How to Clean a Front Loader Washing Machine?

Laundering has never been as convenient as it has been in recent years. Disruptive innovations aren’t affecting automobiles or space travel alone, they have also significantly contributed to the way things are done at Home. Efficiency, time, ease, and longevity are some of the main factors underlying recent Home Appliance technologies. Gone are the days when in the suburb, clothes were shipped to the stream or any rocky waterways for beating. Fabrics had to be beaten or continuously wrung by the hand to make them clean in the past. Note that some communities still do not practice this but things have significantly changed since then. Now, there is barely any household in the United States without a washing machine of varying brands.

It is clear that following the wide acceptance of washing machines, its market potential is immense. Some leading brands in the production of washing machines are the following; Maytag Inc. did not start out as a washing Machine manufacturing company, its pretty certain that the market potential in washing machine manufacturing was envisaged by some visionaries in the company and as a result, in 1925, the Maytag Company shifted production model from farm implements production to the making of washing machines, you’ll bet they have not regretted this decision in any way, despite some hurdles on the way. Maytag Inc. is currently a leading manufacturer of washing machines in the United States, trailing GE Appliances and Whirlpool.

It is undoubtedly so that the LG company is also a leader in the Washing Machine industry. The LG has so far instilled its prominence in the business because it has significantly developed from an inexpensive, poor-quality Korean appliance brand that it was in the 90s to build a reputation for industry-first innovations, In the production of washers, they have pioneered direct-drive inverter motors, precisely in 2015. They also led the race in the invention of steam technology and Wifi connectivity amongst others. Other Companies like Samsung, Whirlpool, Haier are also leaders in this industry. Your spending will be a waste if you give them a chance.

Machine Machines vary in type and it is really necessary to have this understanding in order to make an informed decision when you finally take out your credit card. As discussed already, washing machines do not only make our laundering much easier, they also help us manage our time while we get the best washing experience. These benefits and more await you only if you make the right machine choice, suitable for your purpose while providing it with the highest level of maintenance needed for optimum satisfaction. In this light, therefore, there are front-load washing machines and their top-load counterparts, there are also special ones like High efficiency, LG direct drive washers, Agitators, etc. For the purpose of this article, we will pay more attention to front-load washers.

Know Your Front-Load Washers

Front-load washers clean superbly and cut utility bills but they are prone to mold and some of them have longer wash times. But, hold up a minute, before we go to the negatives, let’s talk about the benefits a front loader brings you. When it comes to buying a new washer, the implication of your choice will go way beyond your reduced account balance as you make the purchase, other factors like energy efficiency, capacity maintenance, the size of your laundry room, and more will influence your choice.

For starters, front loaders are very good at distributing detergent which it later supplies into the load and this is good quality because cleaning is a result of Chemical action, first of all, then thermal action and mechanical action. Your clothes will not reach the desired state of cleanliness if there isn’t an appropriate soap solution isn’t applied to the load. A particular front loader called the Electrolux has a special feature called the SmartBoost which mixes just the right amount of detergent and bleach, suitable for a load set about 6 minutes before wash after which it releases this solution in the washer’s drum. This is relatively the best cleaning solution for a front load washer.

Front-loaders have been discovered to have a superior cleaning experience and top-notch water, time, and energy efficiency because of their Mechanical action, which involves the movement of the washer. Hence a clean and effective cleaning is a function of a proper mixture of detergent, the right temperature, and the tumbling motion of a washer.

Speaking of the tumbling motion of a washer, the washing motion of a front loader is quite different from that of a top load washer. A front-load machine’s drum uses a tumbling motion that employs gravity to knock clothes against each other and scrub them against the coarse element in the detergent and the parts of a washing drum with great force. However, top loaders pull and twist fabrics instead. Hence, despite the presence of an impeller in a top loader’s drum, it still will not clean fine enough and because of this, they don’t clean clothes as well as front loaders. Below are some of the features of a front-load washing machine.

