Washing blankets

[lordkenmore]

I spent the weekend washing some blankets. This was a bit of worrisome experience--the washer here is a BOL Shredmore that does not--and I repeat does not--have a true delicate cycle. (The "Gentle" cycle agitates full speed for short period, pauses, and repeats.) I honestly wondered if the blankets would emerge in one piece, reasonably clean, and reasonably well rinsed. My approach was to put water in the washer with a light dose of detrgent, and then let the blanket soak for a period. Then do the Gentle cycle (with, of course, full tub of water.) So far, so good--the blankets seem fresh, and they have survived.

 

I've been drying these outside--one reason for doing this binge is to take advantage of outdoor drying weather while it lasts.

 

Today's blanket is probably an acrylic blanket. I've probably washed this many times, although I think today was the first time I dried it outside. I was interested to find when checking on it at one point that there was a feeling of static electricity. Interesting, and it surprised me a bit, given that it had dried outside. I am supposing the wind was blowing enough to cause it to flex enough to generate static electricity.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

Better to take them to the Laundromat:

Your blankets will be washed and rinsed much better by the large washer-extractors and dried much nicer in the big tumblers than you could ever do at home.
WK78

 

[maytag85]

The whirlpool direct drive is not the most gentle on clothing, but my parents' front load washer that got replaced with a Maytag washer and dryer was the definition of " SHREDMORE". When the door gasket went bad, it chewed up our clothes badly, and the clothes would get caught in between the drum, and the washer would shred our clothes. Since we got the Maytag, my clothes have been cleaner, and smell fresher.

 

[brucelucenta]

Better to take them to the Laundromat:

That is, if you have not wisely purchased a front load washer. Front loaders do a superb job of washing blankets with no strain or stress on them. They do that with everything else too. Of course you DO have to keep up maintenance on them as you do anything. To keep using a machine that is obviously damaged until it damages your clothing is kind of ridiculous Maytag85.

 

[appnut]

John, my partner has a near BOL 3.0 cu. ft. Estate brand with the same type of Delicate cycle.  It's best to approach just as you did, a load that still has plenty of room that's not too close to being full.  Fortunately the rinse portion does the same approach to "agitation".    I cringed the few times I used the cycle on my stuff but it killed me using all that water and he's on a septic system.  But everything emerged relatively unscathed.

 

[wayupnorth]

I have washed all my blankets in the Fabric-Matic Delicate cycle for well over 30 years and put them on the line to dry when its nice out and they are fine and smell real nice. Need to start the cycle over and wash them again before winter is here.

 

[appnut]

Tim, the difference is the Maytag's normal agitation speed is far gentler than the DD Whirlpool product LordKenmore and I are referring to.  If I was able to make a choice between both, I'd opt for the Maytag. 

 

[wayupnorth]

I know Bob. I never owned a DD anything. Last one I owned was a 74 Kenmore 80 with true delicate speed and belt drive. I honestly thought my Maytag had a slow speed when I bought it because it said Delicate, but it will shred very delicate things, but blankets work fine, lace curtains no.

 

[lordkenmore]

A Laundromat is frankly the last place I really feel like going, even if it were convenient, and it's not. I more than burned out on them when I was forced to use them exclusively! (Although I'd go if it were necessary for something, such as a bulky comforter. Their machines might work better for these blankets...but I don't really need powerful cleaning. It's just more freshening, and it seems like I'm getting that.)

 

That is, if you have not wisely purchased a front load washer.

 

I'm pretty much stuck using what the property owners dumped here, which is a BOL WP. I do sometimes think about getting my own washer--but the realities of that laundry room are such that a top load washer of some sort is about the best choice.


 

put them on the line to dry when its nice out and they are fine and smell real nice.

 

And I, too, like the fresh outdoor scent.


 

I cringed the few times I used the cycle on my stuff but it killed me using all that water and he's on a septic system.

 

I cringe at the water use, too... Although for this project, I figure it's an occasional thing, not day to day laundry.


[this post was last edited: 9/5/2017-01:39]

 

[DADoES]

 
Whirlpool (I think) outlined a procedure for machine-washing wool blankets in an owner's guide I saw years ago.  Fill the machine with warm water and detergent, agitate briefly to dissolve.  Unfold blanket and submerge it into the wash water.  Soak for a while.  Agitate briefly, advance timer to spin and drain.  Fill for deep rinse, agitate briefly.  Advance timer to drain and final spin.

