LG Front Washer Cycles Explained

[laundrconoisser]

Team,

Just bought a new LG WM55000 with matching dryer. Looking to start using it but I really like to understand what the default differences are in the base cycles first without the 'additions' like turbowash, steam, etc. I've been reading all these forums, reddit, etc. and I can't seem to confirm too much. Specifically I am looking to understand the main differences in water volume, agitation, and rinse between the cycles. Basically I know water level is based on weight and soil is clean duration. Spin speed is selected and shown in the cycle. But agitation strength/type, water level, and rinses are unknown to me (besides Towels, is that 3 rinses?). My goal is to find my top 2-3 cycles as my daily drivers, having 20-25+ to choose from makes no sense to me.

This page isn't really helpful - https://www.lg.com/us/support/help-...ing-machine-cycles-and-options--1337797444134. It just reiterates the available cycle options and says Bedding is for bedding, Jeans is for jeans. Ya real helpful.

From what I've gathered Hand Wash and Delicate have higher water levels than Normal. I believe Normal uses the least amount of water compared to the others as this is the energy savings cycle.

Assuming the same load weight, which cycles have more or less water than Normal? And what are the differences between Bedding (default medium spin, medium soil), Towels (default ex, high spin medium soil), and Heavy Duty (default ex, high spin medium soil)in water level, agitation, and rinses?

Example:

Normal
- slightly lower water
- medium agitation
- high spin
- 1 rinse

Delicates
- slightly higher water
- softer agitation
- medium spin
- 1 rinse?

Towels
- slightly higher water? Same as delicates?
- higher than medium agitation
- high spin
- 3 rinses?

I did see an older cycle matrix in one of these threads, I could not understand it at all. If there is something out there already, please point me in the right direction. Yes I know I could watch every cycle myself, but thought I start here first. Thanks in advance fellow laundry geeks!!

 

[appnut]

I have a WM4200. The cycles I use daily now are Perm Press for clothes. tumbling is a bit less intense and there's a longer pause at instant of reversing tumbling directions. Bedding is almost as gentle/delicates with a lot of water. In fact, I find delicates is just about be equal what my old Whirlpool Duet hand wash was. Almost too delicate/gentle. My choice for "normal" fabrics is towels because of the water and added rinsess. To be honest I always have TurboWash because it constantly is spraying on the load during washes and rinses and greatly keeps loads saturated. Plus there's the spin sprays when TuboWash is on. I don't believe washing in cold water. Minimum is warrm. And warm is 90 degrees F and that's almost tepid, far from default of 100F being considered. Hot is regulated to a max of 112F. If you want hotter wash water, you must use Exra Hot.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

cycles

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Normal cycle is something you should avoid for the most part.</span>

The Whites cycle is actually a great alternative. You can reduce the soil level down to light and still have great results. It does use slightly more aggressive tumble pattern, but uses more water,  better water temperatures, 3 rinses standard, though I find that the spin speed is slower than Normal. Whites also uses the heating element as needed, but usually does not. I do not recommend using TurboWash on this cycle as it makes this cycle far more like Normal with TurboWash, since it cuts the wash time down, and performs only one rinse, which leaves a lot to be desired IMHO. 

Towels is almost identical to Whites, though uses even more water,  and a shorter main wash phase. 

Delicates is a more unique cycle as it does use a higher water level, but does less tumbling, though still tumbles too frequently for my liking. No interim spins, and slow final spin. 

Do not hesitate to use the Sanitize cycle. It does run for a longer period of time, but cleans extremely well. It also uses much higher rinse water levels, and does 3 rinses. Just know that none of the other cycles perform a true hot wash unless they have the Extra Hot temperature selected. Most hot settings are 45-49ºC, except normal which is 40ºC. 

A lot of the specialty cycles are just spin offs of other cycles, like color protect & jeans are just the Normal cycle with different presets. Workout wear and sports wear are Delicate with interim spins.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

normal cycle

I noticed that the normal cycle on my Kenmore Elite by LG would vary. Sometimes, cavitation will occur. Other times, it will not. Accelawash is always active.

