Please help, black clothes coming out of washer covered in white bits

Fusspot

It's driving me mad. I've tried using the Dettol washing machine cleaner with the washer on full with nothing in the drum but my black clothes are still coming out covered in white bits. What can I do, the washer is fine apart from this and not very old.

Anne_Marie_2

Is it excess soap powder, or has someone left a tissue in pocket? (Can't think of anything else).
Latter easily solved, just check all pockets. If excess soap powder, perhaps you can try using vinegar instead of fabric conditioner. It's supposed to get rid of any residue soap. Also turn dark clothes inside out before putting in the wash.

rosie383

If it is a case of white streaks rather than bits, from a tissue for example, then this has been happening in mine for a while and the only solution has been to turn dark clothes inside out before washing. It really does work.
I use only liquid in mine (blue liquid) so it definitely isn't that.

Fusspot

Thanks for your replies. I use washing capsules, have used them for years with no problems. I've also stopped using fabric conditioner. It's tiny white bits on the washing, it's not tissue as I do check pockets.

[Deleted User]

You might check with the manufacturers to see if there is a filter on the drainage mechanism that needs to be cleaned? there might be a build up of bits of 'fluff' type materials from the clothes that have been washed that is blocking proper drainage from the machine and then bits of fluff will still be in the machine when the wash cycle has ended and that might be your problem. If you have the instruction manual from the machine there might be a 'how to' in that. I'm not very technical but I've looked online at how to clean a washing machine and the second thing suggested is to clean the filter. Hope that helps.

maman

This may not help you sort out your machine but I use a dark/denim washing liquid from Waitrose. It's not cheap but it's cheaper than replacing black jeans because they look scruffy after a couple of washes.

Haffiana

This happened to my parents... Mum hated scented soap powder, and she would travel a long way to get a certain, cheapo own-brand non-bio washing powder because it had hardly any smell. Then, to make absolutely sure, she would use half the dose!

I noticed that not only were their black clothes covered in specks, but in her laundry room, under the indoor clothes line, the surfaces were covered in white powdery dust. It was falling off the drying clothes - you could only see it on the black items, but all of them were full of it. It was hard, like powdered limescale, and not soapy at all. I am certain that it was powdered, dried soap scum caused because it was a hard water area and she didn't use enough powder to get a proper lather in the machine.

I bought her some Fairy, and we ran a few really hot washes. It took a while to get rid of the white stuff, but it did go away finally.

I suggest using a powder like Fairy rather than a liquid, because powders have proper bleaching agents and therefore clean the machine far more effectively than any liquid can. Liquids can cause all sorts of deposit build-ups - none of which the liquid itself can ever shift - so a 90 degree blast with a good powder once in a while is good for keeping your machine properly clean inside.

CathA

Check round the inside of the seal just in case there's a tissue or something stuck in there that's breaking off in bits and getting on the washing. I once had a ticket from a shop that managed to get past the pocket check, it was stuck at the top of the seal and left lots of bits on the washing.

Lindlou

Depends whether they really are bits or white marks. Bits you should be able to tell if they are tissue etc. However I had white marks/ bits and found increasing temp to 40 degrees and running a slightly less full load worked. That and I run towels on a 90 degree wash once a week with soda crystals and white vinegar to clean the machine. Not as enviromentally friendly but no good being so if your washing isnt clean...

armyknife

Fusspot wrote: »

It's driving me mad. I've tried using the Dettol washing machine cleaner with the washer on full with nothing in the drum but my black clothes are still coming out covered in white bits. What can I do, the washer is fine apart from this and not very old.

Have you checked to see there isn't a dalmatian hidden in the drum?

suki1964

Are you using a detergent for coloured clothes?

Detergent for whites have little optical brightners in them, it could be those you can see