My F&P toploader has a cycle for Woolens with an agitation speed that's supposed to be gentle enough to avoid damage.  It's probably suitable for synthetic and knitted blankets and throws.  The machine also has a special Lifecycle for Comforters, which is preset for high water level, lower agitation speed, and two deep rinses (no spin after wash or between the rinses).  It pauses before the final spin with a message on the display instructing to press the item down to/below the Medium/High water level and press Start to continue, which is to prevent a bulky item from getting damaged by rubbing on the tub ring if it floated or billowed-up from air pockets.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Glenn, How well does it rinse with no extraction between washing and rinsing? I guess the reason for no spinning is due to the manual compressing of the comforter needed before the final spin.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Acrylic Blankets

In the late 50s, Acrilan was new. It, or DuPont, was a sponsor of the Perry Como Show. One night at the start of the show, they put an Acrilan blanket in a big Whirlpool 33" wide Combo and told how it was gong to wash and dry during the show. They started it and then went to the show. At each commercial break, they would show the combo operating.  Finally, at the end of the show, they took the dry blanket out and showed how it had not matted or shrunk. It was the most exciting TV show I had ever watched.

 

[DADoES]

 
I've used the Comforter cycle a few times, no issue with rinsing performance.

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, one of the new top load HE machines, from any number of mfg's, would probably be a good fit for your laundry room, however, if other tenants are going to have access, it might get destroyed with over-sudsing non-HE detergent suds overload. Of course you'd want to look for an HE top loader with an impeller, not an agitator.

Oddly, when I visited Japan on business back in 1996, the factory where we gaijin were sequestered had a washer and dryer for our convenience. Even back in '96, Panasonic (National) was making impeller washers.

 

[lordkenmore]

I'm the only one using the equipment here, so HE detergents issues would not be a worry.

 

That said, a top load HE washer is pretty unlikely to happen any time soon. If this washer were replaced by the property owner, it would probably be replaced by the cheapest possible used washer. It would likely be another WP DD, or WCI Frigidaire.

 

Past this, I wonder if a HE washer would work. One issue is that there is no running hot water. I can work around that with using a bucket now, but I wonder if it's possible to manually pour hot water into a modern HE machine and have it work. (I am thinking the computer might "know" that water is in there, but didn't go through the fill valve, and then kick up a fuss with fault codes.)

 

I think if I were getting my own washer, I'd probably also go with a used top load machine since I know they work fine. And save major investment in a new washer for a time when I have a better laundry room to work with. Not that i have the budget at the moment for even a new BOL washer...

 

[lordkenmore]

The other issue with HE is that the big selling point in my mind is saving hot water and detergent. Water itself is not a huge worry where I am--at least at this time, although one supposes that could change... While energy savings would be nice, the washer is frankly the least of the energy footprint here. I'm dealing with old construction, which is not terribly easy to heat in winter. While HE washer would help save energy, I'd be better off with a GE Filter-Flo in a place with better insulation.

 

[ea56]

My Maytag MVWC415 with an agipeller washes our king size blankets, comforters and bedspreads with no problems on either the Bulky, Deep Water or Delicate cycles, despite the contrary info that may be posted by others that either don't own or have never used a machine like this. I get 120f wash water if I select hot wash. This machine also rinses thoroughly, doesn't tangle and there is no linting on the fabrics.

I've always washed and dried my blankets and other large items in whatever washers and dryers that I've owned. Some handle large items better than others. The Maytag seems to be one of the better machines that I've ever used for large items. It never unbalances and spins first time, every time just like its supposed to do. The Kenmore DD that we owned in 2000 was probably one of the worst. The deep, narrow tub just didn't allow for much movement.
Eddie[this post was last edited: 9/5/2017-18:20]

 

[moparwash]

Ill have to try the blanket cycles on my Westinghouse Laundromat and dryer

 

[appnut]

Jerry, it tumbles for a little while and then pauses.  then you advance it to complete the cycle.  Someonewhere in my downloaded files I have the description for this cycle.