Top Loader Extra Rinse?

[johnrk]

Back when I had Filter-Flo machines, the 2nd and 3rd sets I had in the 80's and 90's had the extra rinse option. I always used it. Then, for the nearly 20 years that I had FL machines, I chose it at times and at times didn't. Usually went by how dirty the laundry was.

Now that I bought this new SQ TL 432 in October, I'm using it a good portion of the time again.

What are other TL owners doing on here? Using extra rinse, or not? And why or why not? I can't really claim any logical justification for my use at all.

 

[rp2813]

We had a '97 Amana made by Raytheon, which was basically the same machine as the 432.  I always had that thing set for an extra rinse.  Worst rinsing of any machine I've ever owned.  Towels in particular were a lost cause. 

 

We replaced the Amana pair with a Duet pair and had increased suds levels in the Duet for a while due to non-he detergent residue in everything.  Once it all had been cycled through in the Duet, suds levels normalized.

 

[johnrk]

rp2813

Why would that machine be any worse at rinsing than any other top loader? I don't understand.

 

[appnut]

My 1978 GE had extra rinse option.  It stayed on the whole time I had the machine.  From what I understand, GE had a strike in like 1976 or 1977 and I have a feeling my machine was produced during that time.  Its pump didn't sound at all like the one in my sister's or mom's washer.  Mine had difficulty getting all the residual water out of the system after the spray rinse and just barely got up to full spin speed by the time it was time for it to stop to fill for the rinse.  The only time it worked "correctly" was on smaller loads.  Had a friend who bought the same model a year later.  Hers performed like it was designed to.  Then came the 1986 Lady Shredmore.  Much to my dismay, there was no spray rinse on knit/delicate or normal cycles after the wash.  Only after the deep rinse.  Only on PP after the cool down phase did it spray after the "wash".  Horrible rinsing due to lack of spray rinse after wash.   Thus 2nd rinse on loads I used normal on--only towels and sheets. Everything else was washed on Knit/Delicate with wash time reset for a total of 16 minute wash.  The Fridgemore also had extran rinsne turned on for all cotton cycles.  The sequence after wash was a suds kill flush.  Then 2 pulse spins followed by rinse.  With extra rinse on it did a total of 4 rinses.  My Duet was a breath of fresh air with more than adequate real rinsing.    

[this post was last edited: 12/9/2017-18:53]

 

[frigilux]

Extra Rinse: Only on loads using liquid chlorine bleach. Generally one load per week.

Most other loads: I fill my Speed Queen top-loader with true warm or hot water, then switch to the Normal Eco cycle which employs a spray rinse. Clothes are always rinsed adequately and water use is cut substantially.

 

[rp2813]

John, it only provided a single 15-second spray rinse.  Not nearly enough to adequately remove detergent prior to the deep rinse.  I would always select a warm rinse to increase the volume of the spray at least a little bit.

 

[speedqueen]

SQ Rinsing Ability

Ever since getting my Maytag A207, I have realized how poorly my AWN432 rinses. I think it really is the short spray rinse. MT never needs an extra rinse. SQ probably needs one but I can never justify the water usage. Frankly I think the A207 cleans better too.

 

[rp2813]

Exactly.  That's why I'll never own a SQ TL.  Fool me twice, shame on me.

 

Yes, they're old school with their long stroke agitation and better built than other makes, but they are far from the exalted holy grail that so many consider them to be.  Anyone who is susceptible to skin irritations from detergent residue would be advised to steer clear of SQ toploaders.

 

[mjg0619]

No rinsing issues on my Maytag LAT7793, but you should have seen the suds cake that would appear in that machine the first time a load was put in there that had last been washed in our old DD Whirlpool. And yes, the extra rinse was almost always employed on the Whirlpool.

The Maytag does a spray rinse in the first spin, then deep rinse with 2 mins of agitation, and another spray rinse in the final spin.

P.S. I'll also throw in my vote that ANY older Maytag cleans better. *ducks and runs*

 

[rp2813]

The only thing that would improve the old Maytags is a spray after the deep rinse.  Regardless, one of those will still out-rinse a SQ all day long, and IIRC, the Maytag spins maybe 50 or 100 RPM faster than a SQ 432 as well.

