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So I had the GE repair man come out and check out my machine. I posted earlier that I was having oil spots on my clothes after washing. Well - to my lucky suprise (major sarcasm here)... I found out it was not oil, but mold and mildew. YUCK! I have using towels with mildew on them and laying in dirty sheets. So gross. Apparently with the HE washers and specifically mine, GE Profile, you have to clean out the fabric softner spout thing every 3 months or else it gets clogged up with mildew. Gee... thanks GE for letting us know this in the manual or when we bought it. Then I found out I was using too much detergent. Again specifically to my machine I have to half the detergent that I was plannning on using. So a Large load I would use half the recommended the detergent says to use. Thanks again GE for letting me know this. Grrrrr....
So my tips to other HE washing manchine owners is if you machine starts stinking mildew like our sour you may have too much detergent stuck in there. And also see if you have to clean out your fabric softner spout thingy.
I am still telling Hubby I want a new washer tho... hehe...
Anyone else ever have that problem?
http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/12038848408677646337
Yes.. I always keep the lid open if not in use.
Dawn - the GE guy said it is most HE washers, but specifically the GE profile is "finicky" with the amount of detergent used. He said many people, me included, think "oh my clothes are super dirty so lets put a little extra detergent in there to get the clothes clean". He said too much detergent builds up and won't rinse out b/c of the amount of water so the deterget stays in the tub area. So when you do the next load the bubbles/detergent holds onto the new dirt but once again doesn't have enough water to clear it out. So each load you are adding more dirt to your laundry and it never really gets clean b/c once again not enough water. (did that make sense.... it made sense to me when he explained it to me)
Yes we were and have been using he detergent. The repairman still said to use half of that.
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Did he tell you a good way to clean out the fabric softener spout?
I haven't had this problem yet, I will keep an eye out because = ewwww.
I do also make sure to keep the washer door open for a few hours after each load (unless I'm doing another load right away) to give it time to dry out properly.
Edit to add: I have learned quite a bit about washers through my adventures in cloth diapering. I use about a 1/4 of the reccomended amount of detergent in all my loads. Like you mentioned, detergent builds up and actually makes clothes smell a little, especiallly diapers when they are "used" if you know what I mean! haha
My washer is not a GE profile and the instructions that came with it does say to use only detergent made specifically for HE machines. I use even less than the detergent directions suggest but that's because all detergents specify more than we need to use. My father was an appliance repairman. As a check he said that you can run your towels thru a cycle without any detergent and see if there are the suds still left in them. Use a water softener powder if you have hard water.
Re: so what happened, yes, that makes sense.
I read in my manual (I responded to your first post, I have a Kenmore front loader) that any time you see suds at the end of the cycle (around the seal in particular) then you are using too much detergent. Doesn't matter how much the product itself suggests, if there are suds at the end it was too much. I also have read (other sources) that most people use too much detergent regardless of WHAT kind of machine they have. ...even the top loading ones that people use powder they tend to use too much. Most people could wash a load of clothes with NO soap added, and still have soap in the wash from the last time the clothes were washed.
This is another reason that I often use plain white vinegar for my "fabric softener" instead of Downy. ;) I think it helps get any left over detergent out...
We have an LG washer that is HE and a LG dryer. I HATE IT!!! We have had tons of service on ours and because its LG, very few people are "qualified" to work on it. So we usually have to wait 2 weeks before someone can come out. There is HE detergent that you should buy for your washer. Buy a new one as soon as you can, that's what we are going to do! Good luck!!!
I have a frontloader. I have always used about half the amount of laundry soap. Comsumer Reports has actually said you should not use as much as companies always seem to call for. Instead of fabric softener I use white vinegar in the wash in the fabric softener dispenser and throw a few tennis balls in the dryer. My clothes always come out soft and never smell bad. During the summer when it gets hot I leave the door propped open when I have nothing in it since it's in the garage so it doesn't incourage mold growth. Every once in a while when I notice a musty smell I run the steam sanitize cycle with bleach put in the detergent dispenser.
Also check the inner seal around the inside of the door. Socks and other small things easily get stuck in there and can grow nasty. I check it after every single wash load. I've begun throwing socks into zippered mesh bags both to prevent them from getting in the seal and also to make it easier for me to put things away, I've got 3 kids and my boys will often have the same socks just different sizes and I hate trying to sort socks LOL
I have only had mine about a month and a half thanks for the warning. MIne is a ge profile also.
Good to know! did he show you how to clean out the fabric softener thingy? does it matter if you don't use it? thanks for posting your info!!!
That was the reason my old washer went bye bye. I don't have that problem with my new one. I leave the door open in the summer but I did that with my top loader as well. Keeps things from growing in there. :-/
I have a top loading HE like you... I just cleaned my fabric softener thingy out cause nothing was coming out of it anymore! LOL
Cool thing is tho that it comes TOTALLY apart.
We just ordered a maytag I'll let you know what I think of it it's ot a 5 star rating so I'm hopeful. It won't be here until Saturday though.
I don't know if this would make a difference for you, but I have a Samsung front-loader, and I do a couple of loads a week on the "sanitize" cycle. (Sheets, towels, underwear, and socks, mostly). I have not had any issues with mold or mildew, I think because of using the steam cycle so often. All that steam kills everything!
Also, for fabric softening, I started using the Bounce dryer bar rather than using a fabric softener in the wash. Maybe that would help you, also. I've found that one bar lasts 3-4 months (and I do a LOT of laundry), so it was more cost-effective for me. Just a thought! =)
