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Thread Number: 48974
Test Load Results: Speed Queen AWN 542 |
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Post# 709135 10/13/2013 at 20:34 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux  (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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 Heavily-stained load of kitchen whites: Here is the information for loads done in both the front-loader and the Speed Queen top-loader Detergent + 1/4 cup liquid chlorine bleach Cycle: Soak + Normal (heavy soil setting; warm soak + hot wash) Cycle Time: 24 + 37 = 61 minutes Detergent + 1/2 cup liquid chlorine bleach Hot Water Used: 28 gallons Total Water Used: 60 gallons (did not use maximum water level)
Here's a photo showcasing the stains. All the usual suspects are here: Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, chocolate cake batter; chocolate syrup; strawberry syrup (for Italian sodas); Worcestershire sauce; coffee; baking cocoa; spaghetti sauce; blueberry jam; ground-in dirt.
This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 21:31 | ||
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| Post# 709137 , Reply# 1 10/13/2013 at 20:37 (3,840 days old) by washer111 () | ||
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This post has been removed by the member who posted it. | ||
| Post# 709138 , Reply# 2 10/13/2013 at 20:38 (3,840 days old) by Washman (o) | ||
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Did the Fuller 86 detergent arrive yet? Can't wait to hear how it performs. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Washman's LINK 
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Post# 709140 , Reply# 3 10/13/2013 at 20:41 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Since I use a special cycle when washing these heavily-stained loads in the Frigidaire, I felt it only fair to give the load a soak cycle in the SQ. Plus, I wanted to see how the cycle worked. Here's a photo of the load mid-soak.
This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 21:20 | ||
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Post# 709145 , Reply# 4 10/13/2013 at 20:44 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Results: I am highly impressed with both the Speed Queen and Wisk Deep Clean Original! All but a few stains were completely removed. Light traces of the spaghetti and barbecue sauces were left behind (they barely show up in the photo; easier to see with naked eye); ground-in dirt on bar mop easily visible. 
This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 21:20 | ||
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Post# 709146 , Reply# 5 10/13/2013 at 20:45 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Post# 709147 , Reply# 6 10/13/2013 at 20:46 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Chef's apron (remains of spaghetti sauce stain in upper left quadrant).
My take: Honestly, I was a bit stunned during the post-wash inspection. I did not expect the results to be this good, even with the addition of the soak cycle. Very impressed!
The downside: Although the cycle is a little over twice as long, the Frigidaire front-loader would have vanquished every stain completely using a tiny fraction of the hot water and about one-third of the total water required by the SQ. It would have also spun the load much drier. I used a "standard/medium load" dose of Wisk in each of the soak and wash cycles for the SQ, so more detergent was used compared to the single dose needed for the front-loader. 
This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 21:27 | ||
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Post# 709152 , Reply# 7 10/13/2013 at 21:12 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Bath Linens: This is a fairly typical week's worth of towels in my house. It's one very full load in the Frigidaire front-loader. Half of the total items constituted a full load in the SQ. The maximum water level was needed for the load. (It would appear I managed to crop the wash cloths out of the photo. They are stacked just to the right of the hand towels.) Total Items 8 bath towels (52" x 26"; dry weight is 1 lb. + 10 ozs.) 14 hand towels (28" x 15"; dry weight is 6.5 ozs.) 10 wash cloths (13" x 12"; dry weight is 2 ozs.)
