OT-Dirty Washing Machine issues?

[PatMcDuck]

My current washing machine is about 3-4 years old. Standard top loader type, GE. When we recently redid the kids bathroom, I bought all new white towels. I remember reading, "you can always bleach them!" Sounded good to me.

As soon as I started washing them, I started noticing stains. Brownish, or even black greasy types. Usually in a line, about 3-5 inches long. I would pre-treat, use detergent, and bleach away in hot water. (I use cold for everything else). I could not understand what was happening, and why bleach was NOT working on the stains.

TODAY, 2 months later, I realized the stains are worse after washing, and some are even round tiny spots that correspond with the drain holes on the side of the inside drum. It seems like when the towels spin, and are pushed into the side walls of the drum, the stains occur. (to make it even worse, I sometimes put extra spin on the towels, so they dry a little faster)

ARGHH. I wiped all around the drum where my fingers would fit, but this seems to be coming from the other side of the drum wall. Do I call Lowes, still under warranty I think. I read somewhere to use vinegar and fill to top and let it soak (hot water??)

I never had this happen with any other washing machine. HELP! My lovely new towels look like crap (literally, I thought my kids were, well, forget it ) I do not notice this on any other items, but these towels are heavy and push into the sides of the drum I guess. (I do not overload it either)

Thanks! If I need vinegar, anyone know how much?

Final update on post 11!

 

[navywifetill2002]

Try the Tide washing machine cleaner! Good luck!

 

[happymommy]

IIRC that sounds exactly like what happened to an old regular top loader machine of mine, then the transmission went out!

I would stop using it and have it looked at, especially if it is under warranty. That isn't normal. Luckily, I had an extended warranty for mine, so they replaced the transmission (or whatever it was). The repair man said it would have been cheaper to replace the machine, but I didn't have to pay so it worked out for me.

 

[PatMcDuck]

i will call about the warranty today, thanks for the tips.

 

[PatMcDuck]

Well, I googled it and found "Oil seal in transmission. (common problem with GE)." Just like you said, happymommy!

I found my receipt, bought it Nov 2007. Paid for an extended warranty, 4 years. I though, oh NO, it is over 4 years!! Then I remembered, the salesman said it was 4 years on TOP of the manufacturer's 1 year? I could not remember, so I called. And the rep from Lowes said, oh YEAH, that is probably what it is.

I am still under the extended warranty! Whew. Repairman comes next week.

Thanks all! I am not even sure why I bought the warranty, it was about $80, and I usually don't buy them.

 

[rock_doctor]

Score one for the good guy. That doesn't usually happen.

 

[happymommy]

Wow so that explains what happened to me. So glad you had the warranty!!

 

[allyphoe]

I agree, it's an oil leak. Ours was just out of the 5-year warranty when it failed; we ended up with a new washer as cheaper than repairing.

If it's an emergency, very small loads escaped oiliness when bigger loads were totally covered in spots, even when the problem had been ongoing for a couple of weeks.

 

[bedogged]

My current washing machine is about 3-4 years old. Standard top loader type, GE. When we recently redid the kids bathroom, I bought all new white towels. I remember reading, "you can always bleach them!" Sounded good to me.

As soon as I started washing them, I started noticing stains. Brownish, or even black greasy types. Usually in a line, about 3-5 inches long. I would pre-treat, use detergent, and bleach away in hot water. (I use cold for everything else). I could not understand what was happening, and why bleach was NOT working on the stains.

TODAY, 2 months later, I realized the stains are worse after washing, and some are even round tiny spots that correspond with the drain holes on the side of the inside drum. It seems like when the towels spin, and are pushed into the side walls of the drum, the stains occur. (to make it even worse, I sometimes put extra spin on the towels, so they dry a little faster)

ARGHH. I wiped all around the drum where my fingers would fit, but this seems to be coming from the other side of the drum wall. Do I call Lowes, still under warranty I think. I read somewhere to use vinegar and fill to top and let it soak (hot water??)

I never had this happen with any other washing machine. HELP! My lovely new towels look like crap (literally, I thought my kids were, well, forget it ) I do not notice this on any other items, but these towels are heavy and push into the sides of the drum I guess. (I do not overload it either)

Thanks! If I need vinegar, anyone know how much?

I don't recommend that anyone buy a GE washer! We had nothing but trouble with our "top of the line" machine and GE was less than helpful.

 

[Mkebound]

We had a GE washing machine. Same thing happend. It was out of warrenty. It took a couple of calls, but GE offerd a new washer at 50% off & delivered for free. I checked online to ensure it really was 50% the prices I could find at Lowes and it was pretty close.

 

[PatMcDuck]

OK, here is what happened.

Lowes repair came to look at washer. (it is under warranty). Said this machine does not HAVE a transmission, or something like that. Said there is NO oil or grease that could cause this problem. We were talking as he left, and hee said the machine was fine, but sometimes that problem could occur from the fabric softener thing, and I said, "Oh, I NEVER use that, so no".

I decided to call GE, maybe this guy was not "qualified". In the meantime, it was time to wash the (stained) white towels again. I once again pretreated all the stains, tossed in bleach, switched to hot water, and WAIT!! The towels are clean!

I later realized that before the repair guy came, I wiped down the machine, on top, around the top of the drum. AND I CLEANED OUT THE NEVER USED fabric softener dispenser thing, that is in the middle of the drum. It was dirty, not sure why, maybe the kids got some liquid soap spattered in there, then dust/dirt stuck to it, and it was a mucky sticky little mess. I assume when the machine ran, some of that greasy dirt got soft enough to come out when the softener was supposed to come out.

I am such a dork! But my towels are clean, so hopefully the case is closed!

 

[leebee]

Yeah... the fabric softener dispenser thingy in the post in the middle of the washer gets GROSS and I think that's where the icky stuff on my clothes comes from. We wash all black/dark items inside out (I try to get everyone to turn everything inside out but realized I am allowed only just so many breaths in this life.... ) so that the grey stuff doesn't stick to them. My sister cleaned out her dispenser and has stopped using it. SHe swapped to some company's fabric softener dispenser ball, made for spindle-less top-loaders. You fill it, screw it closed, and throw it in the washer. So far, so good, so I might try this.

 

[dsneprincess]

Be careful with the fabric softener ball: it scratched up the inside of my washer terribly. The fabric softener thing gets gooked up, even though I don't use it at all. I heat 1/2 cup vinegar in microwave & pour in dispenser & run washer empty about ever 4-6 months

 

[laughinplace199]

OP, did you put the stained clothes in the dryer? I had a similar issue, cleaned out my washer, and it was still happening. It turned out that the lines on the clothes were from the dryer - there was an issue with the seal or something like that.

So, it might not be your washer at all.

 

[PatMcDuck]

OP, did you put the stained clothes in the dryer? I had a similar issue, cleaned out my washer, and it was still happening. It turned out that the lines on the clothes were from the dryer - there was an issue with the seal or something like that.

So, it might not be your washer at all.

Yes, thanks for this tip. I did inspect the dryer carefully after reading this possible source of the issue. But I knew it was the washer, as I would see the wet stains that were even a little "loose" on the wet towels, as I loaded them into the dryer. ( I would wash them a few times, but eventually I had to dry them)

I will wash it regularly from now on. It was just so weird, because I finally switched to white towels, because I was told, you can always bleach them and keep them white. (I rarely use bleach actually, but now I do on these towels). And it was like, FAIL! So happy it is all good now.