Laundry HELPPPPPP!!!! It's driving me mad!

portsmouthali

Have been inspired to clean my filter after reading this thread - it was vile! Lots of gunge, bits of limescale and smelt like a stagnant pond :eek:

I dug the instruction book out to find out how to get to it, and was horrified to read I should be doing it once a month! I've had the machine 2 years and never done it.

My machine (a Hoover) has a removable plastic strip at the bottom and the filter was behind that.

babychick

:beer: happy to help daisy, now I REALLY must go and practise what I preach and empty my filter too! :rolleyes:

dumpy

Portsmouthali

I did exactly the same thing about a year or so ago, I was wandering through the threads when I saw someone saying they had cleaned their washing machine filter.

Wot's one of them I thought and went off and did it, but didn't read the instructions first which is why my kitchen floor was washed at the same time.......

Actually thinking about it, I haven't done mine for a wee while so I'd better go and practise what I preach as well!

Cullumpster

i can't open my filter thing without it peeing out all over the floor and it's too low to even get a baking tray undr it :eek:

any tips ?

whatatwit

Use some old towels, or something about to be washed to soak it up.

Going back to the bubbles in the wash, with today's modern low suds detergents, you shouldn't really see lots of bubbles, it's a sure sign that you are using too much powder/liquid.

An earlier poster mentioned about the soles of socks still being grubby. If the wearers of the socks are wandering about without shoes/slippers on or the colour is coming out of the shoes onto the socks, then try soaking the socks first and giving them a rub with soap. I use the old fashioned green Fairy bar, or just ordinary bathroom soap.
For collars and cuffs on shirts, I also give a rub with a nail brush and soap.

For best results, don't overfill the washer. If the washing is crammed in, then it can't move and rub against other clothes and get clean.

I have a launderette and one of the best wall posters shows a woman shoving the washing in using her foot....with the saying underneath..."leave room for the water"

dND

Thanks to all, you’ve just reminded me to clean out mine. With me having long hair, 4 cats, 2 having long hair as well and me working outside most days it clogs up very quickly.

My old washer had the filter at the back so never got cleaned until it started flooding everywhere (but it did last 18 years). My new one is a Zannusi and I chose it primarily because the filter is on the front.

Was thinking about hm71’s comment about hot cycle rinse not being OS/environmentally friendly. My though is that an occasional hot cycle is better than having to deal with the disposal of a ‘dead’ machine and the energy costs required to produce the replacement. On the OS side too, there is a saving in not having to re-wash if the clothes don't come out clean. A sort of ‘stitch in time’ effect.

Happy filter cleaning to all – sadly mine only produced a partially dissolved lump of soap powder in amongst the hair!

mumoftwins

This is fascinating :rotfl: when my machine has a spare moment from all the washing that the kids produce I will be doing the vinegar, soda crystals and hot wash treatment too!

Thanks for all the advice :T

snails's_pace

anyone know if i should be using washing powder or liquid?
ive got a new machine and indesit said liquid is better for the machine
anyone else heard this
snails

whatatwit

I suppose liquid dissolves into the water much faster than powder and it should rinse through the pipes from the dispenser to the drum easier.

I really dislike some of the tablets that you are meant to put into a net, they take forever to melt especially when doing a 30 wash.

Angua2

whatatwit wrote: »

I really dislike some of the tablets that you are meant to put into a net, they take forever to melt especially when doing a 30 wash.

For that reason, I crumble the tablets into the dispenser. ('Round here, tablets are 1/2 price of liquids...)