Speed queen FL mold & mildew smell

[pierreandreply4]

mark_wpduet

thank you mark_wpduet my secret is for 1 thing thanks to this site i have seen the light and now wash light color heavy duty using hot water heavey duty cycle colors warm water but my secret is i do not neglect doing a monthly cleanup using eather tide clean regular bleach white cycle or just water let the washer run a full cycle empty and it cleans it using hot water of course so far doing my home work when after chrismas my mom and i had to replace the dishwasher while in the store i have look at the speed queen topload model awn432 and its matching dryer would use the same pattern sure its a top load but my mom and i have not close the door on buying frontload because in the long term we went a stack set and stack the dryer on top the washer but doing that means costly renos but its good to have options thats the set i have look and i like the old fashion timer knob but not du to be replace yet but if my mom and i have to since i am the one doing the laundry for my mom and i speed queen would be my number1 choice

 

[agitated]

Thanks to all who have posted re my question re Speed Queen. I took a leap & got the SQ FL, awesome looking machine. DH is engineer & says sturdy material w expensive fasteners.

Delivery/installation not so stellar. I didnt realize till reading manual later that shipping bracket/screws should not be removed till after washer in place, not while on my driveway. And hardware should be kept for future moves. Installer may not have locked the legs. And front legs seemed off 1/8 inch.

Very nervous after reading Strickybojack's ordeal w FL. Dealer/service/Speed Queen did not shine. fingers crossed..

 

[agitated]

Love SQ FL. Now need dryer!

Have had FL SQ washer 7 months now. Beautiful machine. Love the quiet spin (after installers returned & unlocked the back legs! - vibration was so bad that I had to video & show to salesperson). If cycle is set for 23 minutes, then that's how long it runs. Not like my sister's LG washer which runs 1-2 hrs even when set on "quick" 35 min cycle. As far as cleaning clothes, I haven't noticed any problems though our laundry is pretty light. Was concerned re moldy smell issue when first started asking for input on this site- so far no problems yet.

After 5 yrs, Samsung dryer died again despite one service already. haven't read too much endorsement for SQ dryer. is it worth the premium price?

Thank you.

 

[speedqueen]

Look on your local Craigslist and get a 29" WP/KM dryer. It will beat all other offerings and is easily repairable. With a dryer like that and the high speed spin of the FL your clothes will dry in no time.

We just replaced an early 2000s GE FL styled dryer w/ a 29" and it drys much quicker w/ less wrinkles if the clothes aren't removed immediately which was a requirement with the GE.

And, heck if it REALLY breaks down you're out $50-150 and there is always another available. SQ's dryers have never been even close to the best. I used some 240v operated models(stack but small consumer type) at a hotel and they often took over an hour.

 

[thomasortega]

I've had more than 20 front loaders for my personal use and designed probably 50 or 60 different models.

Never had any issues with mold or smells. It includes a silly American made Frigidaire Affinity I had for 10+ years.

Washing machines are just like cars. They NEED some attention.

Most people want the comfort of just use the washer, but they never care about the regular maintenance.

What happens if you don't check the pressure on your tires? What happens if you don't change the oil? ... alignment?... balance?... rotate the tires?

The same with WHATEVER washer.

Once in a while you will need to wipe it... sometimes even polish the cabinet... cotton swabs or a steam cleaner on the crevices? Yes, wibe the rubber gasket too!
If you wash something really nasty, like pet blankets, run a quick cycle immediatelly after unloading the washer. Once in a while, run the self cleaning cycle or run the longest cycle with hot water and lots of bleach. If you splash detergent, bleach or fabric softener while dosing, rinse and wipe the area immediately!

After use, remove the dispenser drawer and for god's sake leave the F-word door ajar! What happens if you wash a mason jar, don't dry it, close the lid and "forget" it for a few weeks? Exactly the same happens to a washer. No matter how clean the washer is and how many gallons of chlorine bleach you used on the last cycle. If you leave the door closed for a few days, when you open the door the smell will be dreadful.

With top loaders it's difficult to happen because they're not "nearly air tight", but even with a top load, please leave the lid open for at least 24 hours after use (considering you use the washer only once a week, for example).

And yes, even with a top loader, do hot washes always you can. Don't be afraid to use chlorine bleach and if possible, never use "pods".

99% of people that complain the washer smells bad or turned into a mushroom farm simply don't care about regular maintenance. They just toss the clothes, run the cycle and forget the washer exists.

I gave a TLA Super Compact Automatic washer to a friend 1 year ago. In six months she complained the washer was leaving a black residue on the clothes.

When i saw the washer, i couldn't believe my eyes. The lid is clear, but it was impossible to see inside because of the grimme. She NEVER cleaned the lint filter. (and even said "but detergent cleans everything, shouldn't the detergent make the dirt in the filter disappear?". The cabinet top (plastic) was full of cigarette marks (yes, she uses to place a cigarette on the top and forget it)

A 100% self clean washer doesn't exist. Period. It never existed and it will probably never exist. Even a 1950's Frigidaire needs at least some buffing once in a while, like everything. And worse... use a toothpick or tweezers to clean the drain holes on the top of the drum at least once a year to remove the lint buildup.

