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Thread Number: 69650
/ Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
Speed queen FL mold & mildew smell |
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Post# 925632 , Reply# 3 3/8/2017 at 05:33 (2,605 days old) by Easyspindry  (Winston-Salem, NC) |
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Addendum . . . Some years ago, I had a Whirlpool Duet set -- FL. Left the door ajar and never had a mold problem. Had that machine for 10 years. The washer was better than the dryer. Jerry Gay | ||
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Post# 925634 , Reply# 5 3/8/2017 at 06:32 (2,605 days old) by littlegreeny (Milwaukee, WI) |
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| Post# 925693 , Reply# 8 3/8/2017 at 14:15 (2,605 days old) by agitated (michigan) | ||
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SQ Rep said dont have mold issues & no bleach or "routine maintainance" cycle because of special spin design? | ||
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Post# 925702 , Reply# 9 3/8/2017 at 15:19 (2,605 days old) by kb0nes (Burnsville, MN) |
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The only advantage a SQ FL machine may have over any other is that the outer tub is stainless instead of plastic like most every other machine out there. There 'might' be some advantage to stainless as far as having biological growth on the surface.
But in any case, if you use a good detergent in proper quantities, wash in hot water at least some of the time, use bleach once and again and leave the door open when not in use, any front load machine will stay odor free. If a front load washer gets smelly, the users habits caused it. Over in Europe the majority of washers are front load machines, the people over there don't seem to have funky smelling washers. Here in the US where people used their poor laundry habits left over from their top load machine in their new front loader, they ended up with smelly washer syndrome. Then instead of learning how to correct their error, they go and sue the manufacturers. Clearly the machine is the problem, "I know how to do laundry" lol | ||
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Post# 925707 , Reply# 10 3/8/2017 at 15:55 (2,604 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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bottom line.....with ANY machine....
if there was an issue caused by the machine or its function, production would have stopped... and ALL of the machines would have it.... there has to be something to the fact, some of us: DON'T have a 'clean washer' cycle on our machines...nor a reason to use/need one DON'T wash in cold water for every single load... DON'T leave the door open... DON'T leave the dispenser drawer open... DON'T have to do any special wipe down or maintenance.... I never had to, and never will..... in fact, any used machine we get in that is scummed up, mold/mildew issues, bad odors.....those issues clear up after several uses....and are never seen again.... it's as simple as that...... | ||
| Post# 925712 , Reply# 11 3/8/2017 at 16:44 (2,604 days old) by golittlesport (California) | ||
mold is caused by user error
I don't believe smelly front load washers are as common as one might think. And I also believe that any that are moldy are caused by user error -- cold water only washes, too much fabric softener and not letting the machine air out and dry after use.
I've had front loading washers since the year 2000 and never experienced mold or smells. I have many friends and family members who also have front load machines and never have a problem. In fact, I personally do not know anyone who has. Some crafty lawyers got together a class action suit of people who did not follow the directions that came with their washers and sued a few manufacturers. That made the news and created the mold hysteria out there. | ||
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Post# 925716 , Reply# 12 3/8/2017 at 17:09 (2,604 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.)) |
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Go for the SQ FL | ||
| Post# 925723 , Reply# 13 3/8/2017 at 17:56 (2,604 days old) by washerdude (Canada ) | ||
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Front loaders are the way to go nowadays, before switching to a FL i owned a WP DD top load for 14 years. I was skeptical at first, but our new two year old FL cleans better than our old machine ever did. | ||
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Post# 925725 , Reply# 14 3/8/2017 at 18:08 (2,604 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.)) |
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Agreed Washerdude: | ||
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Post# 925931 , Reply# 15 3/10/2017 at 02:52 (2,603 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN) |
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Post# 925962 , Reply# 17 3/10/2017 at 06:43 (2,603 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN) |
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the Frigmore my neighbor gave me a few years ago had that same tub back in it. But hers wasn't gunked up...she must have used hot and warm washes frequently. Stainless steel is one of the many reasons I own Asko and Miele machines, plus the fact that the massive behemoths we have now won't fit in my laundry closet. | ||
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Post# 925963 , Reply# 18 3/10/2017 at 07:01 (2,603 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Plastic Outer Tubs In FL Washers Are all filled with ribs for the etra strengh needed for them to work.
