GE GFW450 SSm1WW Front loader-stinky clothes complaint

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I've been using front load washers since 1997 and have never had any smells or mold but like has been mentioned already, I DO use chlorine bleach, I NEVER use cold water, and I ALWAYS leave the door open. Common sense tells us that a warm moist environment is perfect for mold and mildew to grow. But common sense is really not very common especially in America.
 
Reply number 30, amen

My older Speed Queen front load washer is going to be 20 years old this year and I still marvel at how wonderful it smells inside and I’ve never attempted to do any cleaning of it. Just use it and use it

I once had a houseguest use the Speed Queen to wash several loads of his clothing and he was very picky about his clothing so he washed it all in cold water, when I went to use the washer a couple days later it had a mild smell in it just from a couple loads obviously your clothing is not clean if the washer smells when you’re done washing clothing.

This is another reason for not using a warm rinse you leave the machine at the perfect temperature for bacteria to multiply and grow.

Mold and smells are not limited to front load washers. We regularly do service calls where we’re asked to disassemble and clean top loading washers that are absolutely gross Because of poor usage habits.

John L
 
Sorry This OP hasn't been back until today. been prepping the house for a hardwood fllor sanding and refinish on both floors.

I did just order a seal but can always return it again.
and more Affresh tablets.
Tennant goes on vacation tomorrow for 4 days.
I will plan on washing with bleach and tide on super hot...the water heater is set to about 115f but I will turn it up for these 4 days.
I have no idea how she does her laundry. I will post the detergent brand on Saturday. I know she doesn't use any thing with scent but I thinks its probably ECO and sold at whole foods.
This current model doesn't have the microban in it.

I was thinking the best thing was to jsut buy a new washer but...
This is a stack location only. I called GE and waited 25 mins having to press the 2 every 2 mins or get dropped.. hate emoji goes here..
I wanted to find out was models will stack under the current dryer model. gal says they have no list like that.
Went to lowes yesterday and they have in stock a gfw550 with the clean vent and microban and its on sale so I could get it delivered for 770$. They wont install one under a stack or restack unless both washer and dryer are new. so I would have to do that plus they dont hook up unless all new hoses. I was thinking if tenant would pay 300$ this would be a solution and if it didn't work I would tell her to use a laundromat. But then I read the reviews and lots of smell issues and other failures on this machine. oh also its 1" wider in the specs and they couldn't tell me if my old dryer would stack but thought it would... no response when I asked what if my dryer wont stack on it securely.
So my questions are what is the best sanitizer I should be using to try to super clean this machine? clorox? we have oxiclean. I have diclor for my hot tub? How much citric acid? I have some we use for cooking and preserving food. I will watch all the videos everyone posted and take apart the soap tray. I can also try to scrub all around the lip of the seal...One solution was the 4800$ speedqueen tall unit with washer and dryer
 
The 115° water is not the problem

Because the tenant isn’t even selecting hot water in the first place.

You can actually wash in cold water, but you have to use twice the recommended detergent and you have to use chlorine bleach on a regular basis so it’s cheaper and faster to use some hot water.

This machine has a heated or sanitized cycle. If you’re not gonna use chlorine bleach that must be used every few loads Always towels and sheets should be done on this cycle, regardless of the color of the items.

The newer GE front loaders are 28 inches wide, somebody that’s handy can figure out how to attach the dryer to the new GE front loader but you could also buy a better front loader like a whirlpool or a Maytag or even an LG if you could find somebody that will repair it in your area.

Also consider building a shelf and putting the dryer above the washer a couple inches that way the washer can be pulled out for servicing and replacement without having to buy a costly dryer as well in the future. We try to get our customers to build a shelf for the machine Greatly reduce the service expense.

John L
 
I thought 120f was the maximum tap water should be for Risk of burns?
That TEAD video was eye opening smell and mold after just 10 loads.
Now where to find a powder product with TEAD? perhaps the P&G Arial from Mexico can be found in Hispanic stores and has it.??
The Indian guy on you tube with that GE 650 with nasty mold with the microban and air fresh system.. and mold growing right on the microban rubber.. and that soap dispenser issue... yuck.. how can a company make untested crap like this.
 
 
<blockquote>I thought 120f was the maximum tap water should be for Risk of burns?</blockquote> Only if one exposes oneself to it for sufficient time.  Is anyone in the tenant's household expected to do that?

The trick you may be overlooking is that washers nowadays have ATC (automatic temperature control) ... electronics with a sensor monitors the incoming water flow and modulates the hot valve on/off to limit the mixed temperature.

The designated Normal cycle is the most restricted, being the basis for energy-ratings tests.  It's not uncommon that Warm on Normal is mixed at 75°F to 80°F and hot 85°F to 95°F ... even if the household water heater is set at 140°F.

