Why does my washer leave orange stains on my clothes?

[hucifer]

We bought a front-load Whirlpool Duet last summer. Brand new. Lately it's been leaving orange (and sometimes yellowish) stains on my clothes. We do not have rusty water.

What is this? And how do I get rid of this problem? Does anyone know?

 

[summerrluvv]

Is there maybe a crayon or lipstick or something stuck in it? I know I've found markers in my washing machine that were inking everything up.

 

[Loubon]

Did you try using detergent?

 

[dizneybelle]

The tub in your washer may have rusted on the other side that you can't see. I they are little orange circles, I am almost certain that is the problem. HTH

 

[Papa Deuce]

The tub in your washer may have rusted on the other side that you can't see. I they are little orange circles, I am almost certain that is the problem. HTH

This was my first thought too. However the washer is new. That doean't rulle it out, but sure makes it less likely.

 

[hucifer]

Is there maybe a crayon or lipstick or something stuck in it? I know I've found markers in my washing machine that were inking everything up.

No, we don't have any children and I hardly wear lipstick (let alone slip it in my pocket). This is very strange.

 

[hucifer]

The tub in your washer may have rusted on the other side that you can't see. I they are little orange circles, I am almost certain that is the problem. HTH

No little circles, just random orange-colored smears. BAH! This is driving me nutty!

 

[Aidensmom]

I once had small red stains on a bunch of my clothing after a load of wash. I could not find anything in the machine or in any clothing pockets that may have caused it, and it never happened again. I figured something must have been left in a pocket that got completely disenegrated in the wash.

 

[hucifer]

Did you try using detergent?

I saved your quote for last.


...oh crap, I really don't have a witty response to this. It's way too late tonight.

 

[hucifer]

I once had small red stains on a bunch of my clothing after a load of wash. I could not find anything in the machine or in any clothing pockets that may have caused it, and it never happened again. I figured something must have been left in a pocket that got completely disenegrated in the wash.

The problem is, it's been happening for a few weeks now. It's a random stain, appearing mostly on cream-colored clothing, naturally.

 

[jfulcer]

The problem is, it's been happening for a few weeks now. It's a random stain, appearing mostly on cream-colored clothing, naturally.

Old house/New house? It sounds like rust or sludge stains. Do you wash with hot/warm water? If so, your hot water heater may be the culprit. And of course, you won't see the stains on dark clothing.

 

[bratus913]

What is this? And how do I get rid of this problem? Does anyone know?

Should have gotten a Maytag

 

[helenabear]

Do you use fabric softener in liquid form? We found out that is what was doing it to some of my clothes. No more fabric softener meant no more marks. I now go back to using the sheets instead. I can't remember where I was told about it, but I am pretty sure someone on the DIS made a comment before... I tried it and it's been a couple years since I've seen the stains! Part of the rubber rim is permanantly stained though... I lost quite a few favorite shirts thanks to the softener too

 

[TTFN]

Are you sure its the washer and not the dryer? I had a problem with my pretty new dryer. The seal around the edge of the drum was worn (probably from my teenagers overloading it), and clothing would sometimes get caught there when the dryer was spinning. They ended up with rusty colored streaks. Had the seal replaced and all has been well. I still miss some of the clothing that got ruined, though.

 

[chernabog]

I lost several dress shirts because of the same problem. I would bet that a portion of the washer has rusted. Even if it's a small portion. We had the same problem, where t-shirts, socks and anything else that was light would have small orange stains on them. I finally tracked it down to the rim that bends over the drum itself. It had become rusted on the edge and underneath and each time that we would do a load of wash, with warm or hot water, the steam was make condensation on the lid and surrounding area and then it would drip down on to the clothes. The remedy? I found white appliance spray paint, sanded down the rusted area and painted it. Has been several months since we've found any stains. You may have to do some searching around for the culprit, but that's what it sounds like!!!

 

[LisaR]

Do you use bleach? If so read on.........if not, this won't apply.

I have the identical washing machine as you and just had the repair guy out here three times for spots on my clothes. They are orange-yellow on my really dark clothes and yellow-white on my lighter colored clothes. It doesn't happen every time and it doesn't happen to every item of clothing. Just a shirt here and a pair of pants there.

The repair guy said this is a VERY common problem with these washers. In his opinion, it was the number one complaint.

What happens is the bleach in the cup is not getting rinsed out enough. It leaves diluted bleach in the bleach cup. When you wash your colored clothes without bleach, it is rinsing the diluted bleach back into the machine and causing occasional spotting.

He said MANY people have complained to Whirlpool. Whirlpool admits the bleach stays behind in the cup but they deny it is enough bleach to cause spotting on clothing.

If this is what is happening to your clothes, you have three choices:
1. Stop bleaching all clothing
2. Pull out your dispenser after you bleach a load and wash it out before doing a non-bleach load.
3. Get involved in a class action lawsuit that a few people are starting against Whirlpool.

I picked option #2.

Lisa

 

[ducklite]

Old house/New house? It sounds like rust or sludge stains. Do you wash with hot/warm water? If so, your hot water heater may be the culprit. And of course, you won't see the stains on dark clothing.

That was my thought, although the whole bleach issue could also be too blame. I rarely use chlorine bleach, usually I use the color safe stuff. When I do use chlorine bleach, I make sure my next load is another load of *white's* like my cream colored bacth towels that I wouldn't normally bleach. That way if any risidual bleach is left it will wash out onto other lights and not matter much.

BTW I have the same washer/dryer.

Anne

 

[Griggle]

Old house/New house? It sounds like rust or sludge stains. Do you wash with hot/warm water? If so, your hot water heater may be the culprit. And of course, you won't see the stains on dark clothing.

And, if not your hot water heater, it could be from the pipes - or if you've got a well, iron and and other minerals that's found in that water. And, just as jfulcer pointed out - you won't see them on darker clothing.

Mystery stains on dark clothing bugs me out more.....I'll wash a navy t-shirt that I KNOW didn't have that dark circle in the middle of it before I washed it.
What's up with that? I always think it's a unrinsed detergent spot - but when I wash it again w/o detergent...it's still there....

 

[hucifer]

Everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my thread.

No, I am not sure it isn't the dryer, I just "assumed" it was the washer. It could very well be the rust stain my husband just found in the dryer drum.

Then again, I haven't been able to really locate the culprit. This stain appears as a cookie-cutter mark on some of my clothing, making the same smear from one article of clothing to the other. On other clothing, it's a stain around the collar.

I washed a rewashed two shirts that had the stain. One shirt with the smear cleaned up well, I didn't see the stain. The other shirt still has a bad stain around the collar.

I'm wondering if it isn't a combination of bleach/rust/water. Oh well.

Again, all of you have been very helpful! I appreciate your responses!