Silly story about using the washer at AKV-a bit long!

[iwannbindisnee]

I know I am going to sound really dumb, but we just got back from AKV staying in a 2br & here is my bizarre story about the washer. They are front loading washers & I have one at home. On my home machine, the detergent is clearly marked in a cup separate from the bleach & softener. In the AKV washers there were only 2 cups- one labeled bleach & one labeled liquid softener. I didn't think the detergent went in either one, so looked fruitlessly for another place to put the detergent (Esp since they give you a powder box of detergent not liquid!) When I could not find anything, I called housekeeping. They had no idea (the lady actually asked me if I had ever done laundry before!!) I explained my dilemma & said I could not find an operations booklet. She said the units were brand new & they would call maintenance & engineering! A gentlemen came up to the unit from engineering & looked, said he was stumped & went downstairs to find a book. He called & said he could not find any operations booklets. He even checked a brand new unit & could not find any instructions booklets. So, In the end we sprinkled the powder detergent on the clothes & turned on the machine. Anyone use the machines & find an actual place to put the detergent? I am sure it is going to be fairly obvious, but I feel better knowing several people were stumped. (We had 2 other couples with us & one of them had the name brand of the washer for themselves, but not the same model & they were stumped too!!) Other than that little dilemma, we have a wonderful stay & loved the units!! Debbie

 

[Chuck S]

Never having used a front load washer, I'd probably do exactly what you did and sprinkle the detergent right in with the clothes. Maybe not all front load machines have detergent dispensers.

 

[bwvBound]

We puzzled on this during last weekend's visit also ... especially while holding the box of powdered TIDE detergent. We ended up adding a small quantity of the powder to the detergent cup (on the left). Given the caked-on detergent already found there ... we weren't the first.

 

[LisaS]

What brand of washing machine was it? It might be possible to find the owner's manual on the web.

 

[iwannbindisnee]

It was a Maytag (which our friends who were with us have at their home, but it was a different model (you know b/c AKV's are stacked!) So, they couldn't figure it out either! I did check the website & cannot find a stacked front loading washer/dryer combo! Thanks for the idea, though. Debbie

 

[Chuck S]

Is this the unit? Go to the Gallery Product Photos on the right side, and it shows that this model can be stacked.

Maytag

 

[drag n' fly]

Just wanted to say I would of done the same thing....the story is really funny though!

 

[disneynutz]

 

[bwvBound]

No, that is not the unit. The washer/dryer is a single unit with controls shared on a common panel in the (vertical) center.

Is this the unit? Go to the Gallery Product Photos on the right side, and it shows that this model can be stacked.

Maytag

 

[pilferk]

That's interesting.

They must have switched units, mid conversion. Our washer/dryer, in 5525, was a top loader washer with front loader dryer.

I wonder where the "cut off" was, for the conversions.

Anyway, I would have done exactly what you did: Sprinkle some of the powder on top of the clothes. Going forward, though, it sounds like maybe they're going to have to provide LIQUID detergent for the front loading washers...it'll work MUCH better.

 

[iwannbindisnee]

Is this the unit? Go to the Gallery Product Photos on the right side, and it shows that this model can be stacked.

Maytag

Chuck, that is not the unit, but it got me thinking about doing a search a different way & low & behold, here is the unit & it's manual:http://shared.whirlpoolcorp.com/assets/pdfs/literature/2206686.PDF And the great news is that we were not as dumb as I thought we were! The manual actually says to sprinkle the detergent onto the clothes & then the 2 side cups are for liquid bleach or softener! (One of our side cups was clogged with the powder, so I knew people were struggling trying to figure out what to do!) They should definitely have this manual at the units. OH well, good to know--pass this info on to anyone you know is going & planning on using the machines. Another great mystery solved!! haha! Debbie

 

[iwannbindisnee]

That's interesting.

They must have switched units, mid conversion. Our washer/dryer, in 5525, was a top loader washer with front loader dryer.

I wonder where the "cut off" was, for the conversions.

Anyway, I would have done exactly what you did: Sprinkle some of the powder on top of the clothes. Going forward, though, it sounds like maybe they're going to have to provide LIQUID detergent for the front loading washers...it'll work MUCH better.

Well that's good to know, perhaps some people won't have this confusion. We were in 5205&6. And when the engineer went into "a brand newly comleted unit" they had this unit too.

 

[pilferk]

Found a pic of the unit, in case people are curious:

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I wonder if they are HE? If so, they should be using special detergent or it will clog the machine up.

 

[LisaS]

I wonder if they are HE? If so, they should be using special detergent or it will clog the machine up.

I just read the manual. It recommends HE detergent but says that regular detergent can be used.

 

[dis-happy]

Thanks for the very useful thread! I'l be staying at AKV next month and we always do several loads of laundry.....

 

[dianeschlicht]

I just read the manual, and while HE detergent is reccomended, it does say to put the detergent on top of the clothes before starting. The "additives" are all that goes in the little places (bleach and fabric softener).

 

[LisaS]

I just read the manual, and while HE detergent is recommended, it does say to put the detergent on top of the clothes before starting. The "additives" are all that goes in the little places (bleach and fabric softener).

I'm glad we are getting the chance to read the manual before we encounter one of these front loaders for the first time. It would never occur to me to dump the detergent on top of the clothes! I'll bet a lot of people are going to fill the liquid bleach dispenser with powdered detergent which will probably clog it up pretty quickly since it doesn't get enough water flowing through it to dispense powdered detergent properly.

 

[snowbunny]

I'm glad we are getting the chance to read the manual before we encounter one of these front loaders for the first time. It would never occur to me to dump the detergent on top of the clothes!

Me either. And since I use liquid detergent at home, I was planning on filling up a travel shampoo bottle with some detergent here so I would have extra. Guess that idea is out, as liquid detergent directly onto the clothes would probably leave marks.

 

[hellerjw]

Having never used a front-loading washer either I would have just given up and dumped it on top of the clothes too.

I've always assumed you had to use the special HE branded detergents for those anyway. Glad to know you can use ordinary stuff also.

We were at AKV in August and had the top-loading version pictured earlier in the thread so it wasn't an issue then.