- Washing machines are a great appliance to have around the house because they make our domestic chores easier and more convenient, most particularly doing laundry. For many years now, people have stayed loyal to the brands they believe have always given them everything they’ve ever needed, one of which is LG. In this article, we’re going to be looking at how to use an LG front loader and top loader washing machine.
For many years, washing machines have achieved quite the “cult hero” status amongst other appliances because of how helpful they’ve been to every household across the world, especially the United States and Central Europe where ownership rates have skyrocketed over the past few years. According to the latest statistics released by the Statista Research Department, people’s appreciation for the washing machine across the world has impacted the washing machine market greatly, increasing the ownership rates in many countries across the globe, with the likes of Italy, Spain, and Japan topping the chart. When the first domestic automatic washing machine was built in 1937, people didn’t realize how helpful the machine could be but knew the change was needed as they were tired of washing with hands which was a very stressful exercise at the time.
The revenue from washing machines and dryers sales is expected to hit about $60 billion soon, making the market one of the largest in the appliance industry, and that’s only to show how much we’ve achieved as a unit in embracing big changes, including the washing machines when they were just introduced in the early ‘90s. Asia, particularly China, remains the largest market for washing machines, and we’re not surprised because the continent is where the top washing machine manufacturers such as LG and Samsung are from. The production of washing machines in China has exceeded 70 million units since at least 2013, with over 70 million units being sold annually since at least 2015.
The chart above shows the ownership rates of major household appliances in the United States in 2021 and it was created using the information provided by Justina Alexandra Sava, Statista’s research expert covering the IT security and services market. Major household appliances like the cooker, dishwasher, standalone freezer, microwave oven, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner, and washing machine have become very popular in the world