Does anyone have a front loading wash machine? Do you have problems with smelly towels? So far, in 3 years, two guests have mentioned this. Who knows how many more just kept quiet. Have YOU solved this problem? If so, how?
Thanks,
C
Front Loaders and Smelly Towels
Posted on Fri, 05/21/2010 - 8:06am
I am not an innkeeper, but have the answer to this problem. I have owned a Bosch front loader and matching dryer for 7 years. Have always had issues with mold on gasket, live in Florida, washer/dryer are in garage. Have always had issues with clothes not smelling clean and towels smelling sour. A rep at our local appliance store just told me...TOO MUCH SOAP! I thought he was crazy, but have tried it and the problem is solved. He suggested using powder instead of liquid, but haven't finished my large container of liquid yet. Apparently the soap builds up in the washer and on the clothes and can never fully be rinsed out with the low amount of water used in these machines. First run a load with cleaner or bleach or vinegar to rid machine of soap buildup, then start using half (or less) the amount of soap you normally use! I use only to the first line at bottom of plastic cup that comes with liquid soap. Seems like not enough, but it works. Good luck!
As I read this conversation, it seems the problem is often wet clothes left in the washer too long before being moved to the dryer. Seems like the solution would be a combo machine that washes the clothes then immediately dries them, all in the same unit.
I have never left clothes in the washer ever. So this statement is incorrect, 100%. I can say without an fraction of doubt, this has never happened here.
My laundry is betwn family room, bedroom and kitchen, it is ALWAYS attended, always within ear shot. I know it is hard to believe, but I have innkeeper ADD and this is a truth, I cannot bear leaving linens in the washer, when they are done they are PROMPTLY put into the dryer. If I am leaving, I won't start a load. It is a pet peeve of mine...let's go back to my childhood...tee hee hee I have a parent who NEVER removed the wet clothes from the washer, ever, so it is one of those quirks I have. I also buy way way way too much TP as a lazy parent ALWAYS let it run out. Hey I yam what I yam. 
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So this statement is incorrect, 100%.
That may be a bit strong, to say "incorrect, 100%". That's like saying that leaving wet things in the washer too long NEVER causes an odor problem.
In my post is said "the problem is OFTEN wet clothes left..."
I didn't say always. Maybe I should have used "sometimes". Surely you can agree that, in some cases, for some people, there would be a problem with them leaving wet towels in the washer too long. Several above said that was their problem.
But I guess I'm straining at gnats here. I've written way more than this is worth!
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So this statement is incorrect, 100%.
That may be a bit strong, to say "incorrect, 100%". That's like saying that leaving wet things in the washer too long NEVER causes an odor problem.
In my post is said "the problem is OFTEN wet clothes left..."
I didn't say always. Maybe I should have used "sometimes". Surely you can agree that, in some cases, for some people, there would be a problem with them leaving wet towels in the washer too long. Several above said that was their problem.
But I guess I'm straining at gnats here. I've written way more than this is worth!
Goodbye
As I read this conversation, it seems the problem is often wet clothes left in the washer too long before being moved to the dryer. Seems like the solution would be a combo machine that washes the clothes then immediately dries them, all in the same unit.
I found the LG WM3431HS All-In-One Washer and Dryer that does it all. It can work as just a washer in case you want to line-dry something, as just a dryer in case something gets wet and just needs drying, or it can do both.
Any thoughs on this? Considering that it saves some of the cost of buying 2 machines, saves some of the space of 2 machines, and handles the washer-to-dryer switching problem, seems like it would be a great solution.
I found the LG WM3431HS All-In-One Washer and Dryer that does it all. It can work as just a washer in case you want to line-dry something, as just a dryer in case something gets wet and just needs drying, or it can do both.
Any thoughs on this?
Yes .... those machines are awful. Those machines are very common on boats where space comes at a premium. The worst of those is the non-ducted model. Ducted or non-ducted, those machines are awful dryers. It takes hours to dry heavy stuff like jeans or towels. I have friends whom I warned not to go that route, but they did anyway because they gained a whole half a closet in exchange, and each of them regrets the decision. The most extreme experience one of my friends had was that it took just under five hours to dry a load of blue jeans.
Unfortunately, all but the best of the yacht manufacturers are putting these in their vessels. The high quality yacht manufacturers still go to the separate, stacked unit.
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Ang
www.sanctuarycharteryacht.com
58' Hatteras Motor Yacht
Miami, FL
Actually, the newer versions (and the LG models in particular) work really well. They've come a long way from the first generation of all-in-one.
I've used the newer LG all-in-one and there's good and bad.
The good. No venting needed. Use a 110 outlet. They take up the space of one machine but perform 2 functions. You don't have to remember to flip loads. Load the towels, come back and they're dry.
The bad. Even the largest models accommodate a somewhat smaller load. They are great for towels; sheets not so good. They tend to get tangled.
So if possible, if you're using these, have at least one large washer and separate dryer for sheets, blankets, etc.
But if all you've got room for (like on a boat) is one machine, the newer LG models do actually work pretty well.
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“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Pericles
These are very common units in Europe. For a residence, they might work okay but the cycle is really long. It would be too long per load for me, unless you had two machines. As it is, I have two dryers to speed up the drying cycle.
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Jeanne
...the cycle is really long...unless you had two machines...
Good point. One benefit of having separate machines would be that you can start load #2 in the washer while load #1 is in the dryer. For a commercial operation, two of the combo units would be better.
...the cycle is really long...unless you had two machines...
Good point. One benefit of having separate machines would be that you can start load #2 in the washer while load #1 is in the dryer. For a commercial operation, two of the combo units would be better.Which is what I do with my standard washer/dryer combos now. 
The problem with stinky towels and facecloths is not with the machine. If it was then everything would stink, right???? It is with the body oils, etc. Towels don't smell bad when they are dry but they stink when wet. Same thing will happen to a shower curtain. This is why I use white. This is why hotels use white. Bleach, etc. can be used. I'm sure the sani-cycle solves the problem and possibly the steam machines. I have the nose of a cochroach and I hate, hate hate going to BB's with coloured towels because nine times out of 10 they are going to smell pissy as soon as they get wet (and sometimes even before that). It's equally important to keep that shower curtain clean if you have one.
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Wendy
"now retired from the BB business"
The problem with stinky towels and facecloths is not with the machine. If it was then everything would stink, right???? It is with the body oils, etc. Towels don't smell bad when they are dry but they stink when wet. Same thing will happen to a shower curtain. This is why I use white. This is why hotels use white. Bleach, etc. can be used. I'm sure the sani-cycle solves the problem and possibly the steam machines. I have the nose of a cochroach and I hate, hate hate going to BB's with coloured towels because nine times out of 10 they are going to smell pissy as soon as they get wet (and sometimes even before that). It's equally important to keep that shower curtain clean if you have one.
While bleach does take care of odors and stains, it is a sewage treatment system's worst enemy. I will use bleach to clean my shower curtains and our family's socks but try to limit it to just once a week to keep my system in balance.
I have used colored towels for most of our 11 years and do not find my towels taking on odors at all even before having my sanitizing front loader - and I do have a very sensitive nose myself. We have gotten numerous compliments about our towels as well. We have an eco sign in the bathroom which does say hang towels if you will use them another day or place on floor for fresh but I always change out wet washcloths and overly wet towels each day just because we are so humid here they would never dry.
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"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2
You are lucky then if you've never had a problem with your coloured towels. If you use your sani-cycle sometimes this probably solves the problem. I know people who have septic systems and always use bleach so I don't think it's as big of a problem as some people think. We are not using tons of bleach per load - it doesn't take much. Apparently you can't kill bacteria in clothing without bleach or 'boiling' and I do not want to have bacteria transmission of any kind on sheets and towels as we all know what they are used for.
Thanks Copperhead
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Carolyn
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
Mark Twain
As a salesman of appliances we run into this all the time. The rotten smell is from leftovers in the machine rotting, whether soap or softener. It is imperative to use HE (high efficiency) soap. It is the european style of soap; a different chemistry than the north american soap. If you have a stinky washer get some Affresh. It is pollident for the washer. The bubbling gets everywhere. Try to leave it in the machine as long as possible with the hottest water. Wash for 2 minutes, pause for 1/2 hour. Try to keep this up for a few hours. It will kill everything that is growing. Keeping the door open dries it up faster, but at the end of the wash cycle the only thing left in there should be clean water & clean clothes. The old top loads took 22 gal of water per change of water, the new front loaders are about 7-9 gals of water per change of water. If you use softener dilute it by 50% before putting it in the machine. We have had a front loader for 12 years. No problems yet. Hope that helps.
BBBob
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Perfect person for my question...I have an LG front loader that doesn't seem to get very much water into the tub for washing. How much water should be in there? Enough to see 'sloshing' or just enough to make the clothes dampish? I keep thinking I need more water so I hit the 'extra water' button for every load, which seems a waste!
Everything comes out damp, and needs 40+ minutes to dry, so there is probably enough water, but without seeing any sloshing going on, I'm wondering!
I will say that if anything goes in a 'regular' wash cycle smelling it comes out smelling. Which is why I think the water level is too low.
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Spare me the perky.
