7 ms·

I do the dishes one load at a time (wait for the dishwasher to fill up so I’m not running it empty) and let my European-make dishwasher run overnight when elect

I do the dishes one load at a time (wait for the dishwasher to fill up so I’m not running it empty) and let my European-make dishwasher run overnight when electricity is cheapest and cleanest. But laundry requires being hung or transferred to the dryer immediately after to avoid things getting stinky - and I usually have multiple sorted loads (whites, colors, delicates) that I can’t just throw all together so I actually do get annoyed at how slow my front-loading washing machine is.

lathiat 3y ago
While you obviously don't want to leave washing wet for many hours all the time, if they are getting stinky within a few hours you likely have notable bacteria and scud build up in your machine that could be resolved. That has been my experience. Do you do a semi-regular hot cleaning cycle? (My washer has one built in and prompts you to run it every 40 cycles) but you can just do a hot, empty load as a substitute. Possibly ideally with some washing machine cleaner though I don't use that often. There is also the option of pulling it apart for a deep clean. It doesn't work with every laundry layout (luckily does for me) but I have found leaving the door open so it can dry out is very helpful to prevent mould built up on the doors etc at least. Not sure how much it effects the bacteria/scud/etc - could even make scud worse to some degree since deposits dry out I guess. Another tip that I only recently learnt is that you can dry washing with a dehumifier at a rate not that much slower than a clothes dryer (6-ish hours). Also at a rate cheaper or comparable to a heat pump dryer. That may be a good option for your staged washing if you're happy to hang the clothes out. On my washer at least the hour cycle does a pretty good job of things though in theory you're supposed to only wash like 3-4KG instead of 8-11 like in the 2-3 hour cycles. Two things I am reasonably sure matter but have not looked into the research and need to get around to doing is: - I have to wonder about the impact of long washing loads on clothes longevity and wearing out of the fabric, especially with fuller loads.. that's a lot of rubbing. - The washing powder I currently like the most definitely gets caught and leaves residue.. in particular it builds up -inside- the detergent drawer and becomes so glued on even a pressure washer and screwdriver takes a lot of effort to get it off (clearly needs CLR or some such). I am sure some detergents are much better at not building up SCUD compared to others but this seems to be a not well discussed/reviewed fact.
- lathiat 3y ago
  Related: From an Appliance repair/reseller "Bens Appliances and Junk" "Clean a Washing Machine Inside: How to Remove Mold, Soap Scum and More with a CHEAP Organic Cleaner" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOXM81Zk_As https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOXM81Zk_As "How The Insides Of Washing Machines Are Deep Cleaned | Deep Cleaned | Insider" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I45FqVN-PjE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I45FqVN-PjE
- ComputerGuru 3y ago
  Thanks for your kind and detailed reply! I didn’t really mean “immediately” so much as “you can’t leave it overnight then possibly forget about it the next morning,” but yeah, it seems to depend on the weather and other things (more on that below). Hasn’t happened in a while. The washing machine is clean, I scrub out the mold in the detergent tray regularly and have always left the door open. I used to run the cleaning cycle from time to time but don’t think it is necessary since I do whites with plenty bleach at scalding hot temps often enough. It happened with our old top loader, too. More than anything though, you can smell a moldy washer and ours doesn’t smell and a freshly washed load normally doesn’t either. It seems to be the Lake Michigan water we are hooked up to responsible for the stinky occasions. I read up about this a few years ago and they actually monitor for the levels of the molecule (I don’t think it was bacteria?) that gives wet clothes their stink since it is rampant in the Great Lakes and they are constantly adjusting because it’s expensive to counteract more than they feel they need to. My guess is that they got their act together in recent years. Another point in this direction is that it happens some summers to towels used after a shower while they’re hanging to dry. I’m pretty sure it’s just the water. Oh, and in answer to your question, we definitely noticed the euro-style front-loader was harder on the clothes than the old American top-loader – though it also did get more stains out. But yes, we too fill it up properly to capacity to avoid the waste of running it empty or mostly so - and I guess the increased friction would contribute.
  - ComputerGuru 3y ago
    I found the link I had archived three years ago (when I mentioned researching this some years back): a Chicago Tribune article from 1994 [0]! There are lots of other search results that discuss the byproducts of various algal blooms contributing to a particular stink in Lake Michigan water, some mention the active carbon filtration and another [1], the use of ozone to neutralize the responsible compounds, but only the 1994 article actually names the responsible compounds: geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB). (I remembered geosmin – the sometimes nice, sometimes not, smell of the earth after a rain – while writing my reply yesterday but could not recall the second compound for the life of me and I knew/know geosmin wasn’t solely responsible for the smell on its own.) [0]: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-9411200261-story.html https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-941120... archived at https://archive.ph/qV723# https://archive.ph/qV723# [1]: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-06-25-9906250245-story.html https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-06-25-990625... just archived at https://archive.ph/wip/ybQ9N https://archive.ph/wip/ybQ9N —- There’s also this 53-page survey of contributors to taste and smell in water supplies from the Illinois State Water Survey out of UIUC that I would love to get around to reading (or at least skimming through): https://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/C/ISWSC-127.pdf https://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/C/ISWSC-127.pdf
Scoundreller 3y ago
What I don't understand is why my (most?) washing machine(s) doesn't have a "delay" setting to hold for 6h or whatever overnight and then finish before rates spike in the morning. Then the water in the water heater is nice and fresh for my shower too.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- daveoc64 3y ago
  It's quite common in the UK for washers/dryers to have a delay feature. Mine (an LG model) has a "Delay End" function, where you say "I want the cycle to end in 9 hours", and it calculates when to start based on that.
  - ComputerGuru 3y ago
    My front-loading Whirlpool has a delay start and I wish it had delay end instead! I end up pessimistically delaying it less than the ideal amount just to make sure it finishes by the time I’m up in the morning. The only appliance I have with a “delay end” or “schedule end” feature is my Zojirushi rice cooker (and ironically I never use the timer feature there).
dfc 3y ago
I had the same reaction as lathiat, if your washer smells bad because clean wet clothes sat in it for a couple hours you "probably" need to clean it. I also think people have a bad habit of closing the front door of front loaders between use.
- thsksbd 3y ago
  You a front loader open? Thats weird to me; itd be like leaving a cabinet open - unsightly and a bruise waiting to happen when someone thoughtlessly walks through it. Luckily I have a top loader
  - exmadscientist 3y ago
    US front load washers are designed to require the front door left open after or between uses. Otherwise they can and will develop mold. (Ask me how I know.) The idea is that they are usually located out of sight or at least out of the way in the US, so this isn't a big deal. Sometimes that assumption isn't true, which can generate a major hassle.
    - ComputerGuru 3y ago
      How/why do European front-loaders avoid that problem?
      - imp0cat 3y ago
        It's the same. You're supposed to keep the door open. Also, some water tends to stay in the detergent tray, so it's best to take it out after each cycle, empty it and put it back, but don't close it all the way. So essentialy, when the machine is idle, you end up with both the tray and the door open.
        ComputerGuru 3y ago
        Yes; that's what I know. GP qualified it with "US models" so I was wondering if there was something I was missing.
midoridensha 3y ago
>But laundry requires being hung or transferred to the dryer immediately after to avoid things getting stinky This is why you should get a combined washer/dryer. I never worry about this.
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
  The coin op washer/dryer ones in Japan include detergent as well, though I’m not sure how effective they are. We added extra.