The plastic outer tubs and the cheaper concrete ballast weights that most FL washers use limit their maximum life spans a lot, Speed Queens SS outer tubs and cast iron ballast weights allow their FL washers to last over 25,000 loads before they start to have serious fatigue issues.
We are about to change out two SQ stack washer-dryers at a famous hotel in Washington DC next week that are 5 and 6 six years old, and have been used about 20 times a day so each of them has washed and dried between 30,000 and 40,000 loads each, and after a little refreshing we will likley resell both pairs, neither washer has ever had new bearings, new motors or either the control or motor circuit boards replaced. Both washers have had new inlet valves, new door boots, start switches and a few knobs replaced. The dryers have had a roller or two replaced, one motor and a temp switch and a timer and a few knobs between the two, not even a heating element in either because they are being operated on 208 volt power instead of 240 volts.
John L.
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Post# 925969 , Reply# 19 3/10/2017 at 07:13 (2,603 days old) by Logixx (Germany) |
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| Post# 925973 , Reply# 21 3/10/2017 at 07:40 (2,603 days old) by mrb627 (Buford, GA) | ||
@JohnL... | ||
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Post# 925980 , Reply# 22 3/10/2017 at 08:09 (2,603 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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heres a Neptune inner drum after a tear down....hot/warm washes, bleach with the whites....this was at 14 years of service....
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| Post# 925997 , Reply# 23 3/10/2017 at 10:05 (2,603 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago) | ||
tub access envy (off topic)
I envy you all who can open your tubs on older front loaders.
It's come to my attention that Whirlpool's new direct drive FL architecture (MT WP) have glued/sealed tub halves. They're only sold as a $700 assembly. NO access to the spiders. Or the bearings. It's all sealed now. >:[ It's one of the reasons I BOUGHT a Maxima in the first place, after seeing all the relatively easy bearing changes that could be done on the older Duets and Epics. I never would've minded swapping out bearings every several years if I got a nice solid washer in other aspects. Not anymore. And I'm peeved. These bearings better last. CLICK HERE TO GO TO johnb300m's LINK | ||
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Post# 926004 , Reply# 24 3/10/2017 at 10:32 (2,603 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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| Post# 926021 , Reply# 25 3/10/2017 at 13:18 (2,603 days old) by johnb300m (Chicago) | ||
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| Post# 926234 , Reply# 28 3/11/2017 at 14:26 (2,602 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY) | ||
The old Duets engineering mistake? | ||
| Post# 926238 , Reply# 29 3/11/2017 at 14:40 (2,602 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY) | ||
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Oh forgot to add
It does piss me off when I see manufacturer's touting energy savings and being eco friendly - (like that article above said) but, in reality, it's just the opposite! If people are throwing out double the amount of laundry appliances than they once were and paying for new ones, there's nothing eco friendly about that at all. I've been so lucky with my machine and I hope it lasts me a few more years at least. I wonder if the total cycle count on my Duet is lower than average? I'm thinking an average of 4 loads per week, usually rather large loads - sometimes a little more, sometimes less, so say 20 loads per month to be safe - at 12 years old, that would mean my duet has only done around 2,880 cycles. Just say 3,000 to be safe. Where other families do laundry DAILY! MUCH MUCH MORE. That could be part of the reason I've been so lucky.
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Post# 926255 , Reply# 30 3/11/2017 at 16:03 (2,601 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey) |
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people way of thinking surprises me....