Front Loaders are Stackable

Washers occupy enough space already, so if you are wondering how your Dryer will fit into the Laundry room, front loaders allow you to stack your dryer on top of your washer to save floor space. However, you will need to make sure your Dryer fits with the washer. A bracket mounting kit will help you fit in your dryer perfectly.  This style brings a lot of ease to washing and Drying at the same spot. The only downside that you may encounter is difficulty in reaching the controls of your Dryers if you aren’t so tall. Apart from this height difficulty, you may also encounter some discomfort when you have to unstack for repairs but it is nothing professionals cannot handle.

Water Usage

Front-load washers cut water use by about 50 percent, according to Mary Marlowe Leverette. This doesn’t just translate into a golden opportunity to save water, it also means that energy to generate water will be saved as well as the expenses for operation. Front-loaders use only about 13 gallons of water while top-loaders use about 26 gallons, that difference may be all your household needs to save some money.

No matter how many clothes are loaded into a top-load washer, they always fill at the same low water level during the wash cycle. Hence, if more load is added to the drum causing the water level already applied to drop, a front-loader automatically supplies more water to make up for the absorbed quantity. A front-load also applies water to the drum when it is in a tumbling motion, the aim of this is to allow water to saturate the load in the drum at once so that more water than necessary is not supplied to the washing machine.

Front-Load Washers Spin Faster

During the final spin cycle of front-load machines, they generally spin about 33 percent faster than typical top loaders, hence. They remove much more water from clothes before you transfer them to a dryer. Hence, it is reasonable to come to the conclusion that Front Load washers drain clothes faster than top loads. They don’t even add too much water to load in the first instance, therefore, it is much easier for them to drain it out. The only downside to this fast spin of a front-loader is that it makes them vibrate way more than a regular top-loader, so you may need to be very careful not to keep them too close to your bedroom.

The good news:  According to Consumer Reports, “Front load washer manufacturers are using better components to lessen vibration compared with the earlier models we’ve tested. Many of the front-loaders in our washing machine ratings earn a Very Good rating in our vibration tests, meaning you may feel your wood-framed floor vibrate if you’re near the washer. A handful even garners an Excellent rating, meaning you’ll barely feel any vibration at all’’.

HOWEVER;

Loading and Unloading a Front-loader can be pretty uncomfortable:

t load manufacturers have also built pedestals for front loaders to stand on but as they may cost a lot, you may need to build one yourself for this purpose and it will significantly reduce your loading and unloading stress.

It may be harder to add clothes mid-cycle

The door of a front loader has been designed in a way that it locks amid cycle to prevent leaks, the door only stays slightly open when it is set ajar. Due to the fact that the door of a front loader is positioned in front as opposed to the top, water may easily spill out while it spins. Hence, it is impossible to toss in additional loads while the washer is running a cycle. However, some front-load washers can actually pause mid-cycle for extra loads to be added even though this process will abort Because of the design of a front loader, it may be difficult to bend over every time to load and unload it, especially for older people. A top-loader on the other hand requires no bending at all to be loaded. Just as Steve Sheinkopf of Yale Appliance put it, “top-loaders are often easier to load and unload, especially if back pain is an issue’’. However, there is a fix for this problem, from restarting the wash cycle. Some Samsung front loaders even have hatches built in the door for this purpose but this does not work any differently from the pause/start option.

Front-loaders are prone to mold and mildew problems:

Using the wrong detergent or even adding excess may cause mold and mildew problems. Other things such as excessive fabric softener and food crumbs can aggravate this issue and this is why it is usually advised to clean front-load washers as often as possible. Failure to do this will cause it to stink badly. Top-loaders on the other hand rarely end up forming mold and mildew because moisture can easily evaporate through the unsealed top door. Details on cleaning your front loader will be discussed later in this article.

