Speed queen FL mold & mildew smell

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people way of thinking surprises me....

do you think dishwashers would have the same issues if only COLD water was used?...we don't leave those doors open or anything!....stacking dishes in there until a full load is met, so odors can happen, but once we run a cycle, that is all gone....

where is the true thought in energy savings.....running a load several times to get the clothes clean?....running an empty machine, completely filled with HOT water to clean it?.....or, wash in cold water to save our clothing from fading or shrinking, and yet most will toss them into a 160 degree dryer, way hotter than most water heater settings....

were not asking for every fill to be hot water.....just the first wash...and what does that equal, 3 to 4 gallons tops!

seems like simple practices like hot/warm washes.....will eliminate having a mold/mildew issue, eliminate running a clean washer cycle, and most likely less break down time or replacement of a machine....

amazing how many people will never understand any of this....seems like a lot of people just want to complain, they don't want the cause, the answer, or the fix!

how many threads have and/or will we see on this subject?
 
"The reason for the sealed tubs is to "encourage" new sales. "

I really don't believe that this is true. The reason manufacturers might switch to a sealed tub would be for manufacturing cost savings and less likely hood of a leak.

Consider these things:

The main bearing and shaft seal really don't fail that often, especially if the machine is used correctly.

When confronted with a malfunctioning machine that is say 5 or 6 years old, what percentage of owners even bother to consider servicing the machine??

Of that small percent of people that would call for service, only a tiny percent of them will choose to replace the main bearing and seal if that were the failure. Even in a non-sealed tub machine we are talking a $500 repair, most are condemned at this point.

So looking at those factors, a sealed tub really means nothing different will happen. Five year old machines that need bearings will be scrapped either way. Us appliance aficionados that believe in repair no matter what are few and far between. Sure it is an annoyance for us, but it really won't force more sales by way of planned obsolescence.

I too would LOVE to return to times where machines were repaired and not replaced anytime they fail. But I'd also like to return to the times where NOBODY drank bottled water!!! In the grand scheme of things, single use plastic bottles are FAR worse for the environment then disposable appliances, even if they are properly recycled.
 
thats the problem these days

i can say thats clearly a problem if it was not for my aunt also my mom aunt for keeping the bill and sale paper for her 6 year old fridge that she had to call for a repair a couple of years ago the tech would of told her to replace her fridge i think the same go for washers and dryers, picture is an exemple there was a time where appliance could last up to 40 years and where easy to repair and also unless you can repair the machine yourself and have good experiance the trouble with modern machine they make them so that after 10 years or more of service the customer trying to get a call for a repair have to buy a new machine because depending on the tech they rather advise replacement than repairing the washer that is sad

pierreandreply4-2017031122045104045_1.jpg
 
Sealed Outer Tub assemblies On New FL Washers

Are probably a good cost saving idea on FL washers with cheap plastic outer tubs. A sealed tub assembly will save many machines getting junked early because of leaking outer tub seam seal leaks.

 

Also keep in mind FL washer bearings almost never fail unless water gets past the main seal and ruins the bearings.

 

Bearing life is not affected by spin speed, load size, even the amount of use the washer gets to a measurable degree.

 

The main issue if you want to replace the bearings in any FL washer is making sure that the main seal assembly is in perfect condition, ultra premium SS bearings etc will not make any difference in life, SS sealed bearings will not work any longer if exposed to water and detergent.

 

If you want a reparable washer that has the potential to last 30+ years today there is ONLY one reasonable choice for the average home, A Speed Queen FL Washer.

 

John L.
 
.
In regards to mold, we have kept the door ajar on ours and had no problems however you MUST wipe the black rubber tub seal regularly as water/moisture hides there and gets nasty fast.

The SQ FL is chock a block full of very expensive parts that will never make it to the 30 year mark.
I can't make it to 30 loads per $600 motor board on mine...no exaggeration.
FL washers are only as good as the electronics that run them and SQ's are made in Mexico and prone to failure sooner or later...but not 30 years later by a long stretch.
FL machines are disposable devices at this point, if you choose SQ I implore to get the models with a 5 year warranty. That said, be aware you can easily replicate this warranty on other brand machines through third party consumer insurance vendors.
I used to love my SQ on the ocassions it worked...but now feel oh so suckered by the 30 year BS after it started breaking on a nearly monthly basis.
Reviewed.com calls them a "cult washer" brand, meaning for drinkers of the kook-Aid only, in all measurable areas they woefully underperform for the price.

Yes the TL machines are much beloved but the FL design is new as of two years ago and is very thinly distributed to home owners compared with what a consumer behemoth like Whirlpool puts out. Meaning it takes much longer to teethe through the design/manufacturing bugs via the feedback loop with the installed base of customers. To paraphrase an old car joke, Whirlpool looses more consumer FL washers than SQ makes.

Yes I may have been "unlucky" with my machine but don't buy a FL machine based solely on considerations like stainless tubs and what not cause it's just a better arrangement of deck chairs on a washer Titanic that is skippered by questionable quality control in a sea of electronic icebergs....ahem, imo.
And btw, even on the sturdy-build-front the SQ is weirdly flimsy in very conspicuous places, like the door and the start button (I have the rear control "knobs" model), to name two big ones for me. Every time I use it I think, "really, of all the start buttons you could have picked." I then wonder, "just to save how many cents?". Same with the door, it just feels chintzy.
[this post was last edited: 3/12/2017-14:32]
 
lots of factor comes in when it comes to front load washers

well there are alot of factors that comes when deciding to buy a front load thats what i have right now but not closing the door eather on going back to a good old fashion top load washer,

1 capacety of the washer for the wash drum

2 cycle needed and wash time for the load

3 years of use right now i have a 13 year old whirlpool duet washer dryer set going on its 14 year of use this summer no repairs on the washer only a service cleanup on the dryer because of to much lint but there will come a time when they will need to be replace and the big question is do you went to spend time having a tech because the washer is defective since day 1 if it would of been the case mny mom and i would of ask the store where we purchuse or whirlpool duet to exchange the model on day 1 there are alot of factors to think of but the main point of my post is depends on how many load per weeks or days the washer will be use.
 
Pierre

Your duet is older than mine. I know back then they were built in Germany - Maybe that's why? LOL. Why do I get the feeling that we will not be so lucky with our next set? Then again, I said the same thing about this set when I got it. I thought in 2005 there would be NO way I would still have this machine continuing to work in 2017

@ agitated - Some real disagreements in this post regarding SQ longevity. Personally, I've never had a SQ but I'm sure their machines are built much better than WP or LG/Samsung, GE, etc. I think you have been unlucky and just gotten a hold of a really buggy machine where something is wrong somewhere. What surprises me most is that they won't replace the thing (especially at this point), which is kind of a turn off and shocking since they are so expensive.
 
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

pierreandreply4-2017031221340100925_1.png
 
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..
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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

 
 
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.
 
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.
 
"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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 

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