Picked Up an LG TrueSteam and Sidekick

[bobbi]

I can't find my old post, but briefly......Some time ago, I had posted lamenting about no lint filters in modern TL washing machines. Some suggested going to a FL, which creates less lint, which I was resistant to because I had two FL previously that did not seem to perform well. Some ideas and tips were put out there for me to think about, and I've been researching my butt off.

So I took the leap and found a FL with an onboard heater. I narrowed down my search to LG, because LG offered a mini-washer, the Sidekick, that we could add later, so I could do two loads at once! After calling everywhere to try to find something used, the last call was to Lowe's. They had an LG TrueSteam in the "scratch and dent" section for $500. Seemed reasonable since this particular machine retails for $999, and used FL with steam on CL were priced around $400.

So we get there and finally find the machine back in a corner. It looked great and had loads of wonderful features, like Delay Start, steam, Sanitize, 6-way agitation, Speed Wash, 4.5 cf capacity and a thousand ways to customize cycles. As I was looking over the machine, my husband motioned for me to come to him. He was pointing down to a Sidekick on the floor, also in the scratch and dent section, and the price tag was $200! This little sucker retails for $500+, so we were flabbergasted. Why wait to buy it?? How long would it be before another one showed up? Never mind that they weren't the same color!! I didn't care! LOL.

So we picked up the price tag of each and went to the manager to offer $400 for the FL. We were putting it all on our Lowe's card, so we would get special financing anyhow. So the manager says, "oh, you are going to buy both? Ok, I'll do $400 for the FL and $100 for the Sidekick. I nearly fell over.

So we brought them home, hooked them up, ran a couple test runs, and they're ready for my full laundry day tomorrow. The Sidekick seemed to fill only with cold water, when it is supposed to fill with Warm when you choose it. I'm going to make another thread about that and see if other owners are experiencing it. I am running my mechanic husband's filthy work jeans, shirts and hoodies tomorrow. I SO hope this machine can handle my hubby's work clothes, or I will have to keep my old Kenmore 90 series on hand.

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Good score!
I wonder if because the sidekick is so small it fills before the hot water makes it from your water heater to the washer. If that was the case you could add a split valve to prime the charge so to speak by running off the cold water sitting in the hot water line into a sink if you have one handy.

 

[bobbi]

Strickly- I went to the next faucet after the washer and ran it til hot water came out. Perhaps it is not enough?

 

[bobbi]

Embarrasingly, this washer is not called the LG TrueSteam. It is the LG Steam with TrueBalance, specifically the WM3670HVA. Duh. Sorry for any confusion that caused!

Update since laundry day: My husband's filthy work jeans came out clean, just as in the Kenmore. Impressive, since my previous FLers did not do well on those jeans (or anything else). I used the Bulky setting (for more water) and steam with Water Plus, a tablespoon of Biz, and a thin slice of white Zote soap. No over-sudsing happened despite the fact that Zote is not HE. I noticed the water had a blue tint to it, so next time I will try it without the steam, just Hot.

His work shirts and hoodies, however, came out with no improvement over being washed in the Kenmore 90 Series, even with steam. I have tried a de-greasing spray on them to no avail. I'm thinking of trying a citrus-based degreaser detergent made for doing laundry. Anyone have any experience with that sort of thing. I could also put a few drops of orange essential oil on a grease spot and see what happens, but not sure the plastic components of the washer would not be adversely affected by essential oils.

 

[yogitunes]

congrats on your new pair......

when it comes to hoodies/fleece and T-Shirts.....in odd words, the color of the stain will come out, but the oily stain remains, and most times, will attract stains from the wash water.....

about the only thing that will work, is applying liquid detergent directly to each and every stain, rub in, let set for a bit, and then wash in hottest water the garment can stand....

there are times, we try a bit of everything:
dawn dish soap
409/Fantastic
Spray Nine
Mean Green

a squeeze ketchup bottle or tin can and paint brush help speed the process...

some automotive/garage greases, just wont come out entirely from some fabrics...

there were times we used WD-40 to dissolve stains, and then something like 409 to remove the WD-40....

note....WD-40 is great for removing gum....or sticker residue

 

[mark_wpduet]

Agree with dish soap

Just put a wee bit on the oily stain and make sure it's coated with the dish soap and rubbed into the stain. This is the ONLY thing I've found to get out oily stains - that and hot water.

