Modern washing machines - lack of water

ripplyuk

I’ve just got this new washing machine and it doesn’t use enough water. With my old (about 15yo) one, the water would be halfway up the door. This new one doesn’t fill up at all. The clothes are wet but they are never sitting in water. I’ve been reading up and it seems that all the new machines are obsessed with using as little water as possible.

Can I pour more water through the drawer to fill it up? Or would the machine just drain that? It’s really not satisfying to watch and I keep thinking that there’s no way it could rinse things properly using so little water. Now I’m worrying my clothes will start to rot.

Farway

I would just give it a chance and see how it performs.

Presumably the manufacture has built and tested it before putting it on sale

I guess, like me, your water is un metered, maybe if you were paying by the litre your thoughts would change?

PS if you top it up with more water as you suggest you may find the flood switch will stop the machine

whiteguineapig

Have you checked if it has an "extra water button" (just asking because mine does)

ripplyuk

whiteguineapig wrote: »

Have you checked if it has an "extra water button" (just asking because mine does)

Unfortunately mine doesn’t have that. What brand is yours?

The newer machines also take far longer to do a wash. Mine isn’t the worst but it still takes nearly 3hrs for a full cotton wash. One of the other brands I looked at took 5hrs! From what I’ve read, this is to compensate for the lack of water. I can’t see how this is moneysaving. What it saves in water, it’ll use in electricity.

whiteguineapig

its an older miele (when it dies i will be replacing with another miele)

System

I wouldn't recommend adding extra water. Are you running the machine on an eco-friendly cycle by any chance? My Bosch machine takes about 4 hours if I select the eco option, but takes only half that time, or less, if I select the normal cycles.

Pollycat

They're designed like that.

Why do you feel you need extra water?
Are you unhappy with the results?

My machine (Bosch) has a 'aqua plus' function - increased water level & additional rinse cycle. For areas with very soft water or for further improvement of the rinsing process.

ripplyuk

I haven’t been using the eco-cycles because they take even longer but I’ve just checked the manual again and they also use much more water. About 25litres more. It also has a ‘baby’ cycle which it says uses a greater quantity of water to remove all traces of detergent. I might try that or just keep pressing the extra rinse button.

It’s not the results I’m unhappy with. I’d just prefer to see things being properly soaked. I feel like the clothes can’t really be clean without that. Even though they look ok after. During a wash, it’s all sitting in foam rather than lots of soapy water.

Pollycat

ripplyuk wrote: »

I haven’t been using the eco-cycles because they take even longer but I’ve just checked the manual again and they also use much more water. About 25litres more. It also has a ‘baby’ cycle which it says uses a greater quantity of water to remove all traces of detergent. I might try that or just keep pressing the extra rinse button.

It’s not the results I’m unhappy with. I’d just prefer to see things being properly soaked. I feel like the clothes can’t really be clean without that. Even though they look ok after. During a wash, it’s all sitting in foam rather than lots of soapy water.

Pollycat wrote: »

They're designed like that.

- regardless of what you feel should happen in an automatic washing machine.

Perhaps you'd be better off with a twin-tub...

System

Don't add extra water. No matter how careful you are you will no doubt spill some down the front of the washer and round the drawer, it will rust up.

I used to do that oodles of years ago.

Wizzbang

What's the make and model of your machine? I genuinely don't understand what your problem is, if it's washing the clothes OK! If you're really THAT bothered by what 'appears' to be/ not to be happening then it sounds like you'd better sell it now and do much more careful research next time. It seems like you're going to need a full demo before you can choose and I don't know where you could get that!

I have a Miele, I swear by it and the longest standard cotton programme is only 2 hrs 17 mins. It's 3 years old and I don't believe there's an 'eco' programme on it, though overall it's a very eco machine by rating. I was told by an expert that you should never use short programmes because those are the ones that don't wash your clothes properly. I also don't believe in cold washes, certain things need higher temps.

I can only think that you're making a mistake by comparing a new machine to your old one, things move on - even with detergents which probably dissolve better and need less rinsing. Or else you're slightly over obsessed with a problem that you've invented. I'm not sure even a different washing machine can help you with that!