 

[pumper]

I have the 4000. The manual is very poorly written. How do I know if I want an extra rinse if I don't know what the default is? And I swear the AI on cycles like Normal override my spin speed selection. It seems to always spin at ex-high even if I have low speed selected.

 

[appnut]

Spin control normal cycle doesn't work to force fast spin to meet save energy requiirements. I useNormal the least. Use Perm Press with fast spin and Bulky with fast spin the most. Pumper you have to experiment, get well beyond the manual.

Am I the only one around here gutsy enough to experiment beyond what you THNK the controls are supposed to do?

I've not found another front loader as flexible as LG.

 

[combo52]

Sounds overly confusing to me

It’s simple, always get the cycles and number rinses and spin speeds that I want on my Speed Queen front load washer.

And why wouldn’t you always want to use the fastest spin speed, the machine will last longer at higher speeds there’s not as much suspension wear.

John

 

[ryner1988]

Reply #6

John, I totally agree with you! All these minute variations in cycles and the fact that all that really matters to some people, I just don't understand it. All I want from a washer is a cycle for my clothes, a cycle for my towels, and a cycle for my bedding. I could get away easily with a machine that has a normal, heavy duty, and bedding wash, and on an FL one needs the option for extra rinses. That's pretty much it.

I imagine though that the need for differing spin speeds comes from the user not wanting to have a bunch of wrinkles in dress shirts and other special care clothing. For myself though I'd always run the machine at high spin speed as I don't have any special clothing to speak of.

Ryne

 

[brisnat81]

My American sized LG combo is entirely flexible on any of the cycles where the flexibility isn't likely to damage textiles.

The cycle selection changes the drum cadence/speed and spin length
I can choose soil level, soak or prewash
I can choose the number of rinses from 1-5
I can choose the spin speed, across 5 options from extra low to extra high (1000rpm) or set it to no spins.
I can set the temp from cold, 20C, 40C, 60C, 95C
I can turn on turbo wash which halves the wash time and ensures plenty of water is used.

My only complaint with the machine, is that whilst it has a wool cycle, it doesn't have a delicate option, either on the machine or available from the app.

How do the American LG's differ from this? I'd always thought the Miele's were the benchmark for flexibility, but this reaches new levels.

 

[appnut]

Ryne, I'm not going to make any assumptions. The tumble pattern varies between Heavy Duty, Perm Press, Towels, delicates, as well as normal. The sophitication of modern front loaders is largely borne from Europeans. From my observation, Europeans are far more attuned to the need to have different tumble patterns and "speeds" for different types of fabrics and yes even for color fabric care. Fabric care is the goal. I don't get all bent out of shape about this. It's why I prefer front loaders to top loaders. (among other reasons). And then there's the fact european front loadrs offer several temperature set points for wash water. For simplicity I"m going to use F scale. Temperature set points for various cycles or fabric needs range from 70F, 90F, 100/104F, 120F, 140F 150/155F, and 170F. The 33" wide LK Combo had wash temps of tap cold, warm of 100 to 104F, medium of 120, and hot of 140F.

 

[lakewebsterkid]

spin speed

My machine alters spin speeds on its own as well. Extra High on Normal can vary from 1011 to 1258 rpm. The smaller the load size, the quicker the machine spins in my experience (yes, that is correct). Time seems consistent. Whites and Sanitary seem to run 1098 rpm on Extra High regardless.

This has been a pet peeve of mine since getting the machine, though it still extracts better than my Duet did unless the 1400 rpm spin was selected.

 

[gelaundry4ever]

normal cycle

I find the normal cycle to be adequate due to the recirculation and fresh water jets operating at the appropriate times of the cycle.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Have you guys that have LG's with turbowash given any thought that perhaps as each year goes by LG might change the cycles? So towels, normal, etc might not be the same on a model someone buys today vs one you have had for a couple years or more? I mean, it could the exactly the same... but you never really know.