Frigidaire Front-Loader (1 load for all items) Cycle: Normal (heaviest soil setting; hot water wash) Cycle Time: 59 minutes Hot water used: 8 gallons Total water used: 20 gallons Dry Time: 106 minutes (Towels cycle; maximum dry setting) Detergent Cost: 14 cents (Wisk Deep Clean Original)
Speed Queen (2 full loads required to wash all items) Cycle: Normal (heavy soil setting; hot water wash) Cycle Time: 74 minutes (37 mins. x 2) Hot Water Used: 44 gallons (22 x 2) Total Water Used: 88 gallons (44 x 2) Dry Time: 184 minutes (92 mins. x 2; Towels cycle; maximum dry setting) Detergent Cost: 28 cents (14 x 2) Wisk Deep Clean Original
This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 23:00 | ||
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Post# 709153 , Reply# 8 10/13/2013 at 21:15 (3,840 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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So there is round 1! For most loads, the Speed Queen will win in the time department. The Frigidaire will win in the water/energy used department. Both machines do an excellent job of cleaning given soft water and a highly-rated detergent.
Note: I washed only one of the loads of towels in the Speed Queen, took timings and doubled them. Since I'd already washed the whole load of bath linens in the Frigidaire, I used clean items in the Speed Queen. It was either that or wait 3 or 4 days to complete the test. I have absolutely no doubt the SQ would have cleaned the towels perfectly. Lint: Even though the Frigidaire's Sanitize cycle (plus an extra rinse) is over twice as long as the Speed Queen's Soak + Wash cycles, there was more lint in the dryer's filter from the Speed Queen-washed load. There was less lint from the giant load of towels washed in the front-loader than in the half-load washed in the Speed Queen. Conclusion: The Frigidaire is much gentler on fabrics.This post was last edited 10/13/2013 at 23:13 | ||
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Post# 709158 , Reply# 9 10/13/2013 at 21:36 (3,840 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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Great test and results Eugene...Thanks
for either load or machine...this is typical stains I have everyday from the kids....koolaid is a big one, next to ketchup.... but have found thru my own experiments, and wether needed or not, its just added as a precaution or extra kick if you will, rather than have to wash again..... the soak, in any machine is a great help, especially overnight..... but adding boosters to any load are a big help for cleaning the first time, no matter what detergent you use......I add one or several as needed for colors-- Borax Washing Soda Baking Soda Ammonia Color Safe bleach...I find the powder more potent for whites if needed-- bleach, but only after a soak... but find a combo of Sears UP and Tide with bleach powder to take care of most everything as well...for a simple method | ||
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Post# 709173 , Reply# 10 10/13/2013 at 22:51 (3,839 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Martin-- Since I have both Tide With Bleach and Sears UP in the house, I'll have to give your hybrid a try!
Ben-- Unfortunately, the Fuller 86 detergent isn't slated to arrive until sometime between October 18-21. I took advantage of Amazon's free shipping option, which is often much slower. Having spent so much on a box of detergent, I figured a few extra days' wait wouldn't kill me. 
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Post# 709216 , Reply# 14 10/14/2013 at 06:15 (3,839 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Jeff-- It's a review of both, I guess. This is the first time I've used Wisk Deep Clean, the highest-scoring detergent that is designed for use in both front- and top-loaders. It came in second, and received an overall score of 80 by Consumer Reports. Powdered Tide With Bleach HE came in just ahead of it with an 82, but that one claims to be for HE machines only.
Forgot to mention that I added liquid chlorine bleach to the SQ 8 minutes into the wash cycle (which is 15 minutes long). Adding bleach at the start of the cycle cripples the enzyme-laden detergent. This is why I prefer the timed bleach dispenser in the front-loader.
Just for kicks, I'm going to run a similarly-stained load of kitchen whites using the longest setting on the Normal cycle of both machines without any other options (no lengthy profile wash via the Sanitize cycle for the front-loading Frigidaire; no soak cycle for the SQ) and see which machine does a better job at removing stains under those conditions. I think it just may be the SQ...but we'll see. I'll use Wisk Deep Clean Original in both machines.
