebec French language if you look at the controls google pic of the washer i had 1993 to 2004, at the dial and control panel you will notice its written in French and English bilingual.

 

[Chetlaham]

I see that now, thank you for clearing that up!

 

 

 

 

[gelaundry4ever]

chetlaham

As a side note, you may want to check out the post concerning the vmw transmission platform. I believe GE just copied Whirlpool. Too many model T defenders say they're built tough. Although mine lasted 17 years, these were still flimsy. It's just GE's copy of the VMW, clear cut.

 

[Chetlaham]

Many, many model Ts did not last 17 years. You were one of the luckier ones.

 

 

I don't know if GE copied Whirlpool, my guess is that a smaller short stroke transmission was cheaper to produce.

 

 

There are people on here who will defend anything modern, proceeding or sold in large numbers. 

 

[pierreandreply4]

Chetlham

If i had the choice today give me a good old fashion old school belt drive washer like this model with matching dryer or old school direct drive washer like this with matching side door opening dryer

 

[Chetlaham]

Indeed! The best of the best.

 

[DADoES]

 
Stained soil level inserts several (3 or 4) short soaks into the wash period vs. the full Soak option which inserts 2 hrs.  There's a Save Time option which reduces cycle time by 1/2 so the 2hr soak becomes 1hr, or pressing a button (Start/Pause IIRC) aborts the soak to continue the cycle.  I tried Stained + Soak once but I don't recall the effect, probably the long soak overrides the short ones.

There's a separate Prewash option which adds a cold agitation and drain, then the machine beeps for the user to add more detergent and press Start to continue.  Sports/Muddy Lifecycle includes a prewash and two deep rinses and spin-sprays ... lotta water.  Some (or all?) of the Stains cycles and Sports/Shoes include a soak, I believe 30 mins.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

chetlaham

What I mean is, GE copied their model T agitation just like they did with the Whirlpool direct drive. Now, they did the same thing with the Whirlpool VMW. GE just copied their wash action. They act similar. They sound similar too.

 

[user 12105]

Reply #25

Unfortunately though, GE doesn't have the same agitation programming the "commercial" Whirlpool and Maytag have.Unfortunately though GE is basically using wash plates with augers connected.

They don't have traditional agitator vains like Whirlpool or Maytag does on the commercial versions.

Don't know if that makes any difference or not but seems feasible

 

[gelaundry4ever]

agiflow

It doesn't make sense what GE is doing. All of their cycles are the same normal cycle variant except delicate.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well GE did it well with five buttons, as long as you knew what Colorfast and Non-Colorfast was, in terms of colors and whites...



-- Dave

 

[toploadloyalist]

Lady K "piano keyboard"

When Lady K debuted its "piano keyboard" panel in 1966, the two delicate cycles were labeled as DELICATE FABRICS/LINGERIE (slow agitation) and WASHABLE WOOLENS/FRAGILE FABRICS (extra slow agitation; both with brief soak periods). "Delicate" and "fragile" seem like exact synonyms, thus redundant.