Re: Washers for Our Wonderfully Sewn Garments

In article <444f2b3a$0$2560$ed2619ec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Kate Dicey <kate@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Phaedrine wrote:
[...]
I read over all the articles. Let me first say that since the Consumer
Reports (hereinafter "CR") scandal, I have been less trusting of them
though I still read them... but I don't rely on them as heavily. They
say that traditional washers are "very good" at both washing and
capacity. You get that "very good" quality at half the price--- and
with much shorter cycle times and regular, less costly detergent. Do
those of you with a front loader really use a special detergent? What
about other laundry additives like bleaches, blueing, stain removers,
fabric softeners, etc?

You need to use a low suds detergent. I don't think it costs any more
than the other stuff here: maybe less, it's the bigger seller! I never
use bleach, bluing, or anything except a pre-wash spray on greasy marks,
or a specific treatment for ink or tar or whatever. The washer will do
a cool pre-wash if you program it to: this will get out any loose dirt
before the main temperature wash. While I like to boil wash some
things, I usually wash most coloured things at 30-40 degrees.

All detergents here are low suds by definition. Most anything that
isn't is called a soap. But many of the front loaders recommend HE
detergent. It's good to know that is not necessary if it does cost
more. Once or twice a year, I like to use blueing on my white linens.
That really makes them look like new again.

Incredibly, I had the Bosch serviceman here this AM to replace a
warranty part in my dishwasher. This guy knew a lot about the front
loaders and gave me a complete rundown. He said they are improving but
that door seals and musty odors have been a problem in the earlier
models. He also quoted me studies that he got when he went to Bosch,
Whirlpool, and Maytag schools that give stats on actual energy savings.
I told him how timely was his visit and information. He also said that
the earlier models here were not nearly as good as they are in Europe.
That did not surprise me since the US is such a "throw-away" society.
But with the much higher cost of the front loading machines, maybe
people will come to expect and receive better quality.

I sort stuff by colour as well: a dark load, a white (and pastels) load,
a coloured load... Reds always get saved for a red load! I pop a
colour catcher in with things that might bleed (always with quilts, for
example!).

So is the front loader washing quality so much better that it's worth
twice the price? I get my clothes clean now with the exception of a few
white things I find it necessary to bleach or items with grease that I
have to pretreat with Lestoil. On average, I bleach 1 small load about
every two weeks.

I suspect that the water-saving calculation ignored the suds-saver
feature on conventional washers.

Is it really true that you cannot soak your laundry in the front loaders
and that the door seals don't last a long time? Good grief, I can't
imagine not being able to soak laundry. Whatever would you do with
bloodstained sheets for instance?

Yes, you can soak! Just pick a washer with a soak program! It'll
tumble them about a bit in a smaller amount of water, but I've never
needed to soak things: that's what the pre-wash program is for! As for
blood stained cotton sheets: pre-wash and then boil wash, all dialed up
as one program. For poly/cotton mix sheets, I use the same treatment
with a 50-60 degree wash.

My last washer lasted over 12 years: the door seal was fine when it died
of main bearing failure! This one is over six years old, and the door
seal is perfect - one of the few bits that is! :( Looks like it too
will outlast the drum, bearings, switches, trim... and everything else
that's disintegrating... :(

I checked on the age of my Maytag and was shocked. We bought it in 88
so it is 18 years old and still, knock on wood, going strong. I hope it
lasts long enough so that I can get a front loader with all the bugs
worked out!

CR says that some of the new top loaders already meet the 2007 energy
conservation requirements so I'm not so convinced on the energy front.
But having a larger capacity and getting clothes cleaner with less
energy & water is very appealing--- if that is significantly true, not
just a little bit true. It certainly seems advantageous to have less
water remain in the clothes, energy-wise. But what about delicates?

Wash them on the delicates cycle! Slower tumbling when wet, slower spin
speeds, and a leeetle more water than a conventional load per weight of
clothes... mine washes far better than hand washing!

Good... good... that is all good. What about underwires? By hand?

[...]
If you live in a hard water area (as we do - taps filled courtesy of
Blue Circle!), consider getting a water softener fitted. I use a third
or less than the recommended dose for soft water areas. It prolongs the
life of the machine, your shower, and your central heating! Other wise
you can always add a softener to the wash load, or descale the washer
every so often.

Fabric softeners go in a special dispenser in the soap drawer, and are
added at the right time in the rinse cycle. I find with the soft water
and the much smaller amounts of powder I use (and the large number of
performance enhanced hi-tec fabrics in a lot of our clothing that forbid
fabric softener use!) that I never use it! Another expense saved!

Fortunately, our water is just the right PH and quite soft. Though we
have a rural septic system, we do get city water. When I lived in
Wisconsin, we had a water softener and you really had to watch not to
use too much soap. Fabric softener is really hard on a septic system so
I tend to use it sparingly and not too often.

--
I fear me you but warm the starved snake,
Who, cherished in your breasts, will sting your hearts. (Henry VI, Shakespeare)
.

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