Should I trust Affresh?

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washerdude

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Jun 10, 2013
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So now it is coming close to the anual clean washer cycle. The manual says to use affresh however i've had bad experiences with affresh. I used affresh stainless steel cleaner and now all our brand new stainless steel applainces have small rust spots on them. Even the new dishwasher. I know for a fact that it was the stainless steel cleaner because we used it the first time we installed the dishwasher. Next day some rust spots appear.Before When we used a different brand on stainless steel cleaner that never happend. But when we began using affresh the began to form small rust spots. Now, affresh washing machine cleaner...will this actully help ruin the components of the inside of it faster? After the stainless steel cleaner experience, I don't know if il even use it for anything ever again.
 
Just use a cup of Clorox bleach, the formula that says it disinfects--not any of the fancy scented Clorox.  Put the bleach in the bleach dispenser and select the machine's clean washer cycle.  I did this on my Duet about a month ago.  My manual even states if I don't have Affresh, use the 1 cup of bleach. 
 
Bleach works great, sometimes you can find higher doses of increased strength....

dishwasher powder has worked in the past.....

as well as chlorine granules for pools, which has shown to be a powerful cleaner for stubborn mold areas......

bathroom shower cleaner with bleach for mold/mildew is great for dispenser areas and rubber boots where the normal cleaner can't reach....

these things have worked on some of the nastiest machines I got in....but once you get it cleaned, simple warm/hot washes, and occasional bleach added, you never seem to have an issue return....
 
 
The one time I tried Affresh in a FL, it left a strong residual scent.

washerdude, follow your machine's instructions for cleaning with bleach, if a specific procedure is outlined.  As I recall from the Duet on which I ran a cleaning cycle, the procedure for it called for adding liquid chlorine bleach to the main wash detergent cup (not the designated bleach cup) at a specific point when directed by aB appearing on the display.
 
I dunno.  I don't think Chlorine bleach works well with stainless steel. I would just use oxygen bleach, high temperatures and increased time.

 

My washer doesn't have any type of clean machine cycle and after over 11 years doesn't seem to need one, so I don't get the clean machine cycle at all.

 

My user manual says to never use chlorine bleach in the machine so I am not going to try using that  to clean it.

 

I think if you get the temperature high enough, long enough, a good oxygen bleach that should do it. 

 

 
 
Whirlpool evidently trusts Affresh.  I believe it is in the trademark font on all their HE machines.  Is Affresh  the saving grace of Whirlpool, or are they in business together?

It is kind of scary that the machines that clean need cleaners for their interiors. This is probably "generational" I just have difficulty buying into this idea.

I do know not to say  Never.  The day will come when the last of the old school machines have been sold. Those of us that lack the ability to repair and have an ample stash of parts will probably be using machine cleaning products.
 
Name specific....

no different that some Whirlpool dryers had a 'Dryel' setting on their control panels....

Cabrios had an 'Oxi' dispenser....

yet bleach is just bleach...not Clorox

softener is the same.....

its all a gimmick of some sort....

remember a time when machines advertised it would wash and spin, and CLEAN itself automatically!

watch there be a new advertisement.....just like your Self-Clean oven....new to introduce, the Self-Clean washer!....

I took the advantage of HE FLers as a chance to wash in HOT water, efficiently and effectively, for what?...a few gallons, I use more in a shower!....Cold/Cool/Luke Warm washes were for regular TLers to save energy...
 
Needing to clean machines...

That clean for you, need cleaning themselves. A bit like your shower stall gets cruddy after a time as the dirt/skin that is washed off you gets on the stall.

Washers/dishwashers are the same, detergents will clean clothes and the machine to an acceptable level, but some dirt/bacteria will remain in the machines. The clothes/dishes are clean, not sterile.
 
I've washed hundreds of fl machines

I've used up to an entire gallon of bleach to clean a duet washer. Bleach is far and away the best cleaner.

I have also experimented with salt before (food grade). 5 lbs in a sanitary cycle seems to "dry up" the residual softer and mildew.

Trick is to do another wash following the first "clean" wash to wash out all of the chemicals.

Affresh is garbage.
 
I would use the Affresh! I've had my FL for 5 1/2 years now, and I have never had an issue with the Affresh tablets. It leaves a fresh clean scent, which is refreshing afterwards. Just pop it in and set the Clean Washer with Affresh cycle, and you are good to go.
 
I've had no issue with Affresh, and been using it for 4 or so year. use it once or twice a year and lives a nice scent.. Much better than Tide!
 
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