Thread Number: 85031
/ Tag: Modern Automatic Washers
Increasingly Long Wash Cycle Times & Fabric Wear |
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Post# 1095105   10/29/2020 at 18:24 (1,266 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Now have AEG toplader up and running am gobsmacked at some of these cycle times. So called "40-60 Mix" is a whopping three hours and nearly 20 minutes long. Unless one uses "time saver" normal cycles for cottons/linens, synthetics, easy ironing, etc.. aren't much shorter either.
Has anyone on either side of pond looked into fabric wear after one's wash is repeatedly subjected to washing for several hours at a go? It doesn't seem like this could be a good thing.... |
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Post# 1095115 , Reply# 2   10/29/2020 at 20:39 (1,266 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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3 hours and 20 minutes is way too long and washing clothes for that long will cause clothes to wear sooner than they should. I remember John L (combo52) somewhere in a threat from 2 years ago saying you only need to do a 6 to 8 minute wash for lightly soiled clothes in a top loading machine or something and that’s the amount of time I usually wash my clothes for in my ‘63 Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII or ‘73 Maytag A606.
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Post# 1095119 , Reply# 3   10/29/2020 at 20:58 (1,266 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)   |   | |
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26-53 minutes for the normal/casual cycle on my Kenmore Elite with default settings including accelawash active is more reasonable. |
Post# 1095140 , Reply# 4   10/30/2020 at 04:23 (1,265 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))   |   | |
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Have to opose that. Have not seen much in wear increase. My towels go for like 3h regardless of machine and have been in use for 4 years, ever since I moved out. Except for some staining from dyes, they look like new. |
Post# 1095141 , Reply# 5   10/30/2020 at 04:30 (1,265 days old) by askolover (South of Nash Vegas, TN)   |   | |
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Post# 1095142 , Reply# 6   10/30/2020 at 05:58 (1,265 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)   |   | |
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But can't say as I have seen much difference with using long or short cycles, But having used a Hotpoint twin tub there is always a huge amount of lint after just a 10 min wash cycle ..... I knew a lady who refused to have a dryer as was convinced all the fluff was the disintegration of clothes but after seeing how well they removed pet dander etc had a whirlpool dryer and never looked back.
As Henene says you can have items that are years old. Austin |
Post# 1095167 , Reply# 7   10/30/2020 at 10:58 (1,265 days old) by vacerator (Macomb, Michigan)   |   | |
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a "Shredmore"? |
Post# 1095191 , Reply# 8   10/30/2020 at 14:37 (1,265 days old) by Maytag85 (Sean A806)   |   | |
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The reason why the Kenmore direct drives got the name “Shredmore” is people had a bad habit of overloading them and selecting a 14 minute wash time. When loaded properly and if clothes aren’t heavily soiled you only need a 6 to 8 minute wash time and you’ll notice a lot less wear when selecting a 6 to 8 minute wash time.
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Post# 1095266 , Reply# 10   10/31/2020 at 06:53 (1,264 days old) by tolivac (greenville nc)   |   | |
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I have found-I put MORE wear and tear on my clothes by WEARING them rather than waqshing them.Think about it!Esp in my job!They can get dirty,greasy or torn. |
Post# 1095637 , Reply# 12   11/3/2020 at 05:09 (1,261 days old) by Frigilux (The Minnesota Prairie)   |   | |
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I’ve noticed the “gentleness” scores for front-loaders in CR’s tests have dropped the past few years as Normal cycles at the heaviest soil setting have become uber-long.
While front-loaders almost always scored “very good” or “excellent” for gentleness when cycles were 40-75 minutes, some of those scores have dropped to only “good” or even “fair” as cycles blew well past the 90-minute mark. Many normal loads don’t require the heaviest soil option, which can drop cycle time significantly, especially in US machines that aren’t required to internally heat water from the cold tap. I recall that the Normal cycle on my 2015 Maytag Maxima was 40-50 minutes until you got to the heaviest soil option, at which point the cycle time took a huge jump. Even Speed Queen joined the club with their TC 5000 top-loader—the model with traditional agitation. The maximum agitation time on my 2017 9-Series is about 14 minutes on the Heavy Duty cycle—a couple of minutes longer on the Whites cycle. Selecting the heavy soil option in conjunction with the Normal cycle on the TC 5000 boosts wash agitation time to nearly 40 minutes, which accounts for the machine’s improved cleaning score and decreased score for gentleness. I have to admit I’ve become spoiled by the quick cycle times on the 9-Series. Many of my loads can be washed using the light or medium soil level settings, with cycles clocking in between 29-33 minutes. Combine that with the dryer’s high drying temp and an 8-lb. load is washed and dried in just a bit over an hour. Two loads (one being washed while one is in the dryer) are finished in an about an hour-and-a-half. |
Post# 1095720 , Reply# 13   11/3/2020 at 23:08 (1,260 days old) by petek (Ontari ari ari O )   |   | |
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Post# 1095723 , Reply# 14   11/3/2020 at 23:55 (1,260 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Remember the pie of good laundering...