 

[bobbi]

Thank you, Yogi - I can try rubbing detergent into the stains next....But I am wondering something...if I am using straight detergent, am I risking over-sudsing in the FL?

The T-shirt fabric is 50% cotton / 50% polyester. It must be the polyester holding on to the stains, because the jeans are cotton and I am getting that grease out.

I forgot to mention that I had soaked the hoodies and T-shirts in a Biz and Dawn solution for a couple days.

 

[bobbi]

Thanks, Mark - Perhaps I can try Dawn on the hoodies, and straight detergent on the shirts.

 

[gansky1]

You got a terrific deal on your washer(s) - Lowes usually is pretty fair with their S&D pricing and will deal with you if they know you're serious.

I think the water temps of the small washer are probably cooler than you'd think, just like all modern HE washers.

Shout still makes and aerosol spray treatment for oil & grease stains. I've found that not many stores carry it but it can be ordered. I've found this is the only thing that reliably takes out these kinds of stains. Haven't been disappointed yet.

http://https//www.amazon.com/Shout-...1486333088&sr=8-1&keywords=shout+aerosol&th=1

 

[mark_wpduet]

Over-sudsing

I don't think you will run into a problem unless you put too much. A little dollop rubbed into an oily stain won't cause that - at least it never has when I've done it. Now, if you have multiple articles of clothing with oily stains and put some dish soap on each of them, that might.

I haven't used SHOUT in forever. That picture of Shout instantly makes me think of my Grandma - my grandfather was a mechanic and when she washed his uniforms, she sprayed Shout all over them - I can never forget that smell of Shout.

I have a bottle of Spray n Wash that I've put on oily stains before but it has NEVER worked as well as using a little dish soap.

 

[askolover]

Ammonia and HOT water with good detergent!  I've gotten paraffin wax out of clothes this way ( I don't mean wax ON the clothes, I mean soaked INTO the fibers of the clothes).  Motor oil, cooking oil, bacon grease...it all comes out when I use a generous dose of ammonia and hot water and Fresh Start powder and sometimes Dawn right on the spot.  No oversudsing issues either and I have softened water.

 

[warmsecondrinse]

Congrats on the purchases.

I've found that Shout solid stick (like deodorant, lol) got out stains that spray didn't touch. It's important to apply the Shout on both sides of the fabric. Let it sit for a day or two.

I haven't used ammonia on stubborn stains, but I put some in the bleach dispenser for every wash and I've found the day-to-day stains that used to require special treatment no longer do. Credit to Yogitunes for sharing that info with me

I know some people roll their eyes at the mention of this, but I've had good luck with Didi-7. I rub some into the stain with a few drops of water to thin it a bit. Then I dissolve enough for about two toothbrushes (if it were toothpaste) into HOT water and add that to the wash. I always use the hottest temp I think the garment will stand.

Hope this helps,

Jim

 

[mattl]

I second the Shout suggestion, I have a few cans I bought way back when and use it on tough oily stains.

 

[bobbi]

Askolover - I have tried the ammonia, hot water and good soap to no avail.

Last time I washed the shirts and hoodies in the Kenmore, I used Gain with bleach and was pleased with the results. Though they were not perfectly clean, they came out better than usual. I'm going to have to be careful with the dosing since Gain with bleach is not HE.

I will pick up some Shout.

Hubby's clothing comes home every day with greasy black stains all over, front and back. I am almost sure he rolls around on the shop floor just before leaving work for good measure. I am certain using straight detergent to pre-treat would definitely lead to overdosing, especially in a FL machine. But thank you for the suggestion.

[this post was last edited: 2/6/2017-10:56]

 

[henene4]

If washing dosen't help, maybe try getting those items dry cleaned once to get rid of these settled stains.. If those are verry deeply settled grease stains (or any kind of non water soluable substance), dry claning could work wonders on them.