Water level is determined by the absorbency rate of the product in the unit. (but there is always a minimum amount) IE cotton will need more water than poly. Wash cycle are much longer than the traditional units. Try to match the soil level & wash style to the product being cleaned. If "smelling" is like the rancid smells that they are talking about in this thread, then you have other issues. Try ti fill the units as full as possible. more product=better wash. Small loads do not wash as well or spin out as much.
Hope that answers your questions.
BBBob
I never see water sloshing, no matter what is in there. I do fill up the machine as much as possible. Rarely do I do a load that is not full.
The smell is not in the machine, it's the clothes. Perfume-y clothes going in mean ALL the clothes are perfume-y coming out. But nothing in the next load comes out perfume-y.
Try doing the extra rinse. (or less perfume) 
That may help.
BBBBob
I do that with the rinse. It's not me who smells good! 
I can put the same clothes in the top loader and they come out 'fresh' and unscented. My old front loader had the sloshing water and cleaned better. I'm getting ready to call in the service people before we get really busy and make sure everything is hooked up right and balanced.
I have been extremely happy with the Bosch front loaders.
I have been extremely happy with the Bosch front loaders.
Me, too!! And I would buy another, and another... (well, hopefully not - it's a major ordeal shoving a pair of these down a hatch in the bow deck since my doorways are only 22" wide!) The sanitation cycle instantly solved my smelly towel problem once and for all, and my problem had nothing to do with how old the machine was (it was brand new), or how long the stuff sat in there (no more than a few minutes after the cycle was finished)...more than a year later using the sanitation cycle and not a single smelly anything since. Enough HEAT kills anything. I can walk past this washer in the sanitation cycle and feel the great amount of heat coming from it. I know bacteria and "stink" are dying in there for sure!
Is there anyone who is happy with their front loader? If so what is the make?
Is there anyone who is happy with their front loader? If so what is the make?
We have the new Samsung VRT front loader washer & Steam dryer (electric, no gas here 
) and have been (so far) pleased with them. I use the sanitize cycle 1-2 times a week to keep the machine sparkling clean. Our washing model has a cleaning door at the bottom (don't know if this is standard or not) which says to open and clean out once every 2 months. After reading this thread, I am going to increase this process as it does release about 1/4 cup of water when we opened it and I would think that if this water sits too long it could be subject be a mold producer. Being in our business, I can not see this water becoming stagnant but now will be more proactive.
After reading the article Catlady posted, I will now keep the door ajar as well as the detergent drawer when not in use - being proactive!
I have not had a problem with stinky towels but do remove them straight away and place in the dryer.
I just LOVE my steam dryer - almost wrinkle free, less ironing! Woohoo!
As a salesman I love to sell the Samsung units. Well built & suitable for 2nd floor installation. I would not put any other unit on the 2nd floor. Too much vibration. We have had customers that tried to use some of the others & they have literally shaken the pictures off the walls. There silver care units will be discoed this year. It is a great feature for killing bacteria in cold water washes.
BBBob
I use the sanitary cycle if towels are really bad and it really does work in getting them very clean and smelling fresh. The manual with the front loader suggests that at least once a month run the special self cleaning cycle on the machine using bleach. You will have too look in your manual to find the correct buttons to push to get this special cycle. It runs and cleans the washer while there is nothing in it. I have used the machine for 4 years and have never had a problem with smelly towels but I have stayed at bed and breakfasts that have had smelly dry towels hanging in the bathroom when I check in. I am not sure what they are doing to them.
Add a 1/4 cup of borax to the wash. I use 20-mule-team which is available just about anywhere.
Are you using bleach on your towels? If not then all towels will stick after awhile. They may not smell when dry but as soon as they are used they will stink. I have complained and commented on this often on this forum. This is why I only use white. It is impossible to get the bacteria and oils from our skin out of towels without bleach or unless they are literally boiled.
I had smelly towels once and found the solution! First, the obvious - don't leave them sitting in the washer when the cycle is done. I don't leave stuff in the dryer either due to the high humidity we have here that comes back through the ducting vent and creates condensation inside an idle dryer.
But more importantly - if you have a SANITATION setting on your washer, use it. Yes, even for colored towels - it doesn't hurt them in terms of color bleeding or shrinkage. Apparently, bacteria gets left in towels that a normal washing can't remove. The Sanitation setting gets so hot that it kills everything. I noticed a difference instantly when trying to solve my clean, smelly towels. This is the only solution I've found.
I use the Sanitation setting for almost everything, except delicates. The downside is that that cycle take a long time to run - well over an hour, if not up to two hours, but worth it to me.
My sanitize cycle is over 2 hours. Bleach is faster.
My sanitize cycle is over 2 hours. Bleach is faster.
True, but bleach really does a number on the colored items. 
