FL vs. TL

[polkanut]

And now from north-central WI

Having grown up using nothing but TL'ers, I feel that all this talk about them being water hogs is "HOGWASH"! My Mom and grandmothers have all had suds-savers on their washers. Both grandma's had SQ's. Mom had 2 Filter-Flo's, and a now a '96 Maytag. As for my wife and I, we have a '98 Maytag w/ suds-saver also. To me, this is conservation in one of it's purest forms along with returnable beer and soda bottles, but I digress. It just takes a little effort to sort loads according to color, amount of soil, etc.

 

[cleanteamofny]

The Twist of Bleeding Colors on Whites (TL vs FL)

Well I must say if someone like my sister don't sort clothes properly, colors gonna run on whites..........

Red shirts with whites or blue jeans with whites do not mix!
My Sis washed her B-jeans with my nephews white dress shirt and other things and it was a disaster!

1. Clothes was stained with Snuggles fabric softener
2. Clothes had color dye transfer
3. Clothes were dried with both problems

What is a man to do?
Re-wash and do it right!
LOL

Anyway, I've re-washed everything in the Malber P21 and the colors came out fine, but when it came time to re-wash the white dress shirt using hot water, regular detergent, Dishwashing detergent and bleach, the jeans dye and fabric softener did not come out in the front loader using the longest cycles and resetting the timer to extend the wash!

Now how is this possible?
People screams that I'm GUARANTEE a cleaner wash using a FRONT LOADER!?!?

By all means, stop force feeding me with this sad news that top loaders does not clean well like a front loader!

I've washed this same shirt in my TOL Direct Drive Electronic 90 Series top loader washer with Tide with bleach, 1 cup of LCB and the shirt was Pristine! Just as white as it came from Sears when it was brought this past fall.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the front loaders because of the gentleness, faster spin speeds and low water usage's but when it comes time to comparing, they are unmatched! The top loader out performs every time for me! So I'm sorry to be one of the few that would love to upgrade to a front loader but refuse to do it because there are major, major differences in performance!

Now I should post this on THS and see what kind of reponse I would get?

 

[cleanteamofny]

Toggles

In a way I prefer not to use FS during the first rinse because detergent residue in the first rinse is part of the cleaning action for a front loader.
It's like pre wash, main wash, re-wash and then rinsing cycles begins.

If I choose to kick down the suds, it would be in the second rinse, this is where FS should be applied in a front loader's suds lock condition.

Fabric Softener should only be used in the final rinse in the smallest amounts and I use both Downey and Kirkland FS in the least amounts with greatest results.

Anyway, I hate FS scents on my dish towels since that's a cloth that hits the plates and it leaves it scents behind. I don't want to eat steak and potato's with Downey so they get rinsed with less than half a cap of Kirkland FS.

So in general, Downey is for clothes and Kirkland is for towels and sheets. Towels stay very absorbent with Kirkland and it not as soft as Downey but this is what I prefer. The sheets has a better hand because it somewhat crispy and I need to iron those bad boys like my Aunt and Cousin do, but I just don't have the time!

So this is what I like about both products and where it is applied........

 

[agiflow]

Now I should post this on THS and see what kind of reponse I

I would love to see this response also.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Do I hear crickets?

Agiflow,

To this hour, which is 9:27 PM 11/28/05 and no one dare to challenge this finding!?!

Hummm.........., where did everybody go on THS?

Did the front loader society got more than their toes crushed and been hospitalized or did they fall through the floor without screaming and all I see is a cloud of dust rising?

Only time will tell!

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/msg111847556296.html?21

 

[kenmore1978]

Betty Furness test

"And what about Betty Furnes her sand test. I have tried it and I must say my frontloader left no sand in the towels. "

I suspect the other machines were solid tub machines, which weren't very good at disposing of sand

 

[cleanteamofny]

It's almost 9:00 AM 11-29-05 and I feel that this picture speaks for itself!

And I wished that I've taken pictures of that shirt for the before and after UN-RETOUCHED photo's to prove what a Kenmore toploader can do!

It does not matter if it was a Belt Drive or an Direct Drive it's just one work horse of a machine.......

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/laundry/msg111847556296.html?21

 

[Westingcan]

FL vs. TL

I must admit that I've used both kinds of machines and I much prefer TL. I also believe that you've got to have lot's water to rinse and in my opinion the new FL machines just don't offer that. I do agree that FL machines spin out water better but also cause more wrinkling. TL's are much more user friendly as far as loading/unloading - for those of us with bad backs. My Performa is very gentle on clothes and the long stroke agitator gets things as clean or cleaner than any FL I've used.

 

[agiflow]

In terms of conservation..no argument, a FL has it all the way, but i will not feel guilt about using my water-guzzling TLer.

