I am not a happy camper—-and of course, it’s a problem with the dryer. The metal screen at the back of the drum used to be white, which would eventually turn black because of heat, I’m assuming. SQ’s solution to that problem was to put a black screen in. Unfortunately, when the heat is on, black paint is rubbing off onto items being dried.
You can see the results in photos #2 & 3 below. That’s a pair of dress shorts. I took only photos of the two areas in which the honeycomb pattern of the screen is visible, although it’s more apparent seeing the shorts directly, rather than in the photo.
There are another half-dozen streaks and honeycomb patterns on other areas of the item. The load of mixed colors filled only half the tub in the washer, so this isn’t being caused by overloading the dryer.
Seeing this, I checked items washed in other loads. Sure enough, there were black marks on a heavy white cotton pot holder and two white pillowcases. The honeycomb pattern was very apparent on them, but I’ve already thrown them in the washer with a maximum dose of Clorox liquid bleach to see if that gets the stains out. Nothing else I’ve tried—Amway Stain Spray (which normally gets almost anything out), GooGone, and Dawn dishwashing liquid—has even lightened the stains.
I rubbed the screen with a white cotton bar mop towel and nothing came off on it. I saturated an area of the towel with Lysol Kitchen cleaner spray and rubbed again. Nothing came off onto the towel. Obviously, the problem rears its—literally—ugly head when heat is applied during the drying cycle.
I haven’t even used the high heat setting yet! The load of mixed colors was dried on low heat and the load of whites on medium heat.
The washer, on the other hand is doing an excellent job. Very impressed with it.
Ideas, anyone? John (combo52) or others who deal with SQ’s: Have you seen this problem before?
UPDATE: I put the stained white items (along with a few other bleachable pieces) through a Quick Wash at the maximum soil level and hot water, along with 1/4 scoop of Amway SA8 powdered detergent. Just checked on them; bleach did not budge the stains a bit. The stains appear to be permanent.
