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Why didn't anyone tell me HE washers suck?

post #1 of 19
6/29/11 at 3:34pm
Thread Starter 
We recently purchased an HE washer, and nothing I wash gets clean. It doesn't really matter forn clothes that are simply dirty, but NOTHING with any sort of stain comes clean. It doesn't matter what the nature of the stain or how I pre-treat. Nothing comes out. Soy sauce on a shirt; still there. Vomit on a onesie; still there.
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post #2 of 19
6/29/11 at 3:51pm
Ok... let's start with the obvious: what is the washer brand / model #? What temperature and spin speed was it set at and which detergent did you use?
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post #3 of 19
6/29/11 at 4:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by imageWIS View Post
Ok... let's start with the obvious: what is the washer brand / model #? What temperature and spin speed was it set at and which detergent did you use?

I don't know the model off the top of my head, but it's a whirlpool. It's failed with regualr Tide in reduced amounts and with First Generation and Tide HE. It's failed at cold, cool and warm settings with and without eco boost.
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post #4 of 19
6/29/11 at 4:48pm
Maybe its just defective?
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post #5 of 19
6/29/11 at 4:52pm
Sounds like there is an issue, I would check your connections and settings. Call the maker. I love HE washers. Would never go back to the old style.
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post #6 of 19
6/29/11 at 5:24pm
it could be the type of water you have... I don't exactly know which Hard/Soft but there's a type of water that doesn't take well to soap and as a result you need water softeners or just more water.
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post #7 of 19
6/29/11 at 5:35pm
The new LG HE washers in my building are far superior to the old non-HE washers we used to have. I know that water is drastically different west of the rockies... where do you live?
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post #8 of 19
6/29/11 at 5:48pm
Hard water doesn't take well to soap.
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post #9 of 19
6/30/11 at 11:56am
I have no idea the feel of the difference between hard and soft water but the water at my parent's house feels like oil. When you are in the shower you feel slimey like you can't get the soap off of you. I know they have a water softener, maybe that is it?
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post #10 of 19
6/30/11 at 12:56pm
That's a sign of the water being TOO soft. Hard water will turn your shower head orange-ish. It'll also keep your soap from frothing as much as usual.
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post #11 of 19
6/30/11 at 6:54pm
I don't know about Whirlpool, but my Miele gets my clothes a LOT cleaner than my agitator machine did. In general, a front loading HE machine will get clothes cleaner than an agitator.


What are the stains? Different detergents work better/worse on different types of stains, and are affected to different degrees by variations in water temp and hardness/softness.

Although Tide is generally considered an industry benchmark, you might try another type of detergent and see if that helps. (Liquid Wisk might be a good choice for stains that react well to enzymes, all would be good on dirt stains.)
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post #12 of 19
7/11/11 at 7:50pm
im curious as well.

i just got receipt of a brand new HE washer (GE) and i have a couple of questions

are they supposed to be just flopping around inside without any water?
the clothes are wet yes. but then it sort of drains out then tumbles for a minute or two, sprays more water, drains again, then tumbles etc.

it never reaches a water level of halfway or even like 1/4 way up like i see at the laundromats.

they do come out clean (albeit i scrape off every hair, grass blade, lint ball , extraneous thing you can imagine before i place items in there to be washed) but still curious.


also, i have a tankless water heater. those things dont bring forth hot water right away and it takes a few seconds to a minute (depending on where in the house you turn on water) so i was concerned how this works with the HE washer as there are instances where it needs warm/hot water in spurts..so im not sure if hot water can arrive in time for those spurts to do its job correctly or is the heat produced independently from the washer itself so as to not to depend on tankless wather heaters?
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post #13 of 19
7/11/11 at 10:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by imageWIS View Post
Ok... let's start with the obvious: what is the washer brand / model #? What temperature and spin speed was it set at and which detergent did you use?

Tech support question #1: Is your washer plugged in?
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post #14 of 19
7/11/11 at 11:44pm
You people do your own wash?
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post #15 of 19
7/12/11 at 11:31am
Chiming in re our satisfaction with a new Electrolux HE washer. Use HE detergent, and the right amount of it. More is not better.
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