 

[imperial70]

I think the poor rinsing issue also has something to do with the tub design.In particular the holes are not like any other perforated basket. Just a thought. I too noticed the poor rinsing, even with small dose HE detergents.

 

[johnrk]

Whoa!

I didn't state that I was having any rinsing problems at all with this 432, in fact I certainly haven't noticed any. But, I'm not prone to overdosing with detergent, either.

 

[washman]

Once in a bluje moon

and usually when I wash 4 sets of bathroom towels. 

 

However I have found that dosing the rinse with vinegar improves soap removal considerably.

 

[Chetlaham]

I'm useing extra rinse less often now that almost every detergent is HE by default.

Biggest bad habit for me has always been overdosing on detergent- so I have extra rinsed when it could have been avoided in the first place.

SQ rinse ability- honestly, I do believe they do not rinse as well as other designs, even latter version of top loads that had a reduced spin/spray. Overall design might play a role. For example when the machine stops I do notice water comes down from the area where the balance ring meets the inner tub. Second thing I have noticed (least on my machine) is that the spin spray starts much to early, as soon as most the water has dropped below the inner basket- clothes still sopping and tub not at full speed. Its not that the drain is slow, but rather that the spray literally starts about 1 minute in when it should start at 3 minutes in according to the timer chart. On videos of the the 542, the spray does start latter.

In any case I would agree that SQ washers do not rinse as well as a late model DDs for example.

 

[speedqueen]

HE Detergent Rinsing...

In my own opinion, HE detergent doesn't rinse any better than an old fashioned high sudser, you just cannot gauge it because there are near no suds from the start. The surfactants are still there, you just can't see them.

I think SQ's final spins are actually higher than Maytag if I recall correctly. The first spin being set to slow on my DOE spec AWN432 because the Permanent Press cycle has to be used instead of normal doesn't help the already poor rinsing any bit.

 

[Chetlaham]

Good point about not seeing surfactants. Perhaps its the suds causing it, but the water in rinse feels less "slippy" to me if that makes sense. But the biggest peice of advice I can give: Never use the scope that comes with the box of powder or the cup in liquid. We all know its the right dosage x5, often literally. Its like tooth paste, they show an entire roll of paste on the brush covering every bristle when you only need a green pea sized drop.

SQ would be (at least should be) higher than a Maytag.

You are right about the first spin being slow on the 432. Yes, it certainly does not help.

 

[frigilux]

Speedqueen and Chetlaham: First spins are slow in all cycles on my 2017 series 9 (TOL with electronic touch controls).

Also: The first spin's spray rinse occurs very early (while there is still quite a bit of wash water left in the tub) in every cycle.

 

[Chetlaham]

Frigilux, thank you, I was not aware of this. Which its very surprising (and puzzling) to hear. Especially the spin spray being so early- I can't see the logic there. I always assumed it was a mistake in the specing of the timer or a hold over from the Amana days (the tech sheet calls for the spin/spray much latter in my 2013 model and it is identical {except for the motor cap} to a 97 Amana tech sheet), but the fact such logic has carried over to a total cycle reprogram leads me to ask why. Excluding a PP cycle, in all the washers I have seen the spin/spray starts after the water has fully left.

 

[gyrafoam]

I would only use the extra rinse option on my SQ if I had used Clorox in the wash, or had used a lot of detergent. Usually, if I have a load that is really dirty I would pre wash, anyway.

As it is, I have a few solid tub models I prefer to use when I use Clorox because of their lengthy overflow rinsing.
Although, there are plenty of machines that do a great job of rinsing as long as the don't have to deal with a suds lock situation, such as a 1-18 or a Filter Flo.
I have used old Maytag automatics for years and never once felt as though they were inadequately rinsed. I think the long spray rinse is very effective at clearing away wash residue.
When using fabric softener I prefer to use a machine that does not spray in the final spin as it rinses out the softener and defeats the purpose of using it. I tend to use it more in the winter due to static electricity.