Water Time Mechanical action Chemical action Temperature Decreasing one of the above variables generally means one or more of the others must rise to compensate. Soaking or reduced mechanical action means longer wash times. Colder water temps means usually a stronger or more chemical action is required. Reducing water levels means longer cycles in order to ensure wash is thoroughly cleaned and rinsed. Whole concept behind water re-circulation systems is to allow washing machines to use less water. This is done by forcing what water is in tub through laundry via mechanical pumping of water. This as opposed to the "scoop and ladle" or "12-3-12" methods of old that front loaders relied upon exclusively for ages. Machines still do use those systems, but there isn't enough water in tub (especially for domestic front loaders what do wet nap type washing), to scoop and ladle much if anything. So pumps must force water back into washing. Commercial/industrial washing machines process a load of washing from 10lbs to nearly 1000lbs in about 35 to 45 minutes. My AEG toplader shows nearly one hour for rinsing and spinning for "normal/cottons" alone. Mind you that countdown will change but usually at end only several minutes have been sometimes shaved off. Of course commercial machines are still allowed to use far more water than domestic washing machines. |
Post# 1104793 , Reply# 15   1/16/2021 at 23:15 (1,186 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Used default time for "Normal Cottons/Linens-Easy Cares" on my AEG Lavamat. A whopping nearly two hours (119 minutes), but results were far better at 60 degrees C than my usual "Time Saver" option of reducing things down to 63 minutes.
Of that nearly two hours a full 56 or so minutes is devoted to washing (including heating water). But machine allots about 62 minutes for rinsing; mind you have extra rinse programmed by default so that is that bit. Rinses seemed longer and greater in number than with time saver option chosen. Funny thing after all these years of owning AEG Lavamat have never used full normal cycle before as felt didn't have that kind of time for just one load of washing. Oddly when looking at manual last night the shortest "time saving" options are down for synthetics only. Cottons and linens are supposed to be at longer cycle times. Guess that's me sorted! Still the AEG Lavamat was a better option than the Electrolux AEG with nearly three hour cycle time for "normal". That kid of time one really didn't have as had a few loads of washing. Interesting thing; was going to use the "energy saver" cycle since was doing a 60 degree C wash, but there isn't that much of a time or water savings off using "normal". Only a few liters less water and a few minutes less of wash time. Doesn't seem like much of a energy savings IMHO. |
Post# 1104816 , Reply# 16   1/17/2021 at 06:26 (1,186 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Post# 1104818 , Reply# 17   1/17/2021 at 06:52 (1,186 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Suppose there is a bit of energy saved, but was only doing a 60 C wash so guess that is why didn't notice much difference, well not according to what manual states anyway.
Just had peep at owners manual. Energy savings is 39 liters of water for a 5kg wash at 0.89 kWh at 120 minutes, temp is "approximately 60 degrees C). Boil wash (95 C) for 5kg is only 42 liters at 1.80 kWh at 148 minutes. Manual doesn't list how "time saver" option affects 95C washes, but next time have machine on will see what reductions take place. Though wonder if shortening time would affect heating, that is would wash still reach 95C. If so should cycle be shortened too much or at all doesn't make much sense really. I mean to heat up water only to dump it all down drain five or so minutes later. Could likely get same or better energy savings on a boil wash by allowing machine to fill with warm water instead of cold. |
Post# 1104827 , Reply# 19   1/17/2021 at 09:09 (1,186 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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AEG's energy saver cycle has indeed evolved into something quite different. I guess Launderess' model is an in between one being that the temperature is 60 degrees Celcius. The energy saver cycle originates from the 'e' button that most European washing machines got after an energy crisis in the seventies. Candy had one already in the 60's but that was a button for small loads. Here's an early AEG with an 'e-knop' as an e-button is called in Dutch. It promises 30% less electricity costs, 50% less chemical wear, 23% less greying and 7% less wash time at 60 degrees in comparison to a boil wash.
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Post# 1104875 , Reply# 21   1/17/2021 at 19:14 (1,186 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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For those who understand German, this breaks things down IMHO.
www.waschmaschinen-test.e... Otherwise AEG washers seem all over the place with "energy savings" programs. Much one suspects has to do with various regulations that have come down. www.manualslib.com/manual... Here for Lavamat "Bella" 3450 you can see "Energy Savings" option indicated on dial as Louis and others have mentioned. It is a spot between Cottons 95C and 60C www.manualslib.com/manual... |
Post# 1104888 , Reply# 22   1/17/2021 at 22:24 (1,185 days old) by foraloysius (Leeuwarden, Friesland, the Netherlands)   |   | |
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Henrik was also referring to a position on the temperature dial like the Lavamat 6450 had. Here's a picture. It could be used in combination with the 'intensief' (Dutch) button, that extended the main wash.
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Post# 1104890 , Reply# 23   1/17/2021 at 23:42 (1,185 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)   |   | |
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at SFA and I don't recall having clothes shredded or fabric wear happening. |
Post# 1104892 , Reply# 24   1/17/2021 at 23:43 (1,185 days old) by GELaundry4ever (Nacogdoches, TX, USA)   |   | |
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on how you load the machine and what cycles you use. |
Post# 1105150 , Reply# 25   1/19/2021 at 19:42 (1,184 days old) by Yogitunes (New Jersey)   |   | |
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