Update: I ran the items with stains remaining (along with a few more catch-all whites that had accumulated) through the Sanitize cycle using powdered Tide With Bleach HE and 1/4 cup of liquid chlorine bleach. All stains removed. The lengthy wash, concentrated detergent solution, and boosted hot water temp really does the job on greasy stains. | ||
| Post# 709222 , Reply# 15 10/14/2013 at 06:56 (3,839 days old) by frocco (Sauquoit,NY) | ||
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Based on these test results, are you saying it might be a mistake to have ordered the SQ 542? Or is it a matter of using the right combination of detergent? Thanks | ||
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Post# 709227 , Reply# 16 10/14/2013 at 08:05 (3,839 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Frank-- Good heavens, I don't think it was a mistake for you to order the Speed Queen! It did a fantastic job of cleaning that tough load of whites. I have mechanically-softened water and used a top-rated detergent, which probably helped. If you have hard water and use a poor cleaning detergent like Xtra then I wouldn't expect excellent results.
The Speed Queen obviously uses far more water (particularly hot water), and dry times are longer so that means increased energy costs. You'll notice the front-loader spun that huge load of bath linens so dry that it took only 14 minutes longer in the dryer than did a load half the size that had been spun in the Speed Queen. However, you had a top-loader prior to your SQ, so you probably won't notice a difference in energy bills. If I switched to using the SQ full time, my energy bills would definitely go up. The Frigidaire front-loader uses far less hot water, less water in general, and also saves energy in dryer time. But was it a mistake to get the SQ? Absolutely not! This post was last edited 10/14/2013 at 10:39 | ||
| Post# 709229 , Reply# 17 10/14/2013 at 08:09 (3,839 days old) by frocco (Sauquoit,NY) | ||
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Thanks, I was getting worried that maybe I should have ordered a FL. The cost was too high because my wife wanted the pedestals which added another 500.00 US | ||
| Post# 709234 , Reply# 20 10/14/2013 at 08:37 (3,839 days old) by frocco (Sauquoit,NY) | ||
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Thanks washman.... My washer/dryer should be here by next week. Does SQ clean any better than other TLer's? My old maching was an Amana | ||
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Post# 709241 , Reply# 21 10/14/2013 at 08:53 (3,839 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Olav-- I debated using the Prewash rather than the Soak cycle, but I was busy around the house and it was easier to set the temp at warm for the soak, then return to the washer later to reset the control to hot, add more detergent, and let the Normal cycle do its thing.
I do want to use the Prewash one of these days, just to see how it works. Someone said the US version of the AWN542 spins the water out after the Prewash, which means either diluting liquid detergent and adding it to the softener dispenser, or returning to the washer at the right time to add detergent when the Normal cycle begins. Frank-- You don't know how many times I wish I had purchased pedestals for my front-loader! But I use the top of the washer & dryer to fold clothes, and there's a cupboard right above them, so the pedestals wouldn't have worked, anyway. I can't believe how much they charge for the pedestals---it's crazy. | ||
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Post# 709257 , Reply# 23 10/14/2013 at 10:18 (3,839 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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Eugene
Sears Ultra Plus......not sure if its still on sale....was there last week, it was one of their Hardware/Appliance only locations! I prefer the one with DoubleEnzymes..... and NOT in the sales ad....but only the SUP with built in Softener was on sale in the Largest 275 load box.....was 12.99.....and with using my rewards card.....I paid 7.00 a box.... so I got 4 of them...for about the normal price of one! the smaller boxes of the others were one sale as well for 11.99 | ||
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Post# 709266 , Reply# 24 10/14/2013 at 10:38 (3,839 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Martin-- I have a box of "double enzyme" Sears detergent. It cleans well, removes quite a few stains, and rinses out well, even in soft water. I use it for loads of bath towels in the front-loader. Towels love to hang on to suds in softened water, and the Sears detergent rinses out more thoroughly than my daily driver, Tide. WIll be interesting to see what the Fuller 86 detergent is like. Hadn't heard of it 'til Ben mentioned it in another thread. Online reviews at Amazon were excellent, both for cleaning and thorough rinsing.