lathiat 3y ago

While you obviously don't want to leave washing wet for many hours all the time, if they are getting stinky within a few hours you likely have notable bacteria and scud build up in your machine that could be resolved. That has been my experience. Do you do a semi-regular hot cleaning cycle? (My washer has one built in and prompts you to run it every 40 cycles) but you can just do a hot, empty load as a substitute. Possibly ideally with some washing machine cleaner though I don't use that often. There is also the option of pulling it apart for a deep clean. It doesn't work with every laundry layout (luckily does for me) but I have found leaving the door open so it can dry out is very helpful to prevent mould built up on the doors etc at least. Not sure how much it effects the bacteria/scud/etc - could even make scud worse to some degree since deposits dry out I guess. Another tip that I only recently learnt is that you can dry washing with a dehumifier at a rate not that much slower than a clothes dryer (6-ish hours). Also at a rate cheaper or comparable to a heat pump dryer. That may be a good option for your staged washing if you're happy to hang the clothes out. On my washer at least the hour cycle does a pretty good job of things though in theory you're supposed to only wash like 3-4KG instead of 8-11 like in the 2-3 hour cycles. Two things I am reasonably sure matter but have not looked into the research and need to get around to doing is: - I have to wonder about the impact of long washing loads on clothes longevity and wearing out of the fabric, especially with fuller loads.. that's a lot of rubbing. - The washing powder I currently like the most definitely gets caught and leaves residue.. in particular it builds up -inside- the detergent drawer and becomes so glued on even a pressure washer and screwdriver takes a lot of effort to get it off (clearly needs CLR or some such). I am sure some detergents are much better at not building up SCUD compared to others but this seems to be a not well discussed/reviewed fact.

