New Stinky FLs hit the news!

[mark_wpduet]

I don't get it either

When I first got my Duet a few years ago, common sense told me to leave the door cracked, so I did. I have NEVER had any smell at all. I don't use fabric softener but white vinegar instead, also powdered he detergent. I do notice on my Duet that, even with the detergent tray pulled out and left out, the holes (inside where the detergent tray inserts, where the water comes out) have a pink look in them. I got bleach and wiped them down, but this happened EVEN with the detergent tray left completely out! There is no smell in my washer though. I think another thing people need to do is take the detergent tray out. It holds water and can't really breathe if pushed in.

I remember we had a brand new whirpool TL washer in 1989 and the thing stunk and I could not figure it out

 

[norfolksouthern]

Never had this problem

Well, for one thing my Zerowatt does heat the water to high temps. Plus, I wipe down the boot after each run, and once in a while I'll open the trap and swab up the water left in the sump and leave it to dry. The big difference between mine and these fancy HE gadgets: It's all in the trap! Which, of course, is easily accessible as opposed to one on a Duet.

The Europeans know their front loaders. They have been at it for a long time. They run their equipment at high temperatures, and also keep it clean inside. Like someone else mentioned, lukewarm water temperatures and liquid detergents with fabric softeners, combined with very little water to rinse, are quite edible to microbes. A gourmet dish for fungus, I might add. When it all festers, you have a real problem. Why they don't make traps user serviceable is beyond me. With enough complaints, we'll all be stuck with Cabrios!

NorfolkSouthern

 

[mixfinder]

Lazy Laundry and Unreal Energy Demands

Stuffing wads of clothing of mixed color and texture, underwear and dishcloth alike, adding some cheap liquid soap from Costco and a cold wash is wetting dirty clothes, not doing laundry. I would guess at least 80% of people growing up in the 70's and after are under the "conserve and save the environment" mantra and perform critical tasks like laundry and cleaning in unsafe and filthy ways. Now add the latest no water and dumbed down temperatures and it only gets worse. Or wait it does get worse, next year no phospates. I think it's less the machine and more the operator with some oness on ignorant law makers passing incorrect bills.

 

[appnut]

I've had my Frigidaire front loader for 3 years and it pre-owned when I got it. I dodn't have one bit of a smell issue and none is trying to emerge. I use powdered detergent 95% of the time I've had this washer. I do use lots of fabric softner. And I've never put bleach in it. BUT, I leave the door slightly adjar and the additives drawer slightly pulled out. Now, what I'm about to say, I got in trouble on the THS Laundry Forum because I didn't mince words. The parents are the safety issue, NOT the kids. The parents aren't teaching their kids the proper boundaries this is not a thing to be playing with and clmbing in all the time. A little swat on the butt may not be such a bad thing. Kids need to be disciplined and taught what is right & wrong. Once learned, it's not an issue to leave the door slightly ajar and the additives drawer slightly open between uses. And BTW, I may go for 2 or 3 weeks between uses.

 

[surgilator_68]

Common sense and education has a lot to do with it, but there seems to be a sharp decline in those areas recently.

Every single day I see washers that look and smell disgusting. If people would leave the door open, it does not need to be fully open, simply not pushed closed will suffice. Use something other than the trailer setting, use the proper amount of a good HE detergent and bleach the whites once in a while you won't have the smell.

Think about it...you have a big ol outer tub and the inner tub which are both sitting at room temp. Add your clothes and start the washer on Cold and you would be lucky to reach 70 degree water temp. Use warm water and you'll get something in the range of cool water. Use hot water and you'll get something in the range of warm or a cool hot. Your clothes aren't going to shrink, you won't harm the environment with bleach, nor will you ruin your clothes if you use it properly. Most homes today do not have laundry rooms right next to the water heater nor do most of us have the water heater set to 140 or above, which was standard practice back when. So how do you expect to get hot water to a machine that uses so little?

Proper laundering technique has not changed in 100 years.Ask your parents, grandparents, great grandparents. You need thermal energy (hot water), mechanical energy (agitation) and chemical(detergent, bleach, etc). If you use less of one you MUST increase one or both of the other to get satisfactory results. It does not matter if you have a front loader, top loader, wringer or a wash board. You need those three things.

I'm probably going to get hell for the next statement but I really don't care because I see it every day and can back up my statements.
A lot of the issues with smell, mold and mineral build up come from the tree hugging save the earth eco green people out there. I'm sorry but eco detergent manufacturers have not found a way to properly suspend and sequester oils, dirt and minerals with these plant based cleaners. You need sequestrants, anti-redepositing agents, water softeners and surfactants that come from chemicals. You need something to kill mold, mildew and bacteria. Bleach won't harm the earth and neither will regular detergent. It all biodegrades. But some people would rather walk around smelling like a moldy, mildewed rag wondering why they stink and have skin allergies, because they want to save the earth. Fine, but when I hand you my bill, don't bitch.

Now I will admit that out of the thousands of customers I see every year there is ONE and only ONE who has always used cold water in her front loader and there is no smell, mold, mildew or mineral build up. However she always uses Tide HE liquid and bleaches her whites. She also leaves the door open. Are the clothes clean...I don't know. But the machine is.

