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Routine Appliance Maintenance Tips
WASHERS
Last updated : 12/30/2020
Normal Use
:. Do not close the lid/door hard, as this may cause
damage to the door lock/switch.
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:. High efficiency (HE) washers use very little water
compared to the older washers that were not
called "high efficiency". They will not fill up as much
as the older ones. With the lesser amount of water
they also require a less amount of detergent. HE
detergent is already many times more
concentrated than the older detergent, which
means it takes a very small amount per load. Using
the detergent pods are very nice because it gives
an exact measured amount every time. One per
load seems to do the trick. Place one pod directly
in the tub.
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:. Doing as few loads of laundry is always nice, but
you also need to remember to not overload the
washer. Wet clothes spinning around are very
heavy and this can wear out components fast and
make for unbalanced conditions, which can also
cause damage. Also, with some extra room for
clothes to move around they will be able to get
cleaner.
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* Too few clothes in the washer can cause an issue
where it will not have enough clothes on the
opposite side of the tub to act as a counter-
balance during spin cycles and can get off
balance.
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:. For front load washers: after the last load of
laundry leave the door open for the washer to air
out, otherwise it is just a moist dark area for smells
and mold to form. Also leaving the detergent
drawer pulled out and opened, if it opens, will help
it air out as well.
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Using a washcloth to dry the area in the rubber
door gasket will help this mold prone area be dry
to help prevent mold and smells. If you have pets,
usually this area collects a lot of hair. The
washcloth is a good way to get the hair into the
trash instead of it clogging up the drain pump.
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Drying the door off is a good as keeping it dry in
between uses will help keep it free of mold. Also,
the bottom of the window can get hair or debris
building up on it. If this happens it can cause a
break in the door seal and a leak to form that
would run down the front of the washer from the
bottom of the door.
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A handy place to keep the wash cloth is on a
suction cup hook on the side of the washer so it
will be convenient to reach to help keep the
washer working well.
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Routine Maintenance
:. The above 'Normal Use' steps used as
recommended will greatly help out your life with
your washer.
Below are some extra steps to get the
most out of your washer:
:. Use "affresh" tablets once a month on a hot cycle
with no clothes to keep soap and other build up to
a minimum. It will also help with smells.
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:. About once a week run an empty cycle with no
clothes or adding detergent on "heavy" or "sanitize"
setting. This will help flush out the old soap residue
to help prevent too much soap residue building up
over time. Too many suds can cause issues. If you
washer has a window you will be amazing how
much soap is left behind even without adding soap
seeing all the suds that form.
Also, you can pour a cup of white vinegar in the
dispenser and a half a cup of baking soda in tub
and run an empty cycle with hot water to help
smells. This might be more for trying to tackle
major smells, but at least do the empty cycle
without adding anything extra about once a week.
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:. Periodically take out the detergent drawer and
clean it. Most washers have a tab visible when the
drawer is pulled out all the way. When the tab is
pressed it will allow the drawer to come out
completely. You can then take it to the sink and
help clean it out. Some drawers have other pieces
that have to fit together. Be aware to remember
where they all fit back.
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With the drawer out, it is also a good time to reach
inside where the drawer goes and clean it out with
a wet wipe or wet washcloth. Mold likes to form in
here so cleaning this area once a month or so
should help.
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:. The way the detergent drawer is designed to drain
out the liquids will often leave a little water and
sometimes detergent behind. As long as it is
obviously drain enough out with each wash cycle
and is cleaning the clothes this should be fine.
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