do you think dishwashers would have the same issues if only COLD water was used?...we don't leave those doors open or anything!....stacking dishes in there until a full load is met, so odors can happen, but once we run a cycle, that is all gone.... where is the true thought in energy savings.....running a load several times to get the clothes clean?....running an empty machine, completely filled with HOT water to clean it?.....or, wash in cold water to save our clothing from fading or shrinking, and yet most will toss them into a 160 degree dryer, way hotter than most water heater settings.... were not asking for every fill to be hot water.....just the first wash...and what does that equal, 3 to 4 gallons tops! seems like simple practices like hot/warm washes.....will eliminate having a mold/mildew issue, eliminate running a clean washer cycle, and most likely less break down time or replacement of a machine.... amazing how many people will never understand any of this....seems like a lot of people just want to complain, they don't want the cause, the answer, or the fix! how many threads have and/or will we see on this subject? | ||
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Post# 926261 , Reply# 31 3/11/2017 at 17:15 (2,601 days old) by whirlykenmore78 (Prior Lake MN (GMT-0500 CDT.)) |
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Cold washing bullshit: | ||
| Post# 926276 , Reply# 32 3/11/2017 at 19:19 (2,601 days old) by washerdude (Canada ) | ||
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I've heard people recommend to wash whites in cold water...YUCK! No way that's ever going to happen at our house. | ||
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Post# 926314 , Reply# 33 3/11/2017 at 21:59 (2,601 days old) by kb0nes (Burnsville, MN) |
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"The reason for the sealed tubs is to "encourage" new sales. "
I really don't believe that this is true. The reason manufacturers might switch to a sealed tub would be for manufacturing cost savings and less likely hood of a leak. Consider these things: The main bearing and shaft seal really don't fail that often, especially if the machine is used correctly. When confronted with a malfunctioning machine that is say 5 or 6 years old, what percentage of owners even bother to consider servicing the machine?? Of that small percent of people that would call for service, only a tiny percent of them will choose to replace the main bearing and seal if that were the failure. Even in a non-sealed tub machine we are talking a $500 repair, most are condemned at this point. So looking at those factors, a sealed tub really means nothing different will happen. Five year old machines that need bearings will be scrapped either way. Us appliance aficionados that believe in repair no matter what are few and far between. Sure it is an annoyance for us, but it really won't force more sales by way of planned obsolescence. I too would LOVE to return to times where machines were repaired and not replaced anytime they fail. But I'd also like to return to the times where NOBODY drank bottled water!!! In the grand scheme of things, single use plastic bottles are FAR worse for the environment then disposable appliances, even if they are properly recycled. | ||
| Post# 926316 , Reply# 34 3/11/2017 at 22:11 (2,601 days old) by Pierreandreply4 (St-Bruno de montarville (province of quebec) canada) | ||
thats the problem these days
i can say thats clearly a problem if it was not for my aunt also my mom aunt for keeping the bill and sale paper for her 6 year old fridge that she had to call for a repair a couple of years ago the tech would of told her to replace her fridge i think the same go for washers and dryers, picture is an exemple there was a time where appliance could last up to 40 years and where easy to repair and also unless you can repair the machine yourself and have good experiance the trouble with modern machine they make them so that after 10 years or more of service the customer trying to get a call for a repair have to buy a new machine because depending on the tech they rather advise replacement than repairing the washer that is sad
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Post# 926367 , Reply# 35 3/12/2017 at 10:28 (2,601 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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Sealed Outer Tub assemblies On New FL Washers Are probably a good cost saving idea on FL washers with cheap plastic outer tubs. A sealed tub assembly will save many machines getting junked early because of leaking outer tub seam seal leaks.
Also keep in mind FL washer bearings almost never fail unless water gets past the main seal and ruins the bearings.
Bearing life is not affected by spin speed, load size, even the amount of use the washer gets to a measurable degree.
The main issue if you want to replace the bearings in any FL washer is making sure that the main seal assembly is in perfect condition, ultra premium SS bearings etc will not make any difference in life, SS sealed bearings will not work any longer if exposed to water and detergent.
If you want a reparable washer that has the potential to last 30+ years today there is ONLY one reasonable choice for the average home, A Speed Queen FL Washer.
