Help me OSers!! Washing crisis!!

codemonkey

Hello Old Stylers. I'm really hoping you guys can help. For the past couple of washes, I've noticed some orangey brown marks on the clothes after they've come out of the machine - it's very prominent on white washing but I'm guessing it's not restricted to that.

I've tried:

• Running a cleaning cycle in the washing machine
• Cleaning the seal by the door
• Washing with persil and fabric conditioner
• Using Vanish oxi action stuff
• Washing with soda crystals and no fabric conditioner
• Using Persil and no fabric conditioner
• Using vinegar
• Changing fabric softener
• Using bicarbonate of soda
• Putting bleach in the wash
• Cleaning softener dispenser

Aside from the ones with the brown marks, my clothes have come out sparkling white.

Also, once the clothes come out with these marks, I cannot get rid of them. I've asked my trusty OS mum who has the same make and model of washing machine as us and she doesn't know why.

Any ideas?

codemonkey

I've taken some photos so you can see if that helps.

Runnerduck

hi, you haven't had any nails or screws left in pockets (as has happened to me with a carpenter son) which have got lodged and are leaving rust marks in the washing?

codemonkey

Runnerduck wrote: »

hi, you haven't had any nails or screws left in pockets (as has happened to me with a carpenter son) which have got lodged and are leaving rust marks in the washing?

Just stuck my head in the washing machine, checked around the seals and I can't see anything. Everything looks and smells normal in there

flossyann

hi,
i wondered if it might be rust from somewhere you can't see, either inside the machine or further down the pipes.

has any pipes/water maintenance work happened in your area recently that could have caused some rust to come free in the pipes.

you could try running normal water from your taps onto a white cloth for at least 10 minutes and see if it stains the cloth, then you would know if it was the pipes or the machine, if that makes sense

codemonkey

flossyann wrote: »

hi,
i wondered if it might be rust from somewhere you can't see, either inside the machine or further down the pipes.

has any pipes/water maintenance work happened in your area recently that could have caused some rust to come free in the pipes.

you could try running normal water from your taps onto a white cloth for at least 10 minutes and see if it stains the cloth, then you would know if it was the pipes or the machine, if that makes sense

No pipe or water maintenance work that I'm aware of. I'm off to see if I can find a white cloth in amongst all the pink, purple, blue and yellow ones.

Winter_Phoenix

If it does turn out to be rust, a good dollop of lemon juice will get it out of white cotton clothes. Rinse the lemon juice out once the mark has disappeared.

savingqueen

Hopefully won't be this - but is your bearings are getting worn (if machine is old, drum tight to turn and very noisy), you will get rust marks. I think lemon juice sprinkled with salt left on the clothes for several hours might work on the stains.

codemonkey

savingqueen wrote: »

Hopefully won't be this - but is your bearings are getting worn (if machine is old, drum tight to turn and very noisy), you will get rust marks. I think lemon juice sprinkled with salt left on the clothes for several hours might work on the stains.

Its only 4 years old but I suppose things aren't built to last anymore.

codemonkey

Winter_Phoenix wrote: »

If it does turn out to be rust, a good dollop of lemon juice will get it out of white cotton clothes. Rinse the lemon juice out once the mark has disappeared.

Well this is going to be fun. There are marks all over those tops

Thank you. If this saves my whites, you and savingqueen will be my new favourite people.

camelot1001

I used to get this if the fabric conditioner got onto the clothes neat, usually happened if the drawer was blocked.
Hope you manage to get the stains off.