That's one way to clean the basement, I guess

Willowy

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Maybe I've had bad washers or something, but the agitator has always been a problem for me. Clothes get tangled around it and twisted so hard they get holes. Doesn't this happen to other people? Maybe I wash wrong, lol. :lol3:

I have a top-leader HE washer now. It's nice! It's true that a regular cycle doesn't do the job---I have to choose the soak option. I'm not sure if that uses more water or just lets the usual amount of water sit for longer. But once I figured that out it's been great. Rinsing doesn't seem to be a problem. Nothing gets tangled. It does take a long time to run a load though.

My mom didn't like her front-loader. It was a pain. So she got one like mine and she likes it too :D.

Anyway, congrats on the new washer! Too bad about the basement but at least you got the cleaning out of the way :tongue2:.
 
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raina21

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Wow, I'm surprised to hear all anti- front loader posts. We have had our whirlpool front loader washer and dryer set for over a decade with not a single problem. I can't remember if they are "energy savers" but they are these kind (minus Tesla of course haha) .

We had a top loader before this set and I hated it. It the clothes would always be completely sopping wet when the thing was done washing them. Water would drip all over the floor just from trying to move the laundry to the dryer. Plus the clothes were so wet they took twice as long to dry.
 

foxxycat

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that's the exact one I have!! I love the picture!! Luckily Honeybee has never shown interest in hopping inside-

the dryer one cost us $450 to fix the motor and replace the circuit board. two motors! the first one was burnt out and didn't run-so they ordered another one..still didn't work. I told the guy to test the thermoswitch in the back-did you think he did it? no. I wasn't at home when the guy was there-I told Jon or rather suggested he bring it up..he didn't..anyways yes its ok=but we like the old fashioned kind better.
 

denice

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One thing I have noticed about the front loader I have, I have to make sure I clean and dry the gasket inside the door really good each time after using.  I also run a packet of the Tide washing machine cleaner through it every once in a while.  If I don't do both of those the machine will start to smell bad.  My washing machine and dryer are in my kitchen so I certainly don't want it to start smelling.  I would think to if it got bad enough the clothes would also start to smell.
 

LTS3

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One thing I have noticed about the front loader I have, I have to make sure I clean and dry the gasket inside the door really good each time after using.  I also run a packet of the Tide washing machine cleaner through it every once in a while.  If I don't do both of those the machine will start to smell bad.  My washing machine and dryer are in my kitchen so I certainly don't want it to start smelling.  I would think to if it got bad enough the clothes would also start to smell.
Leave the washer door and the soap dispenser tray open for a day or so to let the inside dry out. That will help prevent mildew from forming and smelling. Since my washer is in a teeny closet, I leave the closet door open enough to allow the washer door and soap tray to be open a few inches. To keep the cats from exploring behind the washer and chewing on electrical cords, I have a kettlebell weight acting as a door stop for the closet door.

My Mom has a front loading washer as well. It's probably a few years old. The door gasket is covered in black sludge
I've told her to clean the gasket and let the inside dry out but she doesn't listen
I did laundry in her machine once and refuse to do it again. My clothes came out smelling like disgusting mold
I had to rewash everything at home.
 

MoochNNoodles

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We replaced our washer last winter. I would have gotten a Speed Queen if it were in our budget.  Mostly I'm happy with what we did get.  It's not "all knobs" but I still can tell it to add some water.  Which I do because that rinses better the first time.  

We wanted more water efficient ones since we are on a well and septic system.  But I also wanted a center agitator and the ability to soak things.  Dh's uniforms never got as clean in the front loader.  And even with leaving the door and dispenser tray open; it always got smelly.  I don't have that problem anymore at least!  A couple of times i have had to pause a spin cycle to move things around.  And I have to keep a cup of water on top of the dryer to add water to the fabric softener dispenser since it has to "sense" how much is in there to determine the water level.  I like doing laundry at my Grandma's because you can use your own head and tell it how much water you need and let it fill while you load it up.  It's not rocket science!  Other than those things it's made me much happier than the front loader!  
 
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Winchester

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The only thing I meant by "all knobs" is that it doesn't have an electronic control panel....it's all knobs. There is a model with the electronics, but I really didn't want to go there; it's unnecessary, IMO. And after frying two electronic control panels in the old dishwasher and then the panel in the stove, well, nope. No electronics for me!

And at this point, considering our old washer was 34 years old, any kind of washer would be an energy saver over what we had!

All I want to do is take the laundry downstairs and wash the stuff. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles (or electronics!) to get the job done. 
 