John L. | ||
| Post# 926379 , Reply# 36 3/12/2017 at 12:49 (2,601 days old) by Stricklybojack (South Hams Devon UK) | ||
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In regards to mold, we have kept the door ajar on ours and had no problems however you MUST wipe the black rubber tub seal regularly as water/moisture hides there and gets nasty fast. The SQ FL is chock a block full of very expensive parts that will never make it to the 30 year mark. I can't make it to 30 loads per $600 motor board on mine...no exaggeration. FL washers are only as good as the electronics that run them and SQ's are made in Mexico and prone to failure sooner or later...but not 30 years later by a long stretch. FL machines are disposable devices at this point, if you choose SQ I implore to get the models with a 5 year warranty. That said, be aware you can easily replicate this warranty on other brand machines through third party consumer insurance vendors. I used to love my SQ on the ocassions it worked...but now feel oh so suckered by the 30 year BS after it started breaking on a nearly monthly basis. Reviewed.com calls them a "cult washer" brand, meaning for drinkers of the kook-Aid only, in all measurable areas they woefully underperform for the price. Yes the TL machines are much beloved but the FL design is new as of two years ago and is very thinly distributed to home owners compared with what a consumer behemoth like Whirlpool puts out. Meaning it takes much longer to teethe through the design/manufacturing bugs via the feedback loop with the installed base of customers. To paraphrase an old car joke, Whirlpool looses more consumer FL washers than SQ makes. Yes I may have been "unlucky" with my machine but don't buy a FL machine based solely on considerations like stainless tubs and what not cause it's just a better arrangement of deck chairs on a washer Titanic that is skippered by questionable quality control in a sea of electronic icebergs....ahem, imo. And btw, even on the sturdy-build-front the SQ is weirdly flimsy in very conspicuous places, like the door and the start button (I have the rear control "knobs" model), to name two big ones for me. Every time I use it I think, "really, of all the start buttons you could have picked." I then wonder, "just to save how many cents?". Same with the door, it just feels chintzy. This post was last edited 03/12/2017 at 14:32 | ||
| Post# 926385 , Reply# 37 3/12/2017 at 13:16 (2,601 days old) by Pierreandreply4 (St-Bruno de montarville (province of quebec) canada) | ||
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lots of factor comes in when it comes to front load washers
well there are alot of factors that comes when deciding to buy a front load thats what i have right now but not closing the door eather on going back to a good old fashion top load washer,
1 capacety of the washer for the wash drum 2 cycle needed and wash time for the load 3 years of use right now i have a 13 year old whirlpool duet washer dryer set going on its 14 year of use this summer no repairs on the washer only a service cleanup on the dryer because of to much lint but there will come a time when they will need to be replace and the big question is do you went to spend time having a tech because the washer is defective since day 1 if it would of been the case mny mom and i would of ask the store where we purchuse or whirlpool duet to exchange the model on day 1 there are alot of factors to think of but the main point of my post is depends on how many load per weeks or days the washer will be use. | ||
| Post# 926388 , Reply# 38 3/12/2017 at 14:06 (2,601 days old) by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY) | ||
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Pierre
Your duet is older than mine. I know back then they were built in Germany - Maybe that's why? LOL. Why do I get the feeling that we will not be so lucky with our next set? Then again, I said the same thing about this set when I got it. I thought in 2005 there would be NO way I would still have this machine continuing to work in 2017
@ agitated - Some real disagreements in this post regarding SQ longevity. Personally, I've never had a SQ but I'm sure their machines are built much better than WP or LG/Samsung, GE, etc. I think you have been unlucky and just gotten a hold of a really buggy machine where something is wrong somewhere. What surprises me most is that they won't replace the thing (especially at this point), which is kind of a turn off and shocking since they are so expensive. | ||
| Post# 926453 , Reply# 39 3/12/2017 at 21:41 (2,600 days old) by Pierreandreply4 (St-Bruno de montarville (province of quebec) canada) | ||
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mark_wpduet
thank you mark_wpduet my secret is for 1 thing thanks to this site i have seen the light and now wash light color heavy duty using hot water heavey duty cycle colors warm water but my secret is i do not neglect doing a monthly cleanup using eather tide clean regular bleach white cycle or just water let the washer run a full cycle empty and it cleans it using hot water of course so far doing my home work when after chrismas my mom and i had to replace the dishwasher while in the store i have look at the speed queen topload model awn432 and its matching dryer would use the same pattern sure its a top load but my mom and i have not close the door on buying frontload because in the long term we went a stack set and stack the dryer on top the washer but doing that means costly renos but its good to have options thats the set i have look and i like the old fashion timer knob but not du to be replace yet but if my mom and i have to since i am the one doing the laundry for my mom and i speed queen would be my number1 choice
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| Post# 966695 , Reply# 42 11/7/2017 at 20:02 (2,360 days old) by speedqueen (Metro-Detroit) | ||
Look on your local Craigslist and get a 29" WP/KM dryer. It will beat all other offerings and is easily repairable. With a dryer like that and the high speed spin of the FL your clothes will dry in no time.