Otherwise there is always the overkill cycle option: Sanitary, steam, pre-wash, water plus, extra rinse, heavy soil level (if these even are all combinable, maybe steam and pre-wash cancel out), a nice detegent, some oxy bleach booster (or chlorine bleach on whites). For the pre-wash maybe something acidic (good amount of vinegar, or a bit of citric acid). That would give you both an acidic and then an alcaline cleaning enviroment, both warm, the latter heated to verry hot temperatures.

In the EU, there is always the possiblity of a desperate boil wash cycle, and I have yet to find a stain that survived a boil wash.

 

[askolover]

"In the EU, there is always the possiblity of a desperate boil wash cycle, and I have yet to find a stain that survived a boil wash."

 

Same here Henrik!

 

[askolover]

I don't know if this works, but I remember the commercials when I was younger of a mother pouring this directly on a black grease stain and then washing.  I can't find it in my local stores, but it is still available online and ebay/amazon.  Here's a link to some reviews.  Again, I have never tried it, I just remember it. 

 

I used to work in a bicycle/lawn mower factory and would come home with some of the nastiest black grease stains on my jeans as did my dad who worked where they made Reynolds aluminum.  Over the years I have tried so many things like Simple Green, Gojo, lighter fluid, Dawn, Fantastic, 409, Castrol Superclean, etc.  When I was working on my diesel truck I read that 100% bio-diesel is an excellent solvent and is environmentally friendly...but I couldn't buy it here.  Hang in there, you'll find what works best.

 

I've also linked to Clorox website and the ingredients...it has solvents in it:

https://www.thecloroxcompany.com/?ii_product=lestoil-heavy-duty-multi-purpose-cleaner-44600339108
http://www.stain-removal-101.com/lestoil.html

 

[bobbi]

Askolover - Now that you mention it, I remember smelling Lestoil coming from the washing machine when I was growing up. My dad worked on heavy equipment. Her and I don't speak, or I would ask her how it worked out before I go and buy it.

 

[bobbi]

There is this guy on YouTube who runs a laundry service for the oil drilling rigs, and he gets in laundry that looks worse than mine, and it's grease. He throws in a some different powders into a commercial FL machine, and the stuff comes out clean! I have asked him what he is using, but he ain't talking.

 

[yogitunes]

Lestoil is still available.....and depending on your location, at Walmart of all places....

a lot of times, items like GOOP or Orange Pumice hand cleaner works on removing a lot of stains.....for the most part, these wont suds up.....

I was even going to say to rub with a bar of FelsNaptha or Lava soap.....

its just matter of finding a formula that works.......

Bobbi, where your husband works, do they have hand cleaner he uses to wash his hands, that exact product may work on his clothes as well.....can't hurt

http://https//www.walmart.com/ip/23...75035&wl11=online&wl12=23619936&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[brucelucenta]

Actually hand cleaner works quite well on grease & oil stains.

 

[mark_wpduet]

That video of that FL washer

doing the oil rig clothes - Back in 2005, when I first got my FL washer, that's the kind of wash action I expected to see, with water going all over the place, down the glass, as the drum rotated super fast. I remember when I first cranked up my duet and sat and watched it, I was so FREAKING BUMMED OUT! I, as well as many others who got FL washers at that time when they were starting to become popular, I think we were all expecting them to operate the way this one does. I've grown used to it, but I would KILL to have a FL washer like that to do my laundry. LOL

I wonder what's in those powders? It has to be some institutional stuff.

 

[yogitunes]

I worked in a laundry like that......

and they are some harsh chemicals, that only those sort of machines can handle.....

we had one TL Whirlpool, those chemicals would tear up seals, rubber, and especially pumps on this machine.....

not even sure the supply company carries this stuff anymore, this goes back to 1983.....it was called 'EDWARD DON', and some of the chemicals were:

Hulk Powder/50lb
Boost Liquid/5gal
Sizing/1gallon

http://www.don.com/catalog/browseca...g+Products_16&child=Laundry+Detergents_160601

 

[bobbi]

Bruce - I have tried the Goop hand soap. It was a disappointment, especially since it says something about being the best stain remover and it has a picture of clothes hanging on the line. I was bummed.

