My Purchase of a High-Efficiency Washer and Dryer
About 10 years ago, I purchased my first front loader high efficiency (HE) washer machine and dryer. High-efficiency washer machines use less water and are more energy efficient making this a great purchase right?
Well yes and no… let me explain my struggles. I remember when I first brought my new washing machine home. I did my first load of laundry and thought something has to be wrong here.
First, it sounded like a plane was taking off in my laundry room! Second, there is no water or very little water at that when my clothes were washing! How can these clothes get clean?
So I called the manufacture and started to ask questions. This was normal and she assured me the clothes would get clean.
Why Aren’t My Clothes Getting Clean?
So over time I accepted the loud noises coming from my laundry room and learned to accept the really low water levels, but I do have to say that I was and am not impressed with how these HE washer machines clean my clothes.
I have to pretreat my stains and pretty much get the stain out before I put them in the wash or they just don’t get clean. Now I should put a disclaimer on this. I have always been the type of person who just throws my laundry in the wash, adds a bit of soap and expects them to come clean.
Laundry isn’t one of my favorite chores, to say the least. So maybe if I put a little more effort into pre-treating my clothes I might have better results in this department.
There is one challenge that I just couldn’t conquer however and that was the smell that was coming from my HE washer machine!
What is that horrible smell?
So over time, my washer machine began to smell. Not only did it smell moldy and musty but my clothes were starting to smell this way too.
I researched what to do about it and there was advise all over the place on what you should and should not do for bad smelling HE washer machines.
I hired someone to come out and clean and balance my machine. That worked for a little while but the smell came back in a few weeks. I kept my washing machine door open when not using it so it could dry out, but that didn’t fully work either. I purchased the expensive HE washer machine tablets to do on a monthly cycle but those failed very quickly.
Finally, in a last-ditch effort to have clean smelling clothes, I added this one ingredient and everything changed!
Add this one ingredient to every load for fresh smelling laundry & for a clean HE washer machine!
So just what is this ingredient I am talking about? Well, it will cost you about a $1.00 per gallon and can be found in any grocery store! Wait for it 🙂 ….alright, it is vinegar! Vinegar you ask…yep, that’s right vinegar! Now I use plain white vinegar and here is how I use it.
Just like you buy laundry detergent, I buy a gallon of vinegar and keep it right next to my washer machine. I load my HE washer machine up with clothes, add my soap and then in the bleach dispenser, I fill it all the way to the top with white vinegar.
The vinegar helps kill the bacteria that grows in your washer machine and kills the odor. Not only does it kill the odor, but it helps with cleaning my clothes too. If that wasn’t enough, it also softens your clothes naturally.
Is Vinegar The Answer To Everything?
So let’s take a look at this: vinegar cleans clothes, gets rid of nasty smells in laundry and in the machine and it softens your clothes too!
Wow, I would call vinegar my little miracle in the laundry room! Who knew one little ingredient could do so much!
So finally I have clean soft clothes and a washer machine that doesn’t smell. I still have a plane taking off in my laundry room, however, but I can live with that :)!
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Can I use laundry softener along with the vinegar?
The vinegar helps! I also recommend leaving the washer door open when not in use for added freshness.
I get white marks on my black clothes only.I have tried small loads and very little he detergent but still there any ideas how to rid my black clothes of this??
Are you using liquid detergent or powdered?
I discovered vinegar because of the exact problem you were having…STINK! Nothing grosser than stepping out of the shower and grabbing a clean towel that smells like it had been sitting in a hamper damp for a week. I I use about 1/2 cup for each load, I fill up the bleach compartment and just tossed the rest in the tub. I use 2/3-1 cup for whites, I feel they come out brighter. I still leave my washer door open too.
Thanks so much for this advice. i have always noticed this smell in the washer and we have a little house so you can smell it as soon as you walk in the door. i kind of just ignored it..but it has gotten so strong that my husband is complaining about it. i tried to tell him that many people i have talked to that have HE washers experience the same thing. my stepdad uses vinegar for stain removal purposes..and trust me no one has cleaner clothes than him. so I’m really excited to try this out.
Hi, I cam upon your site because I have had a front loader for 15 years and I also from time to time have foul smells coming from this machine! I read every reply lol and went right to my machine and ran vinegar with a load! Hope it works out but i Just wanted to say too also use a cup of vinegar inside your dishwasher as well they will come out sparkling clean with no water spots! i NEVER thought about using this with my washer! Thanks for the info!
there you have it. you said Meile. of course – I’m surprised it doesn’t fold them for you too. I hate my front loader. I despise it!!! I posted my sentiment on fb and had an outpouring of shared feelings about theirs. except one person. she owns a meile. going to store now and buying vinegar asap!
I’m a single dad trying to keep my kids clean. Purchased a decent Samsung W/D set (top loading washer). Barely allows enough water to cover the clothing. I wondered about that but the salesman (I should have known better) and the company literature were reassuring. I didn’t notice the odor right away, then when I did I thought I was getting a sinus infection. After visiting the doctor twice and learning I wasn’t I felt the smell could be imaginary. Finally, I realized the smell was not just on me , it was on my kids, unacceptable. So I began to question what I was doing different from past W/D experience. Nothing, same detergent/softener, additional Febreze (especially sport and work clothes). Over time the odor worsened. It was keeping me awake at nights. Both the thought of it and then the reality of the odor in the linens too. They are not washed with clothes? Finally it dawned on me, it’s in the washer. Wouldn’t ever suggest a HE top or front loading unit to anyone. Hope the vinegar works or it time for another unit after only a year. I feel like Samsung ripped me off. I hope I can still buy an old fashioned washer that uses sufficient water.
I am with you here Joe. We will be going back to the good ‘ol days when the time comes to purchase again.
I started making my own laundry soap and fabric softener about a year ago, and I LOVE IT! Simplist thing ever and my ‘sensiftive’ part of the family no longer itches, and my not-so-sweet smelling teenager, no longer has that ‘smell’ that no one can identify! lol!
Soap:
1 Gallon container
1 cup Dawn dish soap
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
I fill container about 1/3 of the way with water, add borax and washing soda, and mix. Fill container with more water to about 3/4 way full. Add dawn dish soap, top off container (slowly) with water. shake prior to each use.
(Dawn helps to cut any grease on clothing)
Fabric Softener:
1 gallon container
16-18oz of favorite scented cheapest hair conditioner
1 cup vinegar
add both ingredients to container, fill rest of way with water. shake prior to each use.
Vinegar does what vinegar does best (cleans and deoderizes while also helping to get all soap out of clothing), and conditioner helps to cut down on the smell while working together to soften clothes.
and it saves SOOOOO much $$$$$
I totally agree Janalin. Working in the construction field, sometimes my clothes have to be run through the wash 2 times, I never had to do this when I had a top load. I do use the white vinegar but not in every wash. I’ll try that but as soon as this sorry excuse for a washing machine is ready for the scrap heap, back to the top load for me.
I’ve been using vinegar as fabric softener but still have the smell. Can I use it in the bleach AND softener compartment?
Thanks,
Cathy
I’ve been using vinegar as fabric softener but still have the smell. Can I use it in the bleach AND softener compartment?
Thanks,
Cathy