Front-loaders can’t take as much load as a Top-loader

It is crucial to know that overloading a front load washer can be very risky. As aptly put by Kevin Harner, a technician and owner of a repair service in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania “Overloading is what really wears the machine out’’, he further added that the extra weight from overloading puts some stain on the rear bearing. Although you may get away with throwing in extra loads once in a while, try not to make it a habit as it can be catastrophic to the well-being of your front load washer.

Cleaning Your front-load washer 

Front-load washers are high-efficiency washers that use less water per load, they are even energy-efficient among other benefits but most owners still complain that front-loaders are more likely to develop odors than top loaders. Learning how to properly clean front loaders has posed problems for many in the United States who have transitioned from top-loader machines hence, many users discover that their washers are plagued with bad smells and some mechanical problems.

A dirty washer could even pose bigger threats than a smelly laundry room and mechanical malfunction, they can cause major problems to our health. A dirty washer is a comfortable breeding space for some harm-causing bacteria like the E coli. This bacteria can cause serious skin irritation if transferred from infected clothes to the skin. Apart from skin irritation, the smell of mold can lead to catastrophic respiratory problems, especially for individuals with special respiratory conditions like Asthma. Hence, it is necessary to take precautions and keep a clean washer.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Run an Empty Laundry Cycle Using Bleach

You may start your cleaning by first emptying your washer and leaving it dry, thereafter, add half of the liquid chlorine bleach to the detergent dispenser and fill the bleach dispenser compartment with full chlorine bleach. Set the machine to run the normal cycle setting with warm water and complete the first stage of cleaning.

NOTE:  if you do not want to use Chlorine Bleach, you may try Hydrogen Peroxide or some reliable home remedy for cleaning the front load washer, you just need to make sure they are a suitable substitute. 

2. Clean the Door and Drum

When the wash cycle is complete, use a damp towel to wipe the washer door and its opening, make sure to clean the gasket too to get rid of the dirt that may be lurking there. It is advisable to repeat this process regularly as the door washer and gasket can easily get dirty. Take the time to clean the inside of the door gaskets and the edges. If dirt and residue get trapped, mold may begin to grow on the backside of the gaskets and later wipe the whole area with a dry cloth. 

To prevent dye transfer, it is important to pay attention to those plastic parts of the drum that are receptive to dye stains. You would have effectively prevented dye transfer to other loads if you especially wipe these parts. 

3. Clean the Dispenser Drawers

It is only natural that detergent and fabric softener will build in their dispensers if not cleaned over time. When that happens, it may cause odor and operational problems to the washer. Hence, soap residue should be constantly taken off, this can be done by removing the dispenser and cleaning it specially. You may consult your washer’s manual guide if you do not know how to eject the dispenser.

4. Clean the Outside of the Washer

As part of your ongoing routine, wipe all surfaces of the washer weekly, or after every use even. In case you are wondering what to use to clean the front load washer, merely wiping with a damp cloth is all that’s needed. When necessary, clean the exterior surfaces with warm water mixed with a mild soap. Never use harsh, gritty, or abrasive cleansers on enameled surfaces.

5. Maintain a Clean Laundry space

Maintaining a clean laundry space can also help keep your washer clean. Sometimes what you are dealing with is not just a smelly washing machine, it can also be a smelly laundry room. Note that you can also refer to your washer manual in order not to miss out on any tip as to how to wash front loading washing machine

FAQs

How Often Should I Clean a Front-Load Washing Machine?

Your washer should be cleaned weekly or more often if you constantly wash heavily soiled fabrics. If you live in a hot or humid area too, it should be cleaned very often, especially when odors become apparent.

Do front load washers need hot and cold water connections?

Most Front-load washers have cold water intake and an internal water heating system which pretty much regulates water temperature and gives precise control of the location to be supplied

Is a front load washing machine kinder on clothes?

Yes, front loaders are kinder on fabrics because of their tumbling motion that uses gravity. It tosses fabrics against each other and not with an agitator.