Need to Decide on a washer

[vacerator]

Wow, many thoughts

and opinions.
I'm not recommending or discrediting any washer, but a friend just bought a Maytag
WVWC415EW top load washer for $347 at Best Buy for his rental property.
3.5 cubic ft. capacity, stainless wash basket, full dual action agitator, water levels, temp. selector, extra rinse option. Nothing fancy, and easy to operate.
He asked my opinion, as many tenants do not take care of things, he didn't want to spend much. The former washer in that unit was a 90's direct drive top line Whirlpool he got on clearance as a floor model. It survived several tenants abuses.

 

[corgigrrl]

vacerator,
You are making me sad!! I looked everywhere for a Maytag like that!

Hubby decided he would put the new bellows on for me so I'd stop obsessing over washing machines, I'm guessing. He had back surgery but was cleared of restrictions only last week. It's not his trade & I was quite relieved when it was up & in working condition again! Thank goodness for YouTube!

I'm now using Method, a concentrated liquid detergent, plus about 1/2 a cup of borax thrown in the tub & began filling my softener section with white vinegar. Laundry has been coming out smelling fine.
When they say not to use powered detergent does that include borax & washing soda?
Also, does anyone know why it says on the directions, the Gains pods shouldn't be cut open? I've done it & worn my cleaning gloves in case it's because you're not supposed to get any on your skin. I have a huge tub of them that I bought before I had problems with pods not dissolving.

 

[askolover]

Gain pods

I think they say not to cut them open because they are supposed to open themselves in the wash. I used them for a long time (have some now) and have never had a problem with them not dissolving...but I have never washed a load in cold water. Every load I wash is either in very warm or hot. I don't know what would cause them to not dissolve properly.

 

[lordkenmore]

I'm not sure about Method detergent. I had a small supply (trial bottle from Target), and I felt that it seemed like there was some buildup in the washer tub. Not sure if it was Method, the washer (which was a piece of junk), or just my bad luck... I'd try it again, but I'd be careful to keep an eye and nose out for signs of buildup.

 

I think some have argued that using different detergents might help keep the machine cleaner. 

 

I do tend to like using different detergents...but part of that is I get bored with the same detergent. Plus there is something to say for detergents for different jobs. 

 

[wishwash]

Detergents...

I have to argue that detergents may not be an issue. I've used what many consider "bottom of the barrel" brands for years, in both front and top loaders, and have never had an issue with mildew. That being said, I do run the occasional hot wash...

 

[corgigrrl]

No matter what temperature I used, the pods did not dissolve. This wasn't just the Gain pods I use for sheets & towels but even the All free & clear pods I used for clothing. Even the Affresh tab sample did not completely dissolve when I ran the clean washer cycle!
Just asked Hubby & he said hot water adjusted to about 110 degrees.
I do have a rather large bottle of Method to use up, plus some liquid All & a few pods of that, a large tub of the Gains pods & I just picked up a bottle of Persil. So I will vary between those, cutting open the pods because I never want to deal with that goo again! Good be Gone helps but it smells like gasoline!
The appliance repair man did tell me over the phone that it doesn't really matter what you use, just don't use too much of it.
Also, I normally wash in warm, not cold. I only use cold for sweaters & delicates & the fleece sheets I use in cold weather. I could run a weekly hot water wash with some assorted items but I don't know if just 1 cycle a week would make a difference.

After Hubby had the washer put back together, I ran a wash & he watched with a flashlight to make sure there were no leaks. We were both shocked to see how little water there was when the clothes were actually spinning & washing! I thought maybe he made a mistake! I had never seen exactly what was going on in there. We both agreed that it didn't seem possible our clothes could get clean using so little water! It does explain how the large dog hair whorls get formed, though.