Ben-- Dishwasher cycles certainly have gotten ridiculously long on some machines. My 2008 LG (model 9810) reads 2:19 for a Normal cycle with no options, but it rarely ever takes that long. It's usually done anywhere from 90 to 105 minutes. I almost always select the 160-degree final rinse, which adds only a few minutes to the cycle. My water heater stays at 140 degrees, so that may account for having some time shaved off the cycle. Also, unless there's really a lot of crap in the water, the LG will opt for fewer water changes. As long as everything comes out sparkling, no problem. I have my sights set on a top-end Bosch, but it'll be awhile. I don't allow myself to put appliances on credit cards anymore, so I have a lot of saving to do. | ||
| Post# 709306 , Reply# 25 10/14/2013 at 13:31 (3,839 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY) | ||
Your tests are always a ball, Eugene. SO THANKS! A Classic
First I've heard of the new Wisk. Will of course go out and buy a jug today and try it on my habitual stains of dark chocolate, red wine, and berry juices: blue, straw, and rasp. Your tests and results are always exciting and motivating. Can't wait to see what the new Wisk will do in the Cold Water Mark XII, and elsewhere. So many thrilling new options abound today for laundry experimentation. Dazzlinggguee and dizzyinggguuee.
This post was last edited 10/14/2013 at 17:49 | ||
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Post# 709405 , Reply# 26 10/15/2013 at 05:22 (3,838 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Thanks, mickeyd! I love putting a new washer through its paces. I'm already staining some dish towels to wash this weekend. I want to see how it does on a load of kitchen whites without a soak cycle or liquid chlorine bleach. I also want to wash a stained load in warm water to see if cleaning is hampered. The machine earned only a score of "Good" for cleaning in Consumer Reports, and I want to see if the 'cool-ish' warm water setting CR tests with is the reason for that. CR also tests in hard water, which I can't replicate, but it will be interesting to see how much reduced water temperatures will affect cleaning ability. Given hot, soft water and a top-shelf detergent, the SQ's cleaning ability has been excellent.
Had the Frigidaire Immersion Care been able to use truly hot water I think it would have been more consistent in cleaning tough loads without resorting to the fabric-wearing Stain Treat setting (also known as The Eternity Cycle, LOL). I understand the need for a machine to default to energy-saving settings, but to not be given the option to use hot water when it's needed is frustrating.
Speaking of which, I visited the young woman who has custody of the Immersion Care. I had explained how to get the best results from it, and she reports that it's does a great job for her. Frankly, I think she's still giddy about no longer having to go to the laundromat . Believing a good guest always brings a little something for the host/hostess, I knocked on the door with a jug of Wisk Deep Clean in hand.
Ben-- Just received an update from Amazon, and the Fuller 86 is slated to be delivered on Friday afternoon. With any luck I'll be using it this weekend. This post was last edited 10/15/2013 at 05:53 | ||
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Post# 709533 , Reply# 27 10/15/2013 at 19:03 (3,838 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.) |
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Wisk report Picked up a bottle of Wisk Deep Clean couple days ago. Used it on a load of whites this afternoon in the Neppy TL, line 3 dose. It (the Neppy TL) doesn't rinse as well as the Calypso, even with Extra Rinse selected (3 rinses total). There were some suds in the wash toward the end. None in the drum through any of the rinses although the final rinse drain had a little foaming. Cleaning performance seems very good, but hard to judge being as I did use a 1/3 cup LCB (Clorox brand) on the load. Majority of the items were the grandmother's, a hand towel and pair of sweatpants had some burgundy nail polish smears which shifted 99% without any pretreating (a smidgeon left on the sweats). | ||
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Post# 709551 , Reply# 28 10/15/2013 at 20:12 (3,838 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie) |
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Glenn-- I need to test the detergent without the addition of bleach, as well. Will do that with another uber-stained load of whites this weekend. I'm really liking the Wisk, and it's formulated for use in standard and HE machines, which is handy. If I stick to Line #2 in the cap it seems to rinse out all right; but more than that and the suds become more tenacious.
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