Washer & Dryer Maintenance

[peterh770]

Well, not the most thorough, but I guess it is a start for some...

http://www.diylife.com/2010/03/26/washer-and-dryer-tune-up/?ncid=webmail

 

[nmassman44]

but did you see the how twisted up the vent hose was behind the dryer??? OMG and then he talks about "dryer fires" well hello its under his nose. I take what they say with a grain of salt most of the time...they have no clue.

 

[gansky1]

" did you see the how twisted up the vent hose was behind the dryer??? OMG and then he talks about "dryer fires" well hello its under his nose. I take what they say with a grain of salt most of the time...they have no clue. "

And then puts that plastic foil hose on it without bothering to even mention the pipe in the wall and what might be lurking in it. In that WP/KM 27" dryer, a bad vent will cause back-pressure in the airflow and lint will build up in the lower regions of the dryer - around the motor and burner assemblies. That's where the fire will start.

That crinkled up vent the he took off looks like a Sears delivery install job, I've seen that more than a few times.

 

[nmassman44]

I thought that same thing too Greg. He did a half fast job.

 

[DADoES]

 
I saw this video months ago, someone linked it on another message board.

The new ducting he put on the dryer is too long and got kinked-up again when he pushed the machine back.

Adding an extra gallon of hot water to the maintenance wash after the machine fills will raise the water level above the established scum-line.  Stopping it to soak for a couple hours or overnight also will help.  Running the cycle with a large dose of enzyme automatic dishwasher detergent should chew-up the scum better than laundry detergent & bleach, yes?

The washer wasn't sitting stable, it rocked when he leaned on it to connect the power cord.  No mention of leveling or adjusting self-leveling rear legs.

I'd imagine the video was shot on a set with the machines placed there just for the demo.  The washer hoses weren't corroded and the crinkled dryer ducting looked too shiny-new.  

 

[MrX]

Yeiks!! That dryer tube is definitely a disaster waiting to happen. There's absolutely no way it should be kinked up behind the machine like that.

We've a Miele vented dryer, and I give it and its metal vent ducts a good vacuuming once in a while.

It's very easy to just slip the nozzle off the vacuum cleaner, turn it up to full power and slide it through the ducts. You can also use a small chimney brush to clean out the ducts if they're very long.

After that, I vacuum the area around the door filter, any ducts I can get access to etc etc.

Also, he didn't seem very concerned about the rest of the duct i.e whatever that little bit of dryer tubing was connected to ... if that's blocked up with lint or or kinked / damaged it's an equally big problem.

As for cleaning the washing machine with just detergent and bleach. Yeah, that will kinda work if you've got no "gunk" in there to start with

I'd suggest this, particularly if you never do hot washes:

1) Descale the machine using an approved washing machine descaling product.
2) Run the machine with a disinfectant solution on a hot wash e.g. laundry sanitizer or something that is approved for that purpose in a washing machine e.g. some of the liquid disinfectants are.
3) Leave that solution in the machine over night to kill all the bugs.
4) Complete the cycle.

Descaling once in a while is very important if you're in a hard-water area, and particularly if you have a front-loader which has an internal element.

If you do hot washes regularly, and your machine looks and smells clean. You can give that a skip completely!

You should, however, wipe down any seals with a damp cloth and if it's a front loader, check the pre-pump coin-trap / filter for any debris i.e. coins, buttons or other items that may have found their way in there during the washes etc
Typically, this should only need to be done about once very 6 months (or, if you know that something has gone into the machine or it is draining slowly. The filter is usually self-cleaning and the pump will pass any lint, or even small buttons without issue.

You should also rinse out the detergent dispenser / fabric softener dispenser on your machine front or top loading (if it has one) with warm (not boiling) water to dissolve any fabric softener or detergent that has lodged there.

Front loaders drawer dispensers should be wiped out with a warm damp cloth with some mild disinfectant too.

 

[whirlcool]

He didn't mention having a bucket under the faucets when removing the hoses. Saves having to mop up the floor from the water in the hoses after disconnection.

That original dryer duct sure was beat up! It looked like a dog had gotten a hold of it!

 

[peterh770]

The part that killed it for me was when he moved the washer out, leans over and unscrews the hoses. No warning to the viewer that there will be back pressure in the hoses and the ensuing puddle that will happen -- which will probably make a mess with the dirt that was under the washer that you won't be able to clean up unless you move the washer ALL THE WAY OUT.

That is when I thought, "Hmmm, I bet he only half-asses the dryer." I was not disappointed.

 

[DADoES]

 
Turning off the taps then running the machine briefly on a warm fill will also relieve the residual hose pressure.