Kenmore Hang Dry Speed

[Chetlaham]

Why was fast/slow called "Hang Dry" on the Kenmore lineup? I'm still confused, I'd think one would want clothes with less moisture when hung out to dry instead of more water weighing down the clothes line, rack, or shower bar the clothes are hanging from. What else would this cycle be called in practice?

 

 

 

 

 

[launderess]

Extraction can cause creases, especially with certain man made fiber such as polyester.

Control panel pictured in OP does not have "Permanent Press" cycle labeled per se, but am guessing "Hang/Drip Dry" is meant for PP.

Back in day clothing made from polyester, nylon and so forth in whole or blends were labeled "drip dry" or "Wash and Wear"

Laundered either by hand or machine only light extraction was required (if any) and items were simply hung to drip dry. When done correctly such wash required little to no ironing.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well now I really miss my old Kenmore that had that speed combo, and I used it I think for work clothes and uniforms...

My washer also had the Handwash that one-bettered the Gentle agitation, offering Intermittent speed wash and still a slow spin...

-- Dave

 

[Chetlaham]

Launderess, thats probably it right there. You'e right in that all the Kenmore washers I've seen do not have PP on the speed selector. So in part high/low would be a type of permanent press in addition to the separate permanent press cycle on the cycle knob.

 

Dave, I'm missing your washer too! Thats one of the best washers ever made, can't do wrong with it.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Yes, it was a cool machine and did everything...

 

Only wonder why it lacked only a fabric softener dispenser...

 

Hardly needed any major repair work, and we actually parted with it perfectly running because my daughter had guinea pigs and she wanted a Pet-Pro Maytag...

 

 

 

-- Dave

 

[Chetlaham]

Not to make you feel any worse but you should have kept it in the least as a spare.

 

Can I ask, why the lettering? I know in my experience in the past I used to put arrows on some of my appliances so I'd know where was the best place to turn them on. And how to get an extended spray rinse, lol.  

 

 

 

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well, Chet:

I learned what letters did what on a Kenmore machine, or maybe Lady Kenmore, so I put them in appropriate spots, though quickly ran out...

A spare would be nice, but extra plumbing and electrical would be needed or the muscle to swap machines would be an impossible...

I neeed the lid open too while my old washer sat there, and someone who needed a washer for a neighbor came and got it...

Not so for the dryer, which needed suspension but had many new parts, so I hope after someone helped me bring it out of our basement and put it in his truck that someone saved it or at least could have parted it out...

-- Dave

 

[Chetlaham]

Dave, I like the letters. They are the manual version of a programmed cycle washer. Highly respectable. I wish Kenmore had offered a programmed cycle washer in the early 2000s. 

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Yes, while the Kenmore name stayed around, something reminiscent of the old letters could have survived to later decades...

 

I wish, Chet, that it did...

 

 

 

-- Dave

[this post was last edited: 4/1/2025-05:02]

 

[Chetlaham]

Ideally, we'd have these today, but with less grey and more colors: