# HE washer/ dryer



## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

Okay so I am a nerd. On sunday I bought a new high effeciency front load washer dryer set, it's being delivered tomorrow and i can't believe how excited I am. They are RED and sooo pretty..lol

Any tips i need to know about how to use them?


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

Ooh, the ones that look almost candy apple red?? I want those so bad, lol! Sad to get so excited over washers and dryers isn't it? 

I don't have them myself, but I've read the most important things are to leave the washer door open between uses (which I don't like the idea of myself, but apparently it's pretty important) and to wipe the rim with vinegar pretty often to prevent mildew. 

Hope someone else comes along who actually uses them, but way to go! I'm so envious, lol!


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

What CMB said. Also, it's good to do a 'wash' with vinegar every 2 weeks to a month to keep it from getting musty. You can do the vinegar wash w/your whites...it keeps them whiter.

We've had one for 2.5 years now, and we'll absolutely get another one when this one dies (which I hope doesn't happen anytime soon). Uses almost no soap, little water, and gets our stuff tons cleaner than the other stuff.


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## majik (Feb 23, 2005)

Good for you! We love ours. Keeping the washer door open between loads is really important. Water does pool in the door gasket and it will get moldy and smelly if you close the door. Occasionally giving the gasket a good clean out helps too. I use vinegar instead of fabric softener, and it works great and keeps everything fresh and nice. I also use home made liquid laundry soap, and it works like a charm. If your maching has a "quick cycle" option, use it. It cuts down water consumption even more and still does a good job in my experience. I save the full cycle for barn clothes. Enjoy!


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## my3boys (Jan 18, 2011)

We've had an LG set for 4 years now and absolutely love them! I can wash sleeping bags in them instead of going to the laundromat and using their lg capacity machines which costs too much $. It's so much more energy efficient, gentler on the clothes, and yes they do come out cleaner despite the smaller amount of water used. I no longer have to handwash anything, including all those winter sweaters. 

You do have to leave the washer door open in between uses like everyone else has already said. Even so you will still have to run a cycle to clean it now and then. I do it about once a month or more depending on how many people I have home and if ds25 brings his dog for a visit. Does yours have a tub clean feature or something like it? Mine does and its a big plus. I just add beach to the dispenser and run that cycle. I usually run it again without bleach just to be sure there isn't any left to ruin my next load. If you really want to be safe, run a load of whites first just in case.

Enjoy your new HE washer! you will love it!


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

Use the HE liquid soap detergent. There is a reason..but don't know how to explain it. I love ours... It is the Whirlpool duet set..Our electric bill is less and I think it is because it only uses less that 10 gallons of water and in turn the well does not pump as much water. I have had no problems with mine and I do not rinse or use vinegar..although that isn't a bad idea. I will leave the door open for a few minutes..here and there..Good Luck and enjoy !!


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

You cant use regular top loading cloths soap!! It suds to much!!!
You have to buy HE soap or make your own.
Homemade soap works great because it has no sudsing agents to begin with. 

Thats what I use for my LG HE front loading washer. :baby04:


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## MissQueenie (Feb 15, 2006)

Congrats! We bought an HE LG washer and dryer (just the plain old white ones) when we bought our house a year and a half ago. I have been pretty happy with it so far...it has some great features (delay wash! handwash cycle!) 

My only complaint is that I have been getting a really horrible mildew smell over the last 4 months or so. I've been able to make improvements by running the cleaning cycle (use hot water and bleach, following directions in manual) at least once a month. For me, leaving the door open on the washer isn't really an option since I have a 20 month old toddler, and even when I was leaving it open I was still getting a very bad smell. Turns out I have to really get in there with a clean dry rag and mop every drop of water from the rubber gasket. It's sort of a pain, but it's helping a lot! 

The other thing is that I have to be hyper-vigilant about taking the wet laundry out right away. If I do a load around dinner and don't get around to moving it over until first thing the next morning, all the clothes will stink to high heaven. I've never had that happen with previous washers, so just a head's up!

Also, I would use even less HE soap than the bottle suggests (I only use the first line on my cap), because I read in the manual that the musty stink can be caused by too much detergent (go figure!) -- besides, it saves money 

Aside from the stink issue, they're great! I think I just had a bit of a learning curve going from top to front loading. Good luck and enjoy!


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## pixieduster (Dec 5, 2006)

I splurged when we bought our house and got an Electrolux set. I love it. We had a cheap top load washer before and it was on it's last leg. This is easier on the clothes, no more damage from the washer!  I love the self clean cycle. If something is really nasty it has a deep clean/sanitize cycle, love the quick wash cycle, less soap, and I love how easy it is to operate and change settings on. Mine have LED lights inside that you can turn on. The kids love to turn them on and watch the laundry, lol. I use homemade laundry soap and vinegar too. I am never going back to a top load washer.


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## pixieduster (Dec 5, 2006)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that with the pedestals they are the perfect height for wheel chair access. DH has a debilitating medical condition and will one day be in a wheelchair full time. All of our major appliance purchases take accessibility into account.


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## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

After reading about the mildew I am so glad I went with the new Maytag Bravos. They are the same concept as a front loader, but they load from the top. No gasket to get moldy and both the washer and dryer together was just a bit more then just one of the front loaders. I really love mine. They clean very well, I use HE detergent and also my homemade detergent. Maybe if you dry the gasket and then wipe it with wet cloth with some bleach that would help?


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## Lone Pine (Jan 11, 2010)

We love ours, when its working properly. I wish I had done more research before purchsing mine about 4 years ago!! The GE brand that I have has had many issues from day one. I need to replace the boot gasket now and to order it from GE will cost me 177.47!! Thats just something we cannot afford right now!! 
If and when I have the chance to replace the set I have now I will go with another brand. I will never buy GE again.

Congrats on your new set!! I love the red ones too!!


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## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

pixieduster said:


> Oh, and I forgot to mention that with the pedestals they are the perfect height for wheel chair access. DH has a debilitating medical condition and will one day be in a wheelchair full time. All of our major appliance purchases take accessibility into account.


I am in a wheelchair I did buy the front loaders for that reason, however I didn't get the pedastals because while it raises the doors up higher.. it also raises the soap drawer and controls higher and I couldn't reach to put the soap in or press buttons!


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## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

majik said:


> Good for you! We love ours. Keeping the washer door open between loads is really important. Water does pool in the door gasket and it will get moldy and smelly if you close the door. Occasionally giving the gasket a good clean out helps too. I use vinegar instead of fabric softener, and it works great and keeps everything fresh and nice. I also use home made liquid laundry soap, and it works like a charm. If your maching has a "quick cycle" option, use it. It cuts down water consumption even more and still does a good job in my experience. I save the full cycle for barn clothes. Enjoy!


THIS I was glad to know, my first load on "normal" cycle and I thought... really? 55 minutes to wash a load of clothes? I have since used the speed cycle and you are correct, they look and smell just as clean!


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## majik (Feb 23, 2005)

So glad they are working for you. Enjoy! One nerd to another, I still can't believe I have such fancy appliances, but they are so worth it


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

I guess that is what my new washer is. LG brand. Takes like 54 to run a load. I had since before Xmas as it was a gift from my kids. I have never used only wringer washers before. I have used auto at the laundramat. Too much soap and it will stop it seems. I have not tried washing on the speed cycle. Normal and cold water as all I have right now. I have not left the door open. But not using it much for just me. Takes a big load and so takes awhile to get enough for a load. I have end up with jeans in the colored stuff to get them and have a load. Old jeans and no chance of color fading. My jeans now are not really bad dirty but come this summer in garden they will be. I have to pre-treat anything very dirty. It seems to get things clean but I need bleach the dish towels and I have always did that is bathroom sink and then add to the machine. Can't do with front loader. I have foam backed throw couch and chair covers and I am scared to wash them in it as old. I have to always to hand wash and wring them out. Also used the wringer on them and just filled and washed by hand. And my coated back drapes need to be wash too when the weather warms up . I only have a clothes line no dryer. No where to put one or sidewasher. It does beat the water out of the clothes and they dry faster. Did drop to dry on wood rack this winter. They come out wrinkled. I use the soften but I do not like the smell of Downy. I have not idea how to use the rest ofthe stuff on the machine. I do not have thing under it. I have hard time to see the soap level and even use the flashlight. I have MD. I am having to use it as all I have. Very stressfull to me. I guess I will get use to it yet.


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## DKWunlimited (Sep 11, 2006)

But Colorado, the machines are MADE to sense the amount of clothes being washed and reduce the water and soap it needs. You don't have to wait for a big load to run it!


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## my3boys (Jan 18, 2011)

RiverPines said:


> You cant use regular top loading cloths soap!! It suds to much!!!
> You have to buy HE soap or make your own.
> Homemade soap works great because it has no sudsing agents to begin with.
> 
> Thats what I use for my LG HE front loading washer. :baby04:


RiverPines, just to be on the safe side, check your warranty. When I got my LG the warranty stated it would be voided if I used anything other than HE detergent. Even though the homemade is low-sudsing, they may give you a problem over it anyway.

I'm just looking to save you some aggravation. It may not even be an issue, but I would check just to be sure.

Carol


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## Colorado (Aug 19, 2005)

I have the special soap and softner. But if you get too much for the smaller load it suds up. Soap dish says normal and max . I used normal for the quilted bedspread and dust ruffle and it sudsed up. Yes, it senses the load and it said same as any load I have been using. You have to figure out the detergent amount. I may have spilled some and I did take the dish out and pour some out so was below normal. DIL picked out the detergent . I was doing okay till the bedspread. Far as I can see this one uses all the soap you put in the dish for that load. You can use dry soap it says in the drawer. Take the dish out. But I have only used the liquid.


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## pixieduster (Dec 5, 2006)

DKWunlimited, you have a great point about the wheelchair and soap tray. Maybe we got the pedestals for me, lol. I am tall and wash 99% of the laundry. My DH would have no problem switching the laundry over or getting stuff out of the dryer. Hopefully by the time he is in the wheelchair full time the kids will be tall enough to help with the laundry.

Congratulations on your new washer and dryer. It is a very exciting purchase. I hope everyone who makes it loves their HE front loaders as much as I love mine. I might have been more excited about the washer and dryer than finally owning a house, lol.


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## caroline (Sep 29, 2009)

mine are Samsung and are stacked and I LOVE them! You do have to ue the laundry detergent that is made for them, tho. I read the books from cover to cover ----

You will not be sorry! I am leaving mine with my house---a 2000.00 dollar improvement!


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## Kung (Jan 19, 2004)

FYI, we use Country Save powdered soap. Not exactly sure if it's HE soap, but it works better than anything else, it's cheap, lasts longer, etc.


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## sewserious (Apr 2, 2010)

I have a 5-year-old set of Whirlpool Duet washer/dryer. Have never used HE detergent and don't have any problems. I use whatever and just use a MUCH smaller amount. The main difference between HE and regular detergent is the amount of concentration and the PRICE!

I leave my door open just a bit on my washer and don't leave clothes in overnight (well, I try not to anyway . I occasionally add vinegar to a wash load, especially DH's socks and underclothes that he wears to work in the summer; they are dripping wet from sweat when he comes home after work, he installs HVAC (lots of times in hot attics), and the vinegar helps with the smell in his clothes and keeps the washer fresh too. 

I have never had a problem with odor unless I forget a load. I re-wash them with vinegar and very little detergent if that does happen on occasion. No more smell in the clothes or the washer.

My clothes look better much longer than they used to. I really like that because I try to make the majority of my "good" clothes and I feel that the time put into them is even more worth it now since the washer doesn't wear them out so fast.

Oh, another hint. Don't overload the washer; that is what causes clothes to tie up in knots! I shake each piece of clothing as it comes out of the washer and goes in the dryer or the basket to be taken outside and hung up. That really helps with wrinkles. I also hang things up as soon as they get dry and have very few clothes that need ironing anymore.


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