Electronics and control software also allows different target temperatures *in the machine* for a given temp selection (Warm, Hot, Extra Hot) on the various cycles.  Warm and Hot on Normal will be cooler than on Whites or Heavy Duty.

Soil level also affects the temperature point.  Getting a higher temperature, a reasonably warm Warm and somewhat hot Hot requires 1) increasing the Soil level and/or 2) choosing a more aggressive cycle (Whites, Heavy Duty, Sanitize) and/or 3) adding a Steam option or selecting Extra Hot temperature ... all depending on what choices a given machine provides.

That's why you're being advised to instruct your tenant to run the Sanitize cycle (at the highest soil level) on a recurring/regular schedule so the machine's onboard water heater can do its thing for a reasonably HOT-zap to deal with residue accumulation.
 
Here in the UK, the recommended temperature for hot water is 60°C (140°f), to reduce the risk of legionella, although it also should not reach 65°C, as that can quickly cause bad scolding. This dates back to us normally having hot water storage cylinders. These days, with most homes having instant hot water from combi boilers, it probably doesn't need to be quite as hot.

I wouldn't know what temperature is recommended in the US, and I guess with a rented property you might even need to consider the risk of litigation in case some fool manages to scold themself!

Our washing machines have always had a heating element to achieve the set washing temperature, these days virtually all are cold fill only, so they solely rely on their element.

I think chlorine based bleach and the peracetic acid produced by oxygen bleach + TAED should be equally effective at sanitising the machine and either would be effective at destroying bacterial spores too, which will stop it quickly coming back, so as hypochlorite bleach is more readily available, I would use that. Oxygen bleach has a few minor advantages, such as the machine won't smell of chlorine after the cleaning cycle.

When used as an in wash additive, oxygen bleach is colour safe (although with repeated washing, it can cause fading in some dark colours), less damaging to fabrics, and breaks down to harmless components. It should not be used on silk, or wool, or on fire retardant treated fabrics. I'm surprised if the tenant is a germaphobe, that they don't use something to kill bacteria, like a laundry sanitiser or oxygen bleach with their detergent.
 
UltraFresh Vent System

I've had my new GE front-loader for two months now, and I can say with confidence that the UltraFresh Vent System is NOT a scam. It works by periodically spinning the drum while simultaneously drawing fresh air into the washer, effectively drying out the interior of all the moisture. This eliminates the need for me to wipe down the door and gasket with a towel. However, the whole venting cycle takes about 8 hours to complete.

I activate this feature every time my family is done with laundry for the day. So far, the drum has NOT gotten stinky; it smells like clean detergent in there. And, as an added anti-mold measure, I pull out the detergent drawer, dump the residual water onto a towel and leave the drawer on top of the washer to air dry.
 
Is sanitise a better cycle to use than tub clean? Looking at the instructions for the GE, the tub clean cycle uses a higher water level, although it doesn't mention if it runs at maximum temperature. I believe I've read that the cleaning cycles on at least some UK machines also rotate the drum a bit faster than normal to slosh the water and cleaner over the hub and the top of the drum, which otherwise wouldn't get cleaned that well.

https://products-salsify.geapplianc.../21ab67c3085356cc8f4ac0d78bf8a6968c1562de.pdf
 
I measured the water temp and its 136.8f. Not sure why I thought it was 120. Today I figured I would just clean it real well every where I can and possible replace the seal that I ordered. I went down to look at the machine to see how the soap dispenser looked and what type it is so I could maybe find a video on how to clean it and to tell her I am now down prepping the house for the hard wood floor guys and would really focus on this washing machine issue while she is on vacation. We had a little argument about her wanting me to pay for a hotel while she is on vacation. I offered to pay for a local hotel nearby if she is home for the finish drying days but not on her vacation or if she wants to extend days because I am paying for a hotel in some resort area.
I had intended to be really companionate and tell her I will really do everything to clean up the washing machine and help develop a cleaning regimen that will solve this problem. But my latest thought since its now a month to month lease is to just reduce rent 50$ and tell her I am removing the W/D in 30 days and she can buy what ever she wants and take care of it.
TMI I know. This whole hardwood refinishing timeline was to accommodate her. She had plans to go on vacation for a week. So I found a company that could start and finish the floor next week while she was gone. Last week she cancelled those Mexico plans and was going to Colorado but for a shorter trip returning Tuesday like 5 days early so She asked if I could have the floor guys come Thursday 4 days early and luckily they could. and actually came Wednesday to patch a damages area 2 floors above her.. This morning she complained about the noise the last 2 days and I am sure it was bad again today. She seemed to forget that she requested they start early on Thursday so maybe the finish would be dry when she returned.
 
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