Is my washing machine cleaning as well as it should?

dekaspace

I have one which is about 10 years old, I use unscented powder I buy in bulk on Ebay.

The clothes never look that washed in the sense be it jeans or t shirts they look chalky afterwards, any stains are gone be it food and I have put in old manky pillows before and they come out looking brand new.

So the problem is clothes looking chalky, I did change to a different setting last time and not sure if its because I put too much in as well (generally I wait to I have a full load) but the jeans came out covered in soap suds.

I wore them anyway and have been staying at a relatives last night and even brought down own washing powder as it was only a small load.

They do have a good machine which looks a few years old at max but all I put in was a pair of jeans, 3 tshirts and a tracksuit bottoms and a tiny amount of powder (it says use a cups worth on label butI used about 1/4 of usual amount.

The clothes came out looking brand new, cant tell if its because its a expensive machine (with larger drum) that its much newer or because I only used a tiny amount of powder or a combination.

Can't think of any filters on my machine and I replaced the pump myself last year when old one broke.

If it is the fact I use too much powder how much would you use? bearing in mind normally I put in like 1 or 2 pairs of jeans, 2 or 3 t shirts and a weeks worth of underwear and I chuck in random things like kitchen towels.

lily117

Is it because you're using a low temperature and the powder isn't dissolving properly?

suki1964

Over filling, too much soap, not the right cycle Anyone or a combination of them all

Pollycat

dekaspace wrote: »

I have one which is about 10 years old, I use unscented powder I buy in bulk on Ebay.

The clothes never look that washed in the sense be it jeans or t shirts they look chalky afterwards, any stains are gone be it food and I have put in old manky pillows before and they come out looking brand new.

So the problem is clothes looking chalky, I did change to a different setting last time and not sure if its because I put too much in as well (generally I wait to I have a full load) but the jeans came out covered in soap suds.

I wore them anyway and have been staying at a relatives last night and even brought down own washing powder as it was only a small load.

They do have a good machine which looks a few years old at max but all I put in was a pair of jeans, 3 tshirts and a tracksuit bottoms and a tiny amount of powder (it says use a cups worth on label butI used about 1/4 of usual amount.

The clothes came out looking brand new, cant tell if its because its a expensive machine (with larger drum) that its much newer or because I only used a tiny amount of powder or a combination.

Can't think of any filters on my machine and I replaced the pump myself last year when old one broke.

If it is the fact I use too much powder how much would you use? bearing in mind normally I put in like 1 or 2 pairs of jeans, 2 or 3 t shirts and a weeks worth of underwear and I chuck in random things like kitchen towels.

I'd agree with Suki and lilly 117 - it's likely something you're doing wrong rather than your machine not cleaning as well as it should..

Do you follow dosage instructions on your powder?
I'm anal about using the correct dosage, using the appropriate programme & temperature for the type of clothes I'm washing.

Towels are pretty heavy and absorb a lot of water. Maybe consider doing these on a separate wash.

dekaspace

If its anything its overfilling as I spread the cups worth between the 2 containers.

Pollycat

dekaspace wrote: »

If its anything its overfilling as I spread the cups worth between the 2 containers.

So try doing a lighter load and see what results you get.

Not only am I anal about using the correct dosage, using the appropriate programme & temperature for the type of clothes I'm washing - when I bought my latest machine over 6 years ago (a Bosch top-of-the-range) - I weighed various types of clothes and towels etc so I could be sure not to overload it.

suki1964

You pre wash and wash everything ????

There's no need to

Tee shirts and shirts and jumpers one wash - 40oC

Jeans And undies ( unless your socks and pants are white) another wash at either 40 or my preference 60

Sheets, towels, tea towels, 60oC

You need to seperate your wash as above. You should never fill the machine. Most things do not need a pre wash cycle. I was my hubby's work clothes on a 60 and they come out clean, and he's a builder. Also washed chefs whites on 60, came out lovely.

pigpen

prewash... if it is covered in vomit.. waste of time, water and electricity otherwise.

the drum should only be about 2/3rds full so it has room to circulate.

Powder.. I use about a dessert spoon full.. you don't NEED to use more on normal wear clothes.. tbh, I never use more than that anyway, though I will add disinfectant to dishcloth/towel/bedding wash if I feel the need.

You are definitely using too much powder, it simply won't dissolve in the reduced water in the drum due to over-filling (we ALL do it!) so your clothes are covered in the powder.

2/3rds fill drum so more water gets in, less powder so it dissolves fully, and stop the prewash!

Mine is programmed to a 52 minutes wash cycle.. no pre-wash, 40'C 1400 spin and plain water rinses.. not had an issue with stuff being still dirty (apart from ds2's dressing gown which I wash at 90'C with a dishwasher tablet and a scoop of oxy clean stuff, a glug of disinfectant and a grenade lol)

Pollycat

suki1964 wrote: »

You pre wash and wash everything ????

Is that what the OP means by

dekaspace wrote: »

If its anything its overfilling as I spread the cups worth between the 2 containers.

?

I've never, ever used the pre-wash programme on any of my washing machines in 40 years.

Potential to reduce washing powder costs by 50%.

suki1964

Pollycat wrote: »

Is that what the OP means by ?

I've never, ever used the pre-wash programme on any of my washing machines in 40 years.

Potential to reduce washing powder costs by 50%.

Yep, filling both containers means there's two washes happening

We use a pre wash in the kitchen at the end of the day as the tea towels would go on a 3 hour boil wash at night. During the day it was quick 40 washes


I would use a pre wash on DH work clothes if they are covered in mud but that's the only time

coffeehound

If all the various programme options are confusing, you can just do everything except knitted jumpers on the standard 40 degree wash.

That's what I always do