Front loading washers

[jobob]

*** I work for Procter and Gamble in the Fabric and Home Care division ***

No way!!!

I used to work at a biotech company that supplies P&G with enzymes for laundry detergents. I used to work on the protease that went into Tide. An enzymologist's dream job - how to make a protease that didn't fall apart in hot water but still worked well in cold water. I used to know all sorts of arcane things about water hardness all over the world, surfactants, that sort of thing. Oh and the different types of technical swatches - BMI and the like ...

But back on topic -- LeeBob is lurking this thread now, we were just discussing the possibility of stacking a front loader washer & dryer in our little laundry room.

[Tuckervill]

I LOVE my Whirlpool Duet and none of the things Xeney complained about are a problem for us. We don't wash diapers, but my husband's work-out clothes get pretty rank. We started adding Febreeze laundry additive to those washes, and that made a difference. We have extremely hard water that leaves residue on surfaces, so maybe mine works better because of that...I dunno how all that works (but I hope the P&G folks will chime in). My clothes are cleaner with the Duet, and it's wonderful. I love it.

I just made a habit to press the "Cold" button whenever I wash. I do that to save money on heating the water. Nothing has shrunk, though, even on warm. Maybe my water heater is not up enough (the former owner put a partition around it and I've never even seen the stupid thing).

I'm sorry your Duet is not working out for you. I'm sure someone would buy it if you decided to sell and get something else.

Karen

[DDH]

I have a Duet also, and I love mine. I did have a problem with my (and I know this is going to sound weird) permenant press always having a smell to it. I couldn't stand it and it was driving me crazy that only these clothes were smelling and I could not figure out what was wrong.
Finally I started leaving my door open and I try to remember to put the washer through the cleaning cycle once a month like it recommends but I know I miss times. Anyway, it has stopped. I don't know why it was ever this way or why it stopped but I no longer have a smell problem with my clothes.
The only thing I could think of was I quit stuffing the washer with clothes and started making two loads out of my permenant press. That's the only thing I ever had a huge amount of and I guess it just wasn't getting them clean since I was stuffing the washer.
It still washes a whole lot more at once than my top loader ever did and it saves tons of water.

I get irritated the the detergent is more expensive, but other than that, I love it.

[Irulan]

My Duet 4.0 is getting delivered/installed on Friday.

[xeney]

We don't wash diapers, but my husband's work-out clothes get pretty rank. We started adding Febreeze laundry additive to those washes, and that made a difference.

Unfortunately that is not an option with the diapers -- additives like Febreeze can really affect the absorbency. Plus I try to avoid things with scents, and it frankly makes me angry to spend this much money on a washer and then have to add things to mask smells that it is not removing.

I just made a habit to press the "Cold" button whenever I wash. I do that to save money on heating the water. Nothing has shrunk, though, even on warm. Maybe my water heater is not up enough (the former owner put a partition around it and I've never even seen the stupid thing).

Sounds like we have different versions of the machine -- if there were a "cold" button it would be easier, but it's that little button you have to press multiple times to get through the cycle of options. There is nothing wrong with it, it's just an annoying interface and I am irritated that "warm" is the default when most people wash on cold for the reason you point out, to save money. And our water heater is turned WAY down because we have a toddler who likes to adjust the water temperature in the bathtub.

I should stress that I am not comparing the Duet to a top loader. We have not had a top loader for about ten years. But it is nowhere near as good at cleaning clothes as our old Kenmore was. We really wish we had had that one repaired a fourth time rather than buying this machine. After two months, our towels (which looked like new in the Kenmore) look like old rags, and our diapers stink, and I hate this machine.

As soon as I can afford a new one I will probably put this one on Craigslist.

I hope yours works out, Irulan. I really wish we hadn't bought ours.

[Tuckervill]

My friend with cloth diapers always put baking soda in the wash. She bought giant boxes of it from Sam's Club.

My Duet wash has a button that says something like "Hot Wash/Cold Rinse" Warm Wash/Cold Rinse" and "Cold Wash/Cold Rinse". It defaults to the middle one (warm) and when I press it, it goes down the list, so it goes right to the Cold/Cold. Once I trained myself, it became second nature and I don't even think of it anymore.

Karen

[tulip]

Borax is also a very good laundry booster. It is sometimes hard to find. Mule Team Borax is the brand that I use.

[Becky]

I'll toss in my two cents for washing soda added in with the detergent. Like baking soda, but stronger. Even DH's funky cycling clothes smell ok after a wash with this stuff.

[tribogota]

just one more, love my front loader, whirpool, 13lbs, small, so sometimes I have to do more loads...love it so much that I hate to wash when I visit my mother who has a top loader, seems less clean. I have had it for 5 years and definitly wears down the clothes less, I can even throw in bras.

[bmccasland]

I'm amazed that my grass stained white socks (from mowing the lawn) are starting to come clean with washing in my new front loader - with the same brand detergent in warm water.

And after reading this thread, I'm now leaving the washer door open - no one told me to do so before, and I certainly live in a mold friendly environment!

Amazing the things you learn on TE forums!

[Miranda]

I didn't read every word of this thread, but I'll put my seething two cents in to hopefully save some soul from the worthless equipment I own.

It's not a front loader, but "supposedly" to work the same as one... only in an upright version.

Whirlpool Cabrio

OMG... THAT THING IS THE MOST WORTHLESS ***INSERT PROFANITY OF YOUR CHOICE*** $2K+ PIECE OF BLEEEEEPP I HAVE EVERY SPENT $$$ ON.

*deep breath*

It has no center aggitation, and weighs the clothes itself. You can't over-ride to soak with more water. THEREFORE, I have to hand wash things FIRST before putting them in the washing machine. THEN, it's questionable if you need a re-do.

The only plus is the spin cycle is fast. Long story, but I didn't use it until the return period had passed. Otherwise that thing would have gone back. I have dreams at night of how to blow it up to get $ to buy something else.

Ahhhh, much mo better now... rant concluded.

Happy Shopping (for ANYTHING) other than what I own.

[Irulan]

I have dreams at night of how to blow it up to get $ to buy something else.

LOL, like that TV commercial.
That is how I feel about mine. I have a first generation ( and last generation ) of a "high efficiency spray rinse" unit that has always done a crappy job on clothes. It hides dirt in it that collects at the bottom of the tub. I will wash a couple of yards of brand new fabric, and it comes out with silt on it.

Normally we are a "drive it til it breaks" family but I am just sick of this thing.

[bmccasland]

Normally we are a "drive it til it breaks" family but I am just sick of this thing.

An early death by stone washing your new jeans with rocks? "Honest Honey, I don't know what happened."

just trying to help

[tulip]

The only washers I've had have been Sears Kenmore. I've never had a front loader, and unless Sears makes one, I'm not going to get one. In any case, it will likely be many years before I need to replace my Kenmore.

But my brother and his wife love their Bosch.

[OakLeaf]

I don't believe Sears actually manufactures any of their large appliances. Frigidaire front loaders are private labeled under the Kenmore brand, have been for nearly 15 years.