We just replaced an early 2000s GE FL styled dryer w/ a 29" and it drys much quicker w/ less wrinkles if the clothes aren't removed immediately which was a requirement with the GE. And, heck if it REALLY breaks down you're out $50-150 and there is always another available. SQ's dryers have never been even close to the best. I used some 240v operated models(stack but small consumer type) at a hotel and they often took over an hour. | ||
| Post# 1201262 , Reply# 47 3/10/2024 at 15:45 by qsd-dan (West) | ||
"We now have an LG which has a bigger tub, costs 1/3 as much, has a heater, doesn't smell."
That's the biggest gripe with Speed Queen washers. For the price tag they're asking, it really needs to have a heather with selectable temperatures. Also, a clean cycle that meets or exceeds 160F would keep odors and buildup down. If I had to purchase a front loader, it would definitely be an LG. | ||
| Post# 1201319 , Reply# 48 3/11/2024 at 14:31 by panasonicvac (Northern Utah) | ||
I've been very happy with our LG for over four years now. Though we did had one problem with it recently, the pump in the washer went bad. We swapped it out with a different pump and supposedly it should last longer than the other one. Despite that, I'm still glad we went with LG instead of SQ. It was cheaper, it offered both jets which I find handy and a heater which I don't use much but it's nice to know that it's there, and I really like the size of the capacity. Best set we've ever owned in the house, I like them slightly more than our Neptunes.
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| Post# 1201384 , Reply# 49 3/12/2024 at 12:18 by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY) | ||
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I think mold can be caused by user error but also it could be caused by how humid the machine's surroundings are.
Example: A few years ago I remember experimenting with my AC to see if I could tolerate bumping it up a few degrees from what I was used to for a few days. To me it felt uncomfortable... even with a fan. I think I moved it from the 72 I was used to to 75/76 (never again) anyway - we have a stand up tile shower and I noticed it started growing mold.. It took me a bit to realize maybe it was because I bumped the AC up | ||
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Post# 1201401 , Reply# 50 3/12/2024 at 19:15 by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md) |
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The main reason washing machines mold
Is because they’re covered with residue from poor washing procedures, and they’re also not used with chemicals that kill mold, such as bleach or enough heat.
Something like a shower stall normally would have some mineral deposits and residue on the walls, which would allow them to mold easily. But you need something for the mold to grow on. It won’t just grow on a clean surface normally. Hi Mark, how high did you let the humidity get in your house when you turn the air conditioning to a hotter temperature? I would think you’d have to get substantially over 50% humidity to have much trouble with mold. John | ||
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Post# 1201409 , Reply# 51 3/12/2024 at 22:28 by appnut (TX) |
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| Post# 1201411 , Reply# 52 3/12/2024 at 23:35 by mark_wpduet (Lexington KY) | ||
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Oh...I can't remember... but obviously if the T stat is turned up... AC will be running LESS... humidity will be more since it's running less.
I have one of those little devices in the kitchen that gives the humidity sitting on a bar... I think it was like 65% or something like that...The other morning I cleaned my house. I opened both doors that have screens and turned the window fan on because it was in the 60s outside...but it must have been humid...(AC OFF) I worked my way through the house finally mopping...and I noticed it was taking forever for the floors to dry and they are usually dry in NO time... it said the humidity inside was 71% and I was so uncomfortable even though it was in the 60s....I think the indoor thermometer was on 70... I closed everything up and turned the AC on and it dropped the humidity from 71 to 60% before it turned off. It wasn't warm enough outside for it to run long enough. | ||
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