 

[yogitunes]

110!.....theres part of your issue right there.....120 is usually the minimum, but not by a long shot, although its a scald safe zone, not all bacteria is killed in your water tank alone, and think, you may be drinking this....

if your machine has a heater, highly recommended it is used, as much as possible....

none of mine have a heater, for some, it works well, as it only climbs to about 140 on most machines......my water heater is set at 160.....

you have to consider, how cold is your incoming water, mixed with a low temp hot side, there can't be much of a warm temp.....AND, how far is your tank from the washer?.....are you purging the water line before starting the washer?....

most of the newer HE machines are using only around 3 gallons for a fill up....that's nothing if hot water is used....

plus you have to get past the mental thoughts of using an HE machine.....think of it as washing your hands, your not adding a lot of water and a bit of soap, its the other way around, a heavy concentration of soap, a little bit of water, and once cleaned, then a good rinse...

HE machines work well as a heavy chemical lather, gentle tumbling, even a soak period....and then several rinses to get rid of all the dirty water....

not saying that some of us have the same thought process.....all I can say, as my machines drain into a sink......wash water comes out dirty, the last rinse is clear, and the clothes are clean......puzzling, but I can't argue with the results...

 

[yogitunes]

I had a curious thought.......I took a mason jar, added ice and water, and one TIDE pod.....shook it up for a while....to my surprise, it wouldn't dissolve!...

my thought was any contact with water and it would burst open, guess I was wrong....definitely needs a warm to hot supply to bust it open....

cant seem to find Tide Cold Water liquid on the shelves anymore, at least in my area....wonder why?

 

[DADoES]

110°F Water Heater

 
A hot wash at 110°F is essentially warm when the thermal loss to the mass of the machine and clothes is considered.  One of my washers runs 115°F into the machine for warm ... ends up ~105°F in the tub when fill is done.

 

[appnut]

What model is your Maxima?  That way I can look it up and see what the features are.

 

[frigilux]

Great experiment with the Tide Pod, Martin! Cold tap water is around 43 degrees in the dead of a Minnesota winter. Not quite ice cold, but close. Back in my pod days, I washed the occasional load in temp-controlled cold (around 60 degrees) with no problems. Gotta admit, I love letting my Maytag Maxima 8100 dose the (liquid) detergent according to sensed load size, soil level, etc. It does a great job. Pods will work in the Maytag---as with the 2010 Frigidaire, the tub doesn't rotate until water begins to enter---but I'm a liquids guy, now.

Persil ProClean 2-in-1
Tide Stain Release HE
Tide Cold Water Clean HE
Woolite For Darks (my beloved Perwoll Black Intensive has become hard to get and very expensive)

 

[askolover]

It takes 150-160F to kill e. Coli bacteria....yes underwear has it on them. I read an article a few years ago saying that clothes washed in cooler temperatures actually come out contaminated. If the dryer gets that hot it will kill germs.

 

[aquacycle]

mold in frontloaders...

Just some input from someone who has never owned a toploader (because we just don't have them here!)...

I have never ever had a washer go moldy on me. It's become more of a problem in recent years in the UK (never used to be) for a number of reasons. The rise in popularity of cool temperature washes and liquid detergents is directly responsible. Constant washing with a liquid detergent at low temperatures will cause the rubber seal on a front load washer to go moldy. It doesn't matter what washing machine you get, it will happen.

Whilst I appreciate that cool water washes and liquid detergents have their place, you can't use them exclusively. The best thing to do is, once a week as your final wash, gather all your towels and cloths and wash them on a long hot wash (minimum 60 degrees) with a good bleach-containing powder detergent. Doesn't matter if they're coloured towels, oxy bleach doesn't cause any noticeable fading for a long time. Towels should have a hot wash anyway, but the combination of the hot water and powder detergent will keep the machine clean and fresh.

The science is quite simply - powder detergents contain oxy bleach whilst liquids don't. So all the bacteria on your clothes - from underwear, arm pits, socks, bedding, cleaning cloths etc isn't being killed. Infact, you're creating a lovely damp environment for it to thrive on. So all the bacteria on your underwear is transfering to all your other laundry because it's not being killed in the washing machine.

My mother in law's washer absolute stank and was moldy around the door seal. As soon as she ditched liquids and pods and went back to using powder, the mold disappeared.

My FL Miele is 7 years old and there's not a spec of mold on it.