We also have to remember(and I find this difficult at times talking to a customer) that WE are the ones who eat, breathe, sleep and poop appliances. So we are the ones who are going to pay more attention to leaving the door open, water temps and proper detergent usage. The average consumer does not know, nor do they care. All it is to them is a metal box that is supposed to get dirty things clean and wet things dry. You don't have to worry about sorting, temps, detergent etc. Stuff it in, push a button, turn a knob, dump some of this stuff in and walk away. That is the average consumer these days.

Ok, I have to put a stop my ranting. I could go on for hours.

Jason

 

[ronhic]

Jason....

...that is true...

BUT...

....it is the people who service appliances, shop assistants and manufacturer help desks who have to listen to these great twits when the 'magic box in the laundry' doesn't do what it is meant to....and all because they don't read their manuals (most of the time)

 

[alr2903]

Somebody posted on here about just that thing a circulation fan, for folks that wash at night or while at work. I can't remember who posted it or the mfr that has the feature. Does anyone know/remember? i hate having CRS

 

[alr2903]

sorry to double post, but i think the real problem is overuse of liquid fabric softner. First the waxey buildup then the mold. alr2903

 

[robliverpool]

Being in the uk the norm has usually been frontloaders for me and i have never had a problem at all with any smells, i usually do a few 60 degree washes a week and i have never used liquid and i use bio powder. Now my gran had the same machine as me (until i got my AEG) and the door seal was mouldy, it smelt awful. Found out she was using non bio powder and the highest wash she ever done in the machine was a 40 degree as she thinks a higher temperature will run away with the electric bills lol. Very old school, also the drain pipe for her machine connected to the sink drain and it was drawing water and bits of food into the machine whenever they pulled the plug in the sink..

 

[gizmo]

surgilator-68
why the hostility toward people who give a damn about the environment?
I'm a tree hugging save the earth greenie person.
I wash in hot water (solar), though the heating element in my LG front loader is disconnected as it uses too much electricity, and it isn't needed as long as I set the machine for a hot fill (set to 60 degrees C wash.) I use a top quality detergent which is also an "environmental" detergent, mainly because it doesn't eat my skin, as I have VERY sensitive skin and I have found almost every detergent I have tried was either useless as a cleaner, or gave me an itchy rash and peeling skin. It works very well on my greasy work clothes. It is Ecostore front loader powder from New Zealand.
My front loader has no mouldy smell, and no residue buildup.

I have also seen dozens of washing machines with severe problems of buildup and corrosion, invariably they are set to cold water wash. Almost all clothes washing in Australia is done in cold water, and I reckon that is one of the major killers of washing machines here. Front loaders in particular seem to have problems with drum spiders corroding and breaking.

Fabric softener is a major cause of the buildup, too. I don't use it at all.

http://www.ecostore.co.nz/products/laundry/front-loader-laundry-powder.cfm

 

[paulc]

Ive never had a "stinky" machine and wash at low temps pretty much all the time. I am I right in thinking that powders in the USA do not contain oxygen based bleaching agents unless stated ie "Tide with Bleach". UK powders unless stated as the colour variety, contain these agents.

 

[neptunebob]

I wonder if maybe the germicidal lamps I talk about in the Imperial section would be useful for the new front loaders, some manufacturer should try them.

 

[surgilator_68]

Gizmo,

Every day I hear about the stinky smelly machines. When you ask the customer about their laundering habits it is always the same story. It’s cold water, no bleach, short cycle, and eco detergent. All because we must save the planet. And I agree. We all need to do our part to help save the planet and try to correct the mess we created. BUT is it actually saving anything when I have to drive out there, look at this disgusting machine, order parts, pick them up, drive back and install them and hand the customer a huge repair bill? Just so they can say I wash with eco, cold and don’t use bleach? Is it really saving the environment to throw out your clothing because they stink so bad you can’t wear them or because you are breaking out in a rash from the mold and mildew spores left on the clothing? In the worst case is it really saving anything when the machine is not repairable and must be disposed of simply because someone refused to use hot water or good detergent or bleach? Then a new machine must be built, packaged, shipped, delivered and then the packaging gets disposed of? And guess what, the same person is going to do the same exact thing all over again to the new machine. How again is all of that being friendly to the environment?

Hostile, no. Aggravated, hell yeah I am. It gets real old hearing the same story over and over again. To hear the customer place the blame on the manufacturer of the appliance. For companies to come out with these machine cleaners to help remove all the gunk and garbage that has built up in the machine because “we’re being environmentally friendly”.

As for mineral build up and broken spiders, we have the same problem. And from what I have seen on this side of the pond it is from too little detergent, cheap detergent and detergent that has little to no machine protectants. I don’t think cold water has much to do with that.