On the Lestoil -I was over on Amazon reading reviews of the various stain treatments, and noticed Lestoil. Recent comments allude to the formula having been changed, and now it's not the same. Still worth a shot.

Yogi - As far as rubbing soap on the stains, I have tried the Fels-Naptha and even my own homemade lye soap. White Zote soap works best, but it works best if lay the garment down in the tub, pour boiling water on it, soap up all spots with Zote, then scrub with a stiff floor brush. I used to do this. It took me about 1.5 hours to do them all, and it's hard on the lower back and knees. Very soapy too...your skin can get so soft that it tears or rubs away easily. I am trying to find a better way, but maybe there isn't one.

Mark - I freaking KNOW what you mean!! I have again and again watched a YT video of a Bendix Duomatic that looks like it uses plenty of water. I would have loved to own this machine. I watched CL and the classifieds here for a couple months for a vintage FL. Anyhow, there's lots of splashing around in this machine, and the agitation looks great...like it really cleans. LOVE this thing:
And it gets the washing and rinsing done in about 12 minutes. Why can't they duplicate this with modern tech? I do have to say that my LG FL is close to that when I use the Water Plus option. I do get splashing on glass. [this post was last edited: 2/7/2017-13:21]

 

[bobbi]

The oil rig laundry guy - Yeah,the stuff he's using is probably not suitable for a residential machine. But he could at least tell me, right?

Another thing I really like about my machine is that the drum is tilted back just like a Neptune. Seems to me that the tilted drum could hold more (and deeper) water that way, but what would I know? One thing is for certain...at least I won't have to worry about the door latch breaking and water pouring out all over like what happened twice with my Samsung FL that had a "straight" drum. In all honesty, I was probably overloading on occasion and that's what ultimately stressed the latch. These newer FL have a lot more capacity.

 

[yogitunes]

try as we may, there are some stains, or grease/oily stains that just wont come out....

some automotive greases/oils are beyond stubborn, even to get off auto parts alone....

although, you got me curious, Brake Parts Cleaner, one of the few products that cleans as fast as you can spray it.......

the only issue that would concern me, is any type of oily residue on clothing, and then washed....many machines warn against it...

this one puzzles us like using a cleaning cloth, saturated in a detergent solution, used to clean the house, WHY is it my cloth gets dirty if I am using a concentrated cleaner......most times it only comes clean once it goes through the machine......the world will never know!

 

[appnut]

Front Loaders like there used to be

the only way this will happen is getting ride of Energy Star program and all related stuff. 

 

[mark_wpduet]

Bobbi

Yea, that FL looks GREAT. Like you would see in a laundromat. There's NO question the clothes are clean just watching it. But with the new HE FL washer, you just have to assume with proper laundry habits, that it knows what it's doing. LOL

I'm pretty sure my clothes are clean, they smell good, seemed rinsed well. So I'm not complaining. But if there was a FL washer on the market like that one, it would be my next one (as long as it had a heater)

I remember seeing on some old gardenweb forum topics about the LG Water Plus. I even emailed WP a long time ago asking them to at least add an option to their machines for the user to select if they wanted more water. I got back some canned response. The manufacturers can still add options like that, while the machine can still be Energy Star compliant. But interestingly, some of the newer FL washer cycles use a lot more water on some special cycles than my old Duet does from what I've seen. And my Duet uses a decent amount of water actually. But it's the same amount of water on virtually every cycle except delicate and soak. I'm waiting for my duet washer and dryer to fall apart any moment because in April they are 12 years old. I don't think they could possibly go much longer!

 

[bobbi]

Yes, Martin. At some point I may have to throw in the towel. :/

Mark -Lol....In that case, maybe you need to start researching what to get next. What features will you be looking for now that youve had a FL all these years? Any ideas on what you'd want next? I am glad to hear your WD is still going after 12 years.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Already have and it's definitely going to be

Either a Whirlpool Duet Or Maytag FL - definitely with a heater and definitely with specialty cycles. From what I understand, my current pedestals on my Duet will fit on these machines. I hope so.