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The Sew What’s New Archive
This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and
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From: Longblades
Date: 08-02-2005, 11:08 AM (1 of 7)
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I wonder if anyone else has noticed this. Two of the touted features are "gentle on clothes" and "uses less water." That's great for most of my laundry and as we are on a well I really appreciate the lower water comsumption. But, I recently pre-shrank a mere 3 metre piece of fabric and it came out with dry spots that had obviously never even got wet. I don't think my washing machine is using ENOUGH water. REally dirty loads, large loads and my would-be felting project also suffer from the lack of agitation and small amount of water used. There is a heavy wash setting with stronger agitation but it doesn't swish stuff around vigorously enough. Has anybody else noticed this? Or is it just my machine? |
User: Longblades
Member since: 07-14-2005 Total posts: 182 |
From: Sheri
Date: 08-02-2005, 02:05 PM (2 of 7)
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I have a Maytag Neptune front-loader and have never noticed that. In fact, there is always a small amount of water left in my machine at the end of the cycle. Could it be your well isn't pumping enough water? |
User: Sheri
Member since: 12-04-2000 Total posts: 126 
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From: blackie
Date: 08-02-2005, 03:20 PM (3 of 7)
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The Maytag Neptune is a Cadillac of a washer - so I would expect it to get the job done! But I know others with less expensive front loaders who have similar problems. My good friend occasionally brings her kids' clothes over to my house (top-loader) to get stains out that her washer doesn't. Also, I am a cloth diapering mom and I have friends who can't get their HE front-loaders to do what needs to be done for dipes. Even on front loaders, I've never heard of dry spots before, though. That seems like a problem and not "typical" of front loaders. Anyone else? see the mundane life of a housewife.
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User: blackie
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 594 |
From: Melanie T
Date: 08-02-2005, 03:52 PM (4 of 7)
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I like my front loader because of the lower water and energy use. For normal use it works great. Sometimes, however it is too gentle to get really dirty stuff clean and felting is next to impossible. The dry spots sounds like a problem that you might want to look into, I have never seen it in mine. The first time I prewashed folded fabric it was still folded when it came out - I make sure I unfold it now so it can move. Using a high effiency (HE) laundry soap with the really dirty stuff helps (I use Tide HE), and I presoak my husbands greasy work clothes overnight. If I do that the clothes come nicely clean. For other loads, I have to use a "free" soap because of allergies. For felting, I go to my mother-in-laws to use her old toploader which does a great job, even on things that you don't want felted. My clothes seem to last longer with the frontloader and shed less lint in the dryer than with my old toploader. Melanie Melanie
4 little sewing machine mechanics (6, 4, 2, Born June 14) Ontario Canada |
User: Melanie T
Member since: 09-21-2004 Total posts: 155 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 08-02-2005, 09:55 PM (5 of 7)
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I have a new KitchenAid front loader that I LOVE. It gets my clothes cleaner than my 'old' (3 yr OLD Kenmore Elite top loader) ever did. I don't have to washed stained clothes 3-4 times to get one little stain out. ( like I had to on the 'old' one). Now I DID have dry spots with my old top loader, but that was because the water pump was stuck...one small dime sized piece of LINT, $150. repair....bye-bye Kenmore... (that was the 4th repair in 3 yrs.)
Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Longblades
Date: 08-03-2005, 09:04 AM (6 of 7)
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Thanks to all. My machine is a top rated Kenmore (actually made by Frigidare) that won all kinds of consumer awards so it should be a good machine. My well and pressure pump cannot be at fault as the machine gauges how much water is in before allowing each cycle to start - but maybe the gauge is set wrong. And I do make sure fabric is unfolded. I guess pre-soaking is the obvious answer but even that is a pain as I will have to do it in the laundry tub, not the washer. Boy, I'm starting to see more advantages than just lower initial cost to those top loading machines. |
User: Longblades
Member since: 07-14-2005 Total posts: 182 |
From: MaryW
Date: 08-03-2005, 11:00 AM (7 of 7)
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Can you please move this topic to Home and Hearth. Thanks.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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