General Chat

Just done a 60 degree wash with white vinegar on an empty machine. Hope this has given it a good clean out. A woman at work boils her kettle with white vinegar to descale it, then rinses it out a couple of times. Another tip.
Hilary

Every month or so if you take the filters out of your tumble dryer and wash them in washing up liquid it unclogs them and the dryer lasts longer. :-D

Thanks to everyone, some good tips, I will definately try the white vinegar. I also am going to now do hot washes on T towels etc as washing on low degree washes does'nt kill the bacteria.
Hilary

So glad I read this thread and thanks Hilary for starting it...my problem has always been mainly with the conditioner tray drawer full of water after a wash...now I know the reason why and will try out Chris's method of white vinegar for a good cleansing of said machine.....wonder if this method would work on clogged arteries ;-) only joking of course...
Thanks folks

Joyce P

Soda crystals works a treat on tea stained cups & added to an empty cycle once a month keeps scale away, use on spoons and just about everything, a lot cheaper than branded cleaner and more effective, just make sure its rinsed properly.

The only problem is the bags it comes in has a tendency to spill out, so I tip it into an empty ice cream tub :-D

Recently had similar problems, not so much with the machines (clothes / dish washers) but the drains.
Cleaned both appliances with 'special formula' cleaners. Worked a treat on the machines - but cleaned out so much gunge, the outside drain blocked!

Worst culprit - the dishwasher.

Engineer solutions:
Baking soda mixed with white vinegar (also good for 'rinsing out' kitchen sinks etc).
Recommended an occ empty hot wash for the d/washer, with above, or even just the vinegar.
For w/machine - try to avoid the 'additives' and do the occ hot wash / boil to clear pipes. I've started using the liquid that goes into the drum with the clothes, rather than the powders, as well. Seems okay at the moment .....

I have the same problem with my washing machine when I put the conditioner in. The drawer is always full of water when finished. I wash it out a few times a week but it does not work. I will try the tips you have all put on here and see what works. We are also in a hard water area. I can not wait for the better weather. I just love the smell of fresh laundry when dried outside.

use a cupful of washing soda oh a high setting once a month it will claen out all the crap also good forkeeping limescale at bay. told this by enginer and it does work.

I had the same problem but was also using washing liquid as well as fabric conditioner. My washing machine was also starting to smell. Have gone back to using powder and don't have the problem anymore :-)

My Mother in law has had automatics for the last 30-40 years, has never used the wash cycle, but washes and rinses by hand and only uses the machine for spinning as a result we have to go to her and put a hot wash on or replace the pipes cos there are clogged up with conditioner, she wont change and says she paid a lot of money for said machines and doesn't want to damage them. :-\

About once a month I run the washer empty at 90c. Sheets, pillow cases, flannels, towels and tea towels are washed having a spoonful of Napisan added to the washing liquid.

Our mothers' generation used to boil whites and hang them out to dry - there seemed to have been a lot few alergies with this system.

Have managed to dry the sheets etc. on the line outside today, thanks to a strong wind. They smell divine!

I recently bought some very cheap flacons of what I thought was liquid washing liquid.It was soooo cheap, didn't look properly at the instructions.Turns out it was fabrc softener, something I have never used as I can't stand towels etcl to be soft, like them nice & rough.Gave them to my daughter who does use this..but, I am the one who folds up the washing, and notice how 'slimey', the towels etc. feel after using softener...hmmm. It is also bad for the machine.!!! Each to his/her/own, I prefer to use towels etc, that have dried naturally.My aunty used to wash towels & duvets covers by hand ( in spite of the washing machine I bought tor her & my mother), the towels always felt 'slimey' too.

try using a liquid that has a built in conditioner

Its not just the drawers though its the pipes that get clogged up. Conditioner really is the worst problem as it doesn't wash down completely.

We have a water softener cos we are in a very hard water area but I still find I want to use conditioner as clothes dont have a nice soft texture without it

its not only the drawer,

there is usually a capillary tube that goes to the pressure sensor that sees when the required water level is reached,if that gets blocked then the machine will overfill..........

just take the draw out and wash it

I don't use any softener now since I had to give my machine a good spring clean to de clog it.My engineer told me that we don't need it as I live in a soft water area.Nothing wrong with the softness of my clothes...do use non bio ariel though,don't like the other,,makes me itch!

I used to have that problem with the conditioner tray/drawer.
My washing machine chap told me that the conditioners are a problem to washing machines - they are too thick and clog up the works. Consequently, for many years now I've been diluting my conditioner (yes ok, call me a cheapskate) and I've never had a problem since :-)

A big plus is that my conditioner goes a long long way. And, honestly, it still does the job, even though I dilute it by 4 to 1......that's with regular conditioner by the way, not any of these double-triple-super-strength new fangled inventions!!

Karen

Hi Hilary,
I suspect a lot of problems like blocked waste pipes may be due to “Eco” mania, washing everything at low temperatures.
I read that towels in a gym were tested and had high levels of bacteria that would have been killed by hotter washing.

After all, the experts tell us to wash thoroughly to reduce the spread of infection, but then some tell us soap is not what kills many things it just loosens the dirt it’s the hot water that is most effective at sanitising.

My wife always boiled the nappies they came up lovely white and squeaky clean the modern reusable nappies I see now just look grey and awful because you can’t wash at high temp.

Best wishes,
Mayfield

dishwasher engineer told me this many years ago and have done regularly along with washer ever since.

Take a beaker full of white vinegar and put it in empty machine on a full wash about every couple of months or so. We also live in a hard water area.