 

[mixfinder]

Hostility

The interest in environmental issues varies based on the part of the Uninted States you live. I happen to live in an area of uber vigilant, unrealistic, save the earth and kill yourself in the effort activistism. Often rules governement environment, farming and urban planning are slapped into effect before choosing the best or most prudent answer or solution. In Seattle there is a worse hue and cry learning someone didn;t properly recycle than the loss of human life or homelssness that plagues are area. Much of what has happened is attritibutable to environmental decision making that had adversly effect 100,000 of jobs. I am willing to do my part but I am weary of unreasonable expectations and repsonses. I would rather live in the middle of the country where there is a more measured and balanced apporach to live and environmental issues.

 

[wcd63]

RE stinky FL

it all boils down to the lazy house wife just wants to get through it and does not bother how to ues the machine right or just dosent care!!!
I have had my Gallery FL Frigidaire for 5 years and have no stink at all because I have left the door open from day one!!

 

[golittlesport]

After 10 years of using a front loader I have never had an odor problem. I always leave the door slightly ajar.

As far as the safety thing....I agree with Bobby Appnut...a child has to taught not to play inside a machine. Even with the door completely closed, a child has only to easily pull it open if they want to investigate inside.

The tragic case where a young girl climbed into a front loader and her sibling closed the door and started the machine occurred here in Orange County CA. There was extensive news coverage and one station did a report on washing machine deaths. They reported only a few have been in front loaders, the majority in top loaders. (That is probably because of the prevalence of TL's in our country) If a child falls into a top loader full of water they can easily drown. Parents must train and monitor young children at all times.

Also, most front loaders have child lock controls and parents with young children must take the time to utilized that feature. In the case I mentioned above, the machine had a child lock-out feature, but it was not in use. So sad.

 

[zanussi_lover]

washing machine smells

I use Liquid detergent Capsules that you just throw in the drum, but I do wash my bedsheets at 60 degrees, and I leave the door ajar inbetween washes, so this acts as a maintenence wash.

as long as you leave the door open in between washes and do a hot wash every so often, and use a powdered detergent with oxygen bleach then you'll have no problem with the smell in a front loading washer.

I've noticed that alot of Americans use Liquid Detergent + Chlorine Bleach. If you switch to using a Oxygen Bleach powdered Detergent instead of liquid + clorox, then your doorseal will last longer, as bleach is known to weaken the rubber as it is corrosive.

http://www.brilliantwashing.com/caring-for-your-machine.html

 

[passatdoc]

Thanks for the refresher, golittlesport, I remember the Orange County case (Ladera Ranch, I believe). There was a thread on this board about the tragedy and I remember someone posting that the model in question had a child lock-out device. At the time, it was not clear whether the lock was not in use or whether the kids managed to override the lock. Thank you for clearing up this question.

The victim was about three years old and the controls were activated by her 16-18 months old brother. Even before I knew all of the details of this sad case, I was amazed at the time that a three year-old hadn't been trained to stay away from the washer.

More recently, an infant wound up in a laundromat FL (commercial sized) but was rescued by bystanders.

I've had a FL Frigidaire 2140 for 3 1/2 years now. No odor issues whatsoever, plus the machine is in my garage which faces south---on hot late summer days, the garage temp can reach 90 degrees F (32-33C) which would promote the growth of mold.

I run a (machine empty) hot cycle with 1/2 dose detergent every few months when I remember to do it, but I wash towels on hot anyway so the machine is exposed to Hot once or twice a week. Most washes are done on (non-Temp Control) Warm, except in summer when my cold water line approaches 70F/20C, permitting Cold water washes of perm press clothes; outside of late summer/early fall, I have to wash on Warm because I lack Auto Temp Control.

I avoid liquid bleach because of the oft-reported issue of the Frigidaire aluminum spider being corroded by chlorine bleach. I rarely use OxyClean, and never liquid bleach.

I always leave the door ajar and always wipe the gasket dry. In addition, at the end of a laundry day, I remove the dispenser, dump the water out, and remove the grid that covers the detergent/bleach/softener compartments. I let both of these pieces dry completely before replacing them.

I didn't used to remove the cover of the dispenser until about a year ago when I discovered some grayish slime on the inside surface of the cover (invisible unless you remove the cover). I use the dispenser for powder detergents, but for liquids I set the detergent inside the tub in a plastic cup along with the clothes. I rarely use liquids anymore, just powders.

Keeping the door ajar and avoiding liquids in the dispenser are two tricks I learned from observing European friends in their homes.

 

[favorit]

Safety doors - "Green" washing

There is no need of NASA developed devices ;-) ... Whirlpool itself got a plain solution 20 years ago. In the 90s they introduced in EU large porthole frontloaders. They have a mechanical switch (push and turn knob in the inner part of the doorframe. When it is in safety position the door can't be closed. It can be disengaged only with a double move that a child can't replicate. Parents have to engage it again after washing

Wash'n'dry "green". IMHO savings come from high spin speed and line drying when possible
I want to remark to run a load a electric dryer uses the same amount of electric power needed to wash five times the same load @ 140°F (heated from tap cold with electric internal heater)

 

[tlee618]

I have to agree with Rich. I have been using a front loader for 23 years now and never once have I had an order problem. I do wipe the boot when I am done washing and leave the door ajar as well.