 

MoochNNoodles

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Yes that's what I wanted!  Laundry does not need to be complicated!!  When our washer broke we looked at the parts that were likely to be causing our issue. One, of course, was the control panel.  And that alone was over $200.  The switches would have tacked on about another hundred.  And then if DH couldn't install them we'd need to pay someone. And there were no authorized repair people in our area for some reason.  Not that we had an active warranty anymore.  
 
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Winchester

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Aw, come on, come on! Got home from work last night. Brought Clarence home. Rick went outside to start the grill for the chicken. I went downstairs to the freezer to get a package of perogies out to make with dinner for Rick. And there was water on the basement floor. Again. I went upstairs and called out the kitchen door to Dear Richard. He turned the grill back off and back to the basement we went. This time, it was the over-flow valve to the water softener that malfunctioned and salty water was on the floor. Not like on Sunday, but enough to make a nice mess. 

Grabbed the wet-dry vac and started cleaning the water up. Rick took plain water and washed the floor down to get the salt crystals off the floor....we didn't want the salt to corrode the concrete. Got it all cleaned up. Again.

I'm going back down this morning to do another cleaning with plain warm water to make sure the salt is gone. 

The washer is to be delivered today. The store called yesterday and gave us a time frame of between 10:00 and 5:00. Well, heck, that could be anytime! Rick couldn't take the whole day off, but I could, so I'm home. I'm hoping delivery is more in the morning so I can spend the afternoon playing catch-up on the laundry.

We came upstairs last night. Rick said, "Well, it's gonna happen once more; this crap happens in threes, you know." I smacked him. Yeah, I did.
 

denice

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Saltwater is supposed to be a mild disinfectant so now your basement floor is really clean.
 

minka

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Wow, I'm surprised to hear all anti- front loader posts. We have had our whirlpool front loader washer and dryer set for over a decade with not a single problem. I can't remember if they are "energy savers" but they are these kind (minus Tesla of course haha) .

We had a top loader before this set and I hated it. It the clothes would always be completely sopping wet when the thing was done washing them. Water would drip all over the floor just from trying to move the laundry to the dryer. Plus the clothes were so wet they took twice as long to dry.
It looks like your front loader is different than most. Most have a plastic flap that keeps water sealed inside and it must constantly be cleaned or mold will start to grow.
Either way, they make top loaders that are water efficient now, so there is no reason in my mind to buy a front loader.
 

LTS3

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I'm not sure why Mom decided to buy a front loading washer. Her old one was a top loader with agitator so space was not an issue. It might have been because top loading HE washers weren't as efficicent as they now are and / or cost more than a front loading one.
 

denice

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Mine is inside the opening.  It is really wide and has creases in it that have to be wiped out.  I think that is the only way to get them dry.
 

minka

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My front loader has the rubber gasket in the machine opening, not around the door.

Some people have no choice but to use front loading machines because the laundry hook ups are in a closet that is barely bigger than the machines or they have other space contraints where a top loading door may not work.

This is my little laundry closet:



I'm not sure why Mom decided to buy a front loading washer. Her old one was a top loader with agitator so space was not an issue. It might have been because top loading HE washers weren't as efficicent as they now are and / or cost more than a front loading one.
Well, yea, I meant under normal circumstances I can't see a reason to buy a front loader.
If you've got a bitty closet and need to stack, front loading is the only way you can go.
 

minka

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Mine is inside the opening.  It is really wide and has creases in it that have to be wiped out.  I think that is the only way to get them dry.
Yea, see I don't want to deal with the constant wiping. More hassle than it is worth imo.
 

LTS3

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Well, yea, I meant under normal circumstances I can't see a reason to buy a front loader.
If you've got a bitty closet and need to stack, front loading is the only way you can go.
If you have the space, a top loading washing is probably the best


I've seen those attached dryer / top door washer combos that are meant to go into tiny spaces. I know at least one unit in my condo complex that had one of the laundry combos when it was sold a few years ago (saw the real estate listing). The washer in a combo unit is really tiny. The older ones might have the agitator inside.

Real Simple magazine had an article in this year's January issue on how to choose a washing machine.
 

denice

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I have the space for a conventional washing machine and dryer.  I got this front loader probably 8 maybe close to 9 years ago.  Water is expensive here, at least it seems so to me, so I thought it would be a good idea.  At the time the HE top loaders were just beginning to come out and I thought there hadn't been enough time for them to get the bugs worked out of them.  Front loaders have been around for a long time so I went with that.
 
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The washer was delivered yesterday, right around 1:00. I haven't had a chance to use it yet because the drain hose isn't long enough to make it into the drain pipe in the basement. I was going to run down to Lowes in the afternoon to buy another hose, about ten feet long, but Dear Richard said he'd do it. I guess he doesn't trust me to buy the hose and put it together myself. He'll do it tonight and I'll probably start working on laundry Saturday morning.
 
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