It explains why i always save my old toothbrushes... appliances love them...

Now back to the real world... No matter what washer you get, NONE of them will require you spend several minutes per day or per week taking care of it. HOWEVER, at least 15 minutes per month you'll have to schedule to take care of the washer and make it look like new for much longer.

 

[real1]

Interesting advice and expereinces on FL's. My used '98 Neptunes came from a family of seven out in the coutnry (five boys). Was no lawyer ploy smelling blood on this washer...it has some serious design issues. Maytag deserved the class-action law suit they got on these and their continuing denial there was anything wrong with these machines. 

 

After I fixed all the issues, I did have mold smell. Pulling the inner tub, you could see why...pretty nasty in that outer tub. After I cleaned up everything, I moved the electric plug box to just above the washer with a switch. Turn the switch off, open the door and soap dispenser and no more smell....ever. Maybe that's overkill and I only need to run a hot load with bleach. When my son was alive, he wasn't really mindful about leaving the door open and the mold smell came back for awhile.....but I think he used cold wash a lot.

 

Anyway, thirteen yrs and counting with the Neptune and no trouble whatsoever.

 

Kevin

 

 

[gelaundry4ever]

late to the party, but still ongoing...

Too short cycles, too little detergent, too much softener, running without bleach, I can go on and on. And yet people expect a magic bullet for laundry, which still doesn't exist, and never will. Since this forum was last posted, things have only gotten worse.

 

[kenc]

It's your money but beware.......

Our SQ FL always had a funky smell, our laundry room gets closed off at night so in the morning it was obvious. We always washed hot, and always left the door open and dried the door and drum after laundry.

Then when it was seven years old the control board died. This was a known defective batch that Alliance had been replacing free of charge up till about a year earlier. I even found one online where the serial number wa around 100 less than mine which was replaced at 6 years free of charge. Alliance denied it all when I called in, said all defective boards dies within one year and I was on my own.

So, yes they can smell, yes, Alliance will say whatever they can to get out of their obligations should you ahve a problem.

We now have an LG which has a bigger tub, costs 1/3 as much, has a heater, doesn't smell.
It's your money but there are way better chlices than SQ.

 

[qsd-dan]

"We now have an LG which has a bigger tub, costs 1/3 as much, has a heater, doesn't smell."

That's the biggest gripe with Speed Queen washers. For the price tag they're asking, it really needs to have a heather with selectable temperatures. Also, a clean cycle that meets or exceeds 160F would keep odors and buildup down.

If I had to purchase a front loader, it would definitely be an LG.

 

[panasonicvac]

I've been very happy with our LG for over four years now. Though we did had one problem with it recently, the pump in the washer went bad. We swapped it out with a different pump and supposedly it should last longer than the other one. Despite that, I'm still glad we went with LG instead of SQ. It was cheaper, it offered both jets which I find handy and a heater which I don't use much but it's nice to know that it's there, and I really like the size of the capacity. Best set we've ever owned in the house, I like them slightly more than our Neptunes.

 

[mark_wpduet]

I think mold can be caused by user error but also it could be caused by how humid the machine's surroundings are.

Example: A few years ago I remember experimenting with my AC to see if I could tolerate bumping it up a few degrees from what I was used to for a few days. To me it felt uncomfortable... even with a fan. I think I moved it from the 72 I was used to to 75/76 (never again)

anyway - we have a stand up tile shower and I noticed it started growing mold.. It took me a bit to realize maybe it was because I bumped the AC up

 

[combo52]

The main reason washing machines mold

Is because they’re covered with residue from poor washing procedures, and they’re also not used with chemicals that kill mold, such as bleach or enough heat.

Something like a shower stall normally would have some mineral deposits and residue on the walls, which would allow them to mold easily. But you need something for the mold to grow on. It won’t just grow on a clean surface normally.

Hi Mark, how high did you let the humidity get in your house when you turn the air conditioning to a hotter temperature?

I would think you’d have to get substantially over 50% humidity to have much trouble with mold.

John

 

[appnut]

I've been very pleaased with my LG WM4200 that I've had for the last 2.3 years. 85% of the loads I do the heater is activated.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Oh...I can't remember... but obviously if the T stat is turned up... AC will be running LESS... humidity will be more since it's running less.

I have one of those little devices in the kitchen that gives the humidity sitting on a bar... I think it was like 65% or something like that...The other morning I cleaned my house. I opened both doors that have screens and turned the window fan on because it was in the 60s outside...but it must have been humid...(AC OFF) I worked my way through the house finally mopping...and I noticed it was taking forever for the floors to dry and they are usually dry in NO time... it said the humidity inside was 71% and I was so uncomfortable even though it was in the 60s....I think the indoor thermometer was on 70... I closed everything up and turned the AC on and it dropped the humidity from 71 to 60% before it turned off. It wasn't warm enough outside for it to run long enough.