lathiat 3y ago
Related: From an Appliance repair/reseller "Bens Appliances and Junk" "Clean a Washing Machine Inside: How to Remove Mold, Soap Scum and More with a CHEAP Organic Cleaner" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOXM81Zk_As https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOXM81Zk_As "How The Insides Of Washing Machines Are Deep Cleaned | Deep Cleaned | Insider" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I45FqVN-PjE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I45FqVN-PjE
ComputerGuru 3y ago
Thanks for your kind and detailed reply! I didn’t really mean “immediately” so much as “you can’t leave it overnight then possibly forget about it the next morning,” but yeah, it seems to depend on the weather and other things (more on that below). Hasn’t happened in a while. The washing machine is clean, I scrub out the mold in the detergent tray regularly and have always left the door open. I used to run the cleaning cycle from time to time but don’t think it is necessary since I do whites with plenty bleach at scalding hot temps often enough. It happened with our old top loader, too. More than anything though, you can smell a moldy washer and ours doesn’t smell and a freshly washed load normally doesn’t either. It seems to be the Lake Michigan water we are hooked up to responsible for the stinky occasions. I read up about this a few years ago and they actually monitor for the levels of the molecule (I don’t think it was bacteria?) that gives wet clothes their stink since it is rampant in the Great Lakes and they are constantly adjusting because it’s expensive to counteract more than they feel they need to. My guess is that they got their act together in recent years. Another point in this direction is that it happens some summers to towels used after a shower while they’re hanging to dry. I’m pretty sure it’s just the water. Oh, and in answer to your question, we definitely noticed the euro-style front-loader was harder on the clothes than the old American top-loader – though it also did get more stains out. But yes, we too fill it up properly to capacity to avoid the waste of running it empty or mostly so - and I guess the increased friction would contribute.
- ComputerGuru 3y ago
  I found the link I had archived three years ago (when I mentioned researching this some years back): a Chicago Tribune article from 1994 [0]! There are lots of other search results that discuss the byproducts of various algal blooms contributing to a particular stink in Lake Michigan water, some mention the active carbon filtration and another [1], the use of ozone to neutralize the responsible compounds, but only the 1994 article actually names the responsible compounds: geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB). (I remembered geosmin – the sometimes nice, sometimes not, smell of the earth after a rain – while writing my reply yesterday but could not recall the second compound for the life of me and I knew/know geosmin wasn’t solely responsible for the smell on its own.) [0]: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-9411200261-story.html https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-11-20-941120... archived at https://archive.ph/qV723# https://archive.ph/qV723# [1]: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-06-25-9906250245-story.html https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-06-25-990625... just archived at https://archive.ph/wip/ybQ9N https://archive.ph/wip/ybQ9N —- There’s also this 53-page survey of contributors to taste and smell in water supplies from the Illinois State Water Survey out of UIUC that I would love to get around to reading (or at least skimming through): https://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/C/ISWSC-127.pdf https://www.isws.illinois.edu/pubdoc/C/ISWSC-127.pdf

Scoundreller 3y ago

What I don't understand is why my (most?) washing machine(s) doesn't have a "delay" setting to hold for 6h or whatever overnight and then finish before rates spike in the morning. Then the water in the water heater is nice and fresh for my shower too.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
daveoc64 3y ago
It's quite common in the UK for washers/dryers to have a delay feature. Mine (an LG model) has a "Delay End" function, where you say "I want the cycle to end in 9 hours", and it calculates when to start based on that.
- ComputerGuru 3y ago
  My front-loading Whirlpool has a delay start and I wish it had delay end instead! I end up pessimistically delaying it less than the ideal amount just to make sure it finishes by the time I’m up in the morning. The only appliance I have with a “delay end” or “schedule end” feature is my Zojirushi rice cooker (and ironically I never use the timer feature there).

dfc 3y ago

I had the same reaction as lathiat, if your washer smells bad because clean wet clothes sat in it for a couple hours you "probably" need to clean it. I also think people have a bad habit of closing the front door of front loaders between use.

thsksbd 3y ago
You a front loader open? Thats weird to me; itd be like leaving a cabinet open - unsightly and a bruise waiting to happen when someone thoughtlessly walks through it. Luckily I have a top loader
- exmadscientist 3y ago
  US front load washers are designed to require the front door left open after or between uses. Otherwise they can and will develop mold. (Ask me how I know.) The idea is that they are usually located out of sight or at least out of the way in the US, so this isn't a big deal. Sometimes that assumption isn't true, which can generate a major hassle.
  - ComputerGuru 3y ago
    How/why do European front-loaders avoid that problem?
    - imp0cat 3y ago
      It's the same. You're supposed to keep the door open. Also, some water tends to stay in the detergent tray, so it's best to take it out after each cycle, empty it and put it back, but don't close it all the way. So essentialy, when the machine is idle, you end up with both the tray and the door open.
      - ComputerGuru 3y ago
        Yes; that's what I know. GP qualified it with "US models" so I was wondering if there was something I was missing.

midoridensha 3y ago

>But laundry requires being hung or transferred to the dryer immediately after to avoid things getting stinky This is why you should get a combined washer/dryer. I never worry about this.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago
The coin op washer/dryer ones in Japan include detergent as well, though I’m not sure how effective they are. We added extra.