It just angers me how some people get so snooty about how much better a FL is than a TL machine and that they get "perfect" results ever time. There is not a washer of either type made or detergent that will get out everything at all times.

I'll take a breather now. Whew!!!

Pat/agiflow

 

[launderess]

Don't let the people on THS hear you say this! *LOL*

Launderess

 

[foraloysius]

Not only on THS!! I'll be wathing you mr Agiflow! LOL

 

[launderess]

Thing about laundry is many of today's housewives and others never really learned how to do the thing properly. Items are heaped into a washer no matter what type and expected to emerge stain free and totally clean.

Time was a woman learned either via her mother or trial and error after setting up her own household how to launder and care for a variety of things likely to make up her household's wash. From polyester to nylon to cotton to linen, from boy's filthy "Tough Skins" to little girls dresses. The only fly in the ointment was then as now hubby's shirts. For which most wouldn't bother and sent them out.

Just as an aside, the military college Prince Harry of England attends requires all freshmen to bring their own ironing board since they will be taught and expected to master the art of ironing. You can easily spot those in or formerly with HM military services by the ironing. Many men do not even let their wives even attempt to do their military shirts.

Launderess

 

[toggleswitch]

WELL...

with all this cross-training it appears that men no longer need women and women no longer need men..

 

[agiflow]

Uh Oh!...now iv'e done it. Guys please don't tell the folks on THS,....i promise i'll never speak like that again. LOL ;-)

Pat/Agiflow

 

[frigilux]

Use whichever type of washer you prefer. I've had both and after weighing the pros/cons of each type, I find I prefer the water/energy savings of a FL. My clothes come out clean, well-rinsed and fairly dry. If you believe that more water=cleaner clothes, then by all means use a TL. There will never be a concensus about which type of machine is best. For each person who prefers a FL, there's someone else who would rather eat their own earwax than give up their TL.

There's nothing wrong with that. Frankly, I'd be alarmed if we all agreed!

 

[westytoploader]

The other machines in the 1957 Westinghouse Sand Test WERE solid-tub machines. Norge, Frigidaire, and GE. If they had thrown a Whirlpool or Helical Drive Maytag into the mix then the results would have been more difficult to determine, IMHO.

Pat, I honestly don't feel guilty about using a water-guzzling TL either! You're not alone...;-)

 

[frigilux]

Austin--- Advertising is never, ever about truth or fairness. It is about manipulating people in order to sell products.

 

[chachp]

Which machine is a personal choice in my opinion...

In MY EXPERIENCE my FL is superior in cleaning performance to the number of TLs I have owned over the years. They have all been Maytag until I got the FL which is a Bosch.

I don't know whether it is the detergent I use (Persil), the OxiClean I use religiously, the hot water (dare I say mine has a heater which I also use religiously), the multiple rinses, the mechanicals of the machine and on and on.

All I know is my whites have NEVER been cleaner than they are now and my clothes appear to last longer. In the past my white tees would soon loose that crisp whiteness and would begin to show signs of wear within about six months. Not so since I have had the FL. I am wearing the same white tees I've had since I got the FL washer and they show little sign of wear and are white like the day they came out of the package.

Whatever it is, this combination of machine, detergent and heat really works for me. I have converted both of my sisters from TLs to FLs (with a heater I say in a whisper), and they have both had the same experience I have had.

Make your own conclusions based on all the experiences noted in this thread. My vote gets the FL (with a heater again whispering).

 

[cleanteamofny]

Why whisper?
I like coming in with a garbage can lid and banging the hell out of it.........., take is from a man who lifts up garbage can for a living!

Don't be afraid, but shake a little from a tall, bald, burly man!
LOL

Anyway, the cleaning performance are about the same, but in reality, in my eye sight, there is very little difference unless you work in an area where there's industrial grease, motor oil and ground in dirt involved. The agitator whips the clothes into shape since I deal with these problems daily!

Most people don't get as dirty as me (Thank the heavens above for I got a dirty mind), but regular soils will wash out in a front loader without a problem!

I'm really a gentle bear and when I need to roar, it's because it's hands on experience.........

 

[cleanteamofny]

TEST

frigilux,

When I get a chance, I will do that test!

Post # 59463:
{I'd like to try an experiment (but I don't have both a TL and a FL). It would be interesting to drain the (apparantly sudsless) rinse water from a TL directly into a FL. Throw the clothes in, as well. Start it up. See if the rinse water remains sudsless or if the water action from the tumbling kicks up suds).

I think it will kick up suds since my TL does not spray fresh water after the wash cycle like the latter models with the Ultra-Clean wash system.

But a true test that can be only achieved when the front loader is striped completely from all detergent/fabric softener residual using Calgon and only fresh water during the 1 rinse cycle to see if suds are kicked up from a load from a top loader.

I will do the test and post the results when I have some free time.......