Front loader or Top loader?

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dustin92

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Which do you think gets clothes cleaner? We have a Frigidaire Gallery front loader, and while it is AMAZING at getting stains out, I am finding that I have to use warm or hot water on everything or the clothes and especially towels get that nasty "dirty" smell. before we got this washer we had only top loaders, as far back as i can remember, (harvest gold Kenmore belt drive, 1994 Speed queen, 2007 Whirlpool direct drive, 2008 Whirlpool estate direct drive, mid 1980's GE filter flo) and used warm or cold water and the clothes always smelled clean. I am starting to think the Front loader does not agitate the clothes aggressively enough or move enough water through the fabrics, because while clothes get less wear and tear, they just dont seem as clean as with a top loader.
 
questions...

what detergent(s) are you using with the frigidaire? What detergent(s) DID you use on the top load machines? that could be part of the problem and answer.

Rich
 
I find the Frigidaire cleans out stains and cleans beter than my DD Lady Shredmore or the 1978 GE Filter-flo. I hope I don't go back eveer to aotp loader as my daily driver. But then again, I wash in cold water about 0.5% of the time, that's like less than 1.0%. I only believe in washing in hot and warm water. And I use Sear Ultraplus Stainfighter detergent.
 
We are currently using Arm & Hammer liquid, but have used basically every low sudsing detergent available (Tide HE powder, Purex HE, Era HE, and All. In the top loaders, we used Xtra, Purex, Sun, or Arm & hammer.
 
Yes... probably the detergent

I have the same Frigidaire Gallery front load washer and dryer (purchased in 1997) and have NEVER had any problems with clothes not smelling clean or fresh.

Personally I think this type of front loader easily does as good as a top loader, but is easier on the fabric (gentler on the clothes).

By the way... I use laundry detergent from Costco (in the red box). The only things I wash in cold are bright or dark colors.

Kevin
 
ok...

So should I try the sears detergent, and which one? they list 3 varieties on the website- blue box with oxy clean, green box stain fighting formula, and red box with fabric softener. I will have to drive 30 miles to get some but I will try anything!
 
The red or hot pink box has built in fabric softener

The green box is the advanced formula with stain fighters

The orange box is which is no longer on the website is the regular Ultra Plus. I have used the green box and orange with my Frigidaire Gallery frontloader, with a bounce dryer bar and everything came out fresh and clean. I don't use fabric softener because the cause my roommate to break out. I told not use the Ultra Plus with fabric softener because it's not good for the washer.
 
I had a couple of batches of towels come out with some off smells after going through my Affinity. I attribute it to insufficient water, and I was tending to pack the towels into the drum so it was a double whammy.

Now I either put in fewer towels or if it's a large load I'll add another two or three gallons of water manually after the washer wrongly decides it has filled enough. Detergent used is either Tide or Gain powder, or All small & mighty liquid.

And since my first day or two using the Affinity, I always, always on every cycle for anything I'm washing, select the second rinse option.

I tend to agree with those who feel toploaders do a better job with towels. If I had a place for a second laundry pair, I'd have a toploader for towels.
 
My Frigidaire Gallery frontloader has been retired. She no longer wants to do a final spin; sometimes she would and sometimes she wouldn't. I went back to my Maytag 606 which does a super job on whites. I use about 1/2 cup or so of bleach, hot wash, cold rinse, and a dash of diluted fabric softener. I do miss the capacity and high speed spin of the Frigidaire.
 
ok...

I bought a box of orange box Sears Ultra Plus, a 17.3 pound box, normally priced at 23.99, on sale for 11.99. I really like the smell and I was suprised to see that you only use a small scoop for a full load. I will post the results of the load of whites that is washing right now, after they are dry.
 
I'd say HALF a scoop for a front-loader!

And yes, fabric softener is guaranteed to make your wash(er)stink in the long-run!

For better results do extra rinses after a "normal" wash by using the shortest wash cycle you have ; mine is labeled "SHORT" cycle.

And please, make sure your machine is not sealed-up after the cycle ends and clothes are removed. It needs to air and be left open for DAYS!
 
Vagisil is expensive

Second rinse?

My Frid-GE-More does three rinses and I select an optional fourth. Then, I add three more for a total of seven.

I am allergic to detergent residues and can't take my crotch being on fire from chemical burns due to poor rinsing and tight and binding underwear.
 
I have the affininty as well and had to deal with the stinky towels.I stopped using fabric softner in my towels and always wash them in hot water (no matter what color they are) and I use a second rinse!! Oh I use powder tide.
 
Besides the wax and grease being food for mold, the oils in the softener iteself turn rancid over time and smell bad.

Too much softener means you need more detergent to get rid of the grease and wax,and too much detergent means you "need" softener. Less detergent and no softener is the same solution............
 

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