And, for some reason, the manufacturer's user manual states specifically that bleach is not to be used in that machine. I think it's ridiculous that one would make a washing machine that was not bleach friendly. There must be a part in the water pump that bleach will destroy. I was suprised to learn that - it's a new Bosch front loading machine, but be that as it may...that's how I discovered the sanitation cycle. I don't mind the time it takes because I'm doing other things and we only have three guests rooms onboard, so it works for me, but I can see how the time would be a huge inconvenience for others.
I already have something made in New Zealand. Might need an upgrade on that soon as its starting to fall apart.
Repairs are much better for that particular item! the effort involved in doing an upgrade (especially considering the options available - ugh) and trying to find an owner's manual is not worth it. Do not think an upgrade is possible. You already have top of the line.
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Newer models do require some breaking in though.
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In the Spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt. ~ Margaret Atwood
I already have something made in New Zealand. Might need an upgrade on that soon as its starting to fall apart.
Might be easier getting a completely new model instead of parts for the old one. Then again, sometimes it's hard to part with the old model...
The beauty of what I bought was the dryer has a curved opening and up toward the top, so moving stuff from the washer to the dryer is great and you don't hit your knuckles on the edge. It actually opens up toward the top of the front and is a larger opening than all the other dryers there.
Whirlpool Cabrio.
Those look great! I gave in and bought a front loader for our home downstate. I HATE it. I had to wash a jacket quickly, and found it could not do it because it could not "balance" the load. I had to add more. Standard cycle is an hour. Good Golly. Give me a top loader any day. Will definitely do top loader(s) for the lodge. Love that curved door. Is yours OK with comforters?
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From the ancient Greek: "Against stupidity, the Gods themselves are impotent"
tHANKS..this is actually the one I have had my eye on as well
Nice. I've had my Whirlpool top loader and gas dryer for 14 years now! Still going strong after doing guest laundry for 2 years for 3 rooms (4 beds). The Fisher Paykel did the laundry for the other 3 rooms. The only problems I've had with the machines is the part-time housekeeper breaking plastic parts from slamming things around. Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!
Leave the door open when not in use. Make sure the machine is level. Inside the gasket, especially at the bottom edge, make sure it is dry and not collecting old wash water (you have to pull the edge of the gasket up to see underneath it). Run a bleach wash every couple of days.
I have not had any problems with that with my new front loader, but old one was horrible. I had to use OxyClean in every load.
Okay now I read the other responses and will add, I am also a maniac about guest towels - I wash them immediately, which is another reason I am tied like a ball and chain here. I do not ever let them sit damp or wet, they are the first things to be washed, I do not ever bring sheets down with wet towels in them. As soon as the towels get damp again you can smell that and you need to use them for dog towels and get new ones.
My towels have never sat for even a half hour in our front loader, I am a maniac about it, and they still stink, they are rotten machines, I paid the big bucks for a new set and gave away my front loaders a couple weeks ago and got a reg top loader.
I recommend never ever buying these front loaders, trust me, I ran vinegar through it, washed ALL loads on COLD to stop mold and mildew growth. That is all I can recommend vs ditching the things. I know of which I speak, I used it for years with tons of laundry, the thing has been a full warranty and has been rebuilt practically, the parts cost more than the machine originally. LEAVING THE DOOR OPEN does not matter when it is used so often, you have to wipe it out after every load.
I did notice when I bought the new machines that the HE Front loaders were only one or two models now, the reg top loaders can be HE and much more efficient. My stuff comes out nearly dry before putting it into the dryer.)
I told y'all that I loved my Fisher Paykel top loader washer. The online complaints I've seen revolved around problems getting parts (since it's made in New Zealand) but knock wood, we haven't had any issues. Heck, it took us 6 weeks to get the parts for our Kenmore Elite range when the lightning strike to the tree behing our house took out the electronics! So, I'm not sure if there really is any difference. 
I used the unscented Oxyclean in all the guest laundry loads anyhoo because all my linens were no bleach.
My next one will be top loader as well. I don't like the fact that they almost make you buy those stands for front loaders...because they are so low to the ground you almost have to have them What brand top loader did you get?
Like Sandynn said... don't let them sit... which is hard when you're busy. But if you can keep them flipped they definitely smell better.
=)
Kk.
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I think there is a thread here somewhere about smelly front loaders. You have to clean out all the gunk from around the seal...or you will get smells.
Here's a link to one article
Not my guest towels but I wash them as soon as I can get them and don't ever leave them in the washer or they will smell. This is the reason that I don't want people to hang up towels to be green. They start to grow bacteria very quickly. I am green in ways people don't even see so I don't mind washing the towels as quickly as I can.
For a while my own towels started to smell and I found that my DH was leaving them on the floor and they would smell. After he quit doing that they no longer smell. He hated that smell and then believed me now no problem.
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sandynn