How to freshen a FL Washer?

[jjsunshine]

What is the best way to keep your FL washer smelling fresh? Do you suggest buying Affresh or Tide washing machine cleaners? I noticed today that my washer is getting a little bit of a musty smell. I ran the "Tub Clean" cycle with about 1 cup of bleach and wiped the entire door seal.... it seems to be better but I still detect a hint of must. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[appnut]

do oyu regularly do hot water washes or run the sanitary cycle? I have an 8 year old frigidaire front loader. I don't use liquid laundry detergent. I've laso never used cholrine bleach in it. but I run a load with a 130 degree or hotter temps in it at least 2 or 3 times a month and always use oxyclean. I leave the door ajar and the detergent drawer slighly pulled out beetween uses. Not ahint of odor. [this post was last edited: 1/7/2011-18:53]

 

[hoover1100]

How to freshen a front load washer?

Do nothing out of the norm basically!

Run a hot wash regularly and make sure whites are washed in bleach (chlorine or oxygen bleach...preferably oxygen)

Keep the door slightly ajar when not in use.

And thats it!

Matt

 

[labboy]

I agree with Appnut and Hoover 1100. We previously had a Maytag Neptune and now have an LG front loader and have never had problems with odor or mildew by following those recommendations.

Another tip is not using too much detergent. On our LG we use very small amounts of detergent (and still get great results) which I feel reduces the likelihood there will be mustiness.

If your model has a Tub Cleaning cycle, I wouldn't bother with Affresh or similar washer cleaners. I would just run the tub clean using bleach.

 

[3beltwesty]

A problem only in the last 15 years; not from 1940

The odor thing was never heard of when I grew up with our 1947 and 1976 FL Westinghouses.

Most of the time we left the door open so the boot would last longer.

The first time I heard about odor/smell/funk with a FL washer was when they got rediscovered again in the USA. A neighbor got a FL Maytag Neptune in the mid 1990's. He had "to hold his nose" to walk through their laundry room.

At first I though it was a fluke, ie like do folks have worry about smells from their lawn mowers, hammers, bolts in the garage, trailer hitch ball odor.

One has several new reasons for odor, many modern boots at first collected water. The boot on a 1960 machine is smaller, they collected less water.

A modern FL washer has an Aluminum spider that corrodes, an extra flaw to add odor. ( this is probably after it is well corroded and the features hold in crud)

Most folks use too much soap

Most folks do not leave the door open.

I agree will the other fine folks comments too.

With the old tech Westinghouses, many of us rarely used bleaches and had no odor issues.

*IF* in any washer of any type a hunk of fuzz get stuck on an internal part, it is a harbor for crud to grow in. An old tech FL washer has no screws sticking out in the tub; or drum. Some new FL washers I have seen apart have screws in the basket were crap/fuzz sticks too. The old tech 1976 machine here had a tiny clump that stuck in that tub wall, and one TINY wad emitted a mess of funk once I got the machine apart a month ago

 

[mrwash]

I also do not close the detergent drawer completely but leave it a bit open.

 

[yogitunes]

This is a good point......when I met my partner, I got him a westinghouse tall tumbler, stuck in a closet, door always closed, and never had issues with odors.....

same thing with my neptunes, never had an issue with mold or odors, and I rarely leave the door open.....although I rarely wash in cold, and use bleach about 2X a week on whites....

the only issue I ever came across, my sister had a 1970 speed queen solid tub, only hooked up to cold water, lid kept closed after washing, you could smell the mold/mildew from the machine when you walked in her house, she now has a GE FF, and hooked up to both faucets....the odor is gone from her house....makes you wonder

 

[favorit]

also keep fabric softener compartment always clean

I clean it with LCB and an old toothbrush round every two months. My machine ( H-axis TL) has not yet the removable tray, so the job is a bit tricky : after cleaning I have to flush it with a bowl then run the "drain only" cycle. Usually I clean it before running a load of whites, just to avoid disasters )

With frontloaders it's a breeze : just pull out the drawer and soak it in a bowl of water and LCB before scrubbing with the toothbrush. Also remember to scrub with LCB the encasing where the drawer is located

 

[ronhic]

I've never....

....had an odour problem with any front-load machine in over 23yrs of using them - ever.

This appears to be a re-occuring question that Americans ask yet, from what I've observed, no other nationality on this forum seems to have any issue with odours from their machines...

Quite simply...

- use the best powdered detergent you can get
- avoid using liquids if you can
- minimise both the USE OF and AMOUNT of fabric conditioner (or water it down and/or wash loads that you intend to use it in first, followed by others that you don't...but tumble dried materials shouldn't need much if any)
- leave the door ajar ALWAYS
- wipe the seal out every now and then...

I have NEVER used chlorine bleach in any machine and very rarely do I use an oxy bleach (maybe once every couple of months)...

I have NEVER done a maintenance wash - I use predominately warm and hot washes (30/40c and 60c) with the occasional cold one...

I have NEVER used a fabric conditioner and only rarely used a liquid detergent (mainly as a pre-treater)...

If you decide you wish to use liquid detergents, exclusively wash in cold water and are a constant user of fabric conditioners, you can expect mould and odours....regardless of if you use bleach

My advice would be to get the machine clean by:

- Using the hottest, longest cycle with the BEST powdered detergent you can get....this will tackle the build up in the machine
- Immediately follow this by running the same cycle again with chlorine bleach...to kill any mould

Now the machine is clean - It should be easy to maintain it....

I do apologise if this sounds more than a tad dictatorial, but I do say it with 'love' (and a hug) and will pretty much guarantee that if you follow what I suggest above, you should never have a problem....

 

[roscoe62]

@ronhic

I find that using the powder the machine operates differently for some reason. There is no problem balancing the load and clothes feel different, like there is no build up or film on them, and a completely different kind of clean using the Persils I don't use bleach anymore in the machine just the Persils.
I do however see some people taking about this "spider" problem that concerns me since I have a whirlpool and when I see how the spider just fell apart I wonder if it has anything to do with over use of detergent and fabric conditioner?
When I purchased my first front load washer I was told to either keep both doors open all the time or until the machine dried to keep the machine and your home "healthy".
If you think you have something to deal with in your machine mold & mildew can become an even greater health risk to you and your family.
I love the new mechanics of front loading laundry,it's not like the earlier sunny wind filled wringer days with everyone's backyard full of dancing clothes lines , it's a little more complicated.
The education part is what is taking time to absorb and with this forum I have had much more success in doing so.
Cheers

 

[jjsunshine]

Fresh & Clean!

Thanks for all the tips! HUGS back to you Ronhic!

 

[ronhic]

Try it and see...

Which machine is it anyway?

 

[iheartmaytag]

I do believe leaving the door, and dispenser drawer open is paramont.

My Aunt had an old Maytag top loader they got when I was in about first grade. This machine always had a stench, my mother always told her "Leave the Lid open" She never did, not only did she close the lid but she then put a rug over the top so there was little chance of any air flow going through it until the next usage.

We have always left our machines open and have never had an odor problem.
Same with the dishwasher too, once the cycle is complete it is left unlatched and open a bit to allow the moisture to excape.

 

[jjsunshine]

My machine is the LG Tromm Steam Washer model #WM2688HWM...It's about 2.5 years old. I love that it has a LED light on the inside so I can watch it in action! Reliability has been great...never a problem.

 

[ronhic]

Reliability is always a good thing....!

 

[3beltwesty]

What STUFF *IN* powder so calls makes it better than liqui

As an argument of open discussion, What STUFF *IN* powder so calls makes it better than liquid? (as far as spider corrosion and FL washer smells)

So what "thing" is powder is suppose to make less issues with corrosion or smells?

Ie is liquid made from ground up aliens and thus their blubber "ruins" the washer?.

Or is there a magic eye of newt or dash of gorilla snot in liquids say used in packing to make the soap stay in solution or not break down? ir not degrade?

The passion that powders is better seems strong in many, but technically as an engineer is seems a bit like a religion sometimes. Sometimes on web threads about spider corrosion the "believers" are the opposite, they say powder is the cause too!

My folks got their FL westy in 1947, we got another in 1976, I bought one in Nov 2010 now as aI rebuild the 1976 machines shaft.

I have used a FL washer now for 50 years and never heard about odors until the Maytag Neptunes stinks and woes started over a decade ago.

 

[3beltwesty]

Now of us really know if the aluminum spider on our washers

From an engineering standpoint, one really has no clues if the aluminum spider on our washer(s) is nice and clean, or looks corroded piece of junk holding in old crud that is full of slime and mold.

This problem is not just in the USA, an OZ youtube has a guy throwning a brick into a LG washer with a spider that is broken but not in three yet.

Supremewhirlpol's link shows vast corrosion on that LG too.

Everyone meet Horsey->LG

This LG (WM2277HW)came in->Time to see what it's made of.

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[ronhic]

Liquids...

....tend not to rinse out as well as powders in my experience and are 'greasy' compared to powders...

BUT....the bigger kicker are fabric conditioners. These have an 'oil/fat' content which effectively provides a lovely food for mould to grow on...

So when you couple:
- low wash temperatures
- detergents that don't rinse effectively
- fabric conditioner residue in your machine (afterall it is the last thing that goes in)
- and exacerbate it with a closed door

...you get a really humid environment that promotes mould....

As to any of this affecting the spiders on machines, well I didn't comment on that. I commented on odours...

 

[hoover1100]

Why are powders better than liquids?

Well, they aren't, it's just that you need to use oxygen based bleach in the machine, which kills bacteria and keeps it looking and smelling fresh.

Over here, powdered (and tablet) detergents that aren't specifically designated for 'colours' contain oxi bleach, liquids (and liquid capsules) do not.

I understand this may not be the case in the U.S., it does not matter whether you use powder or liquid, as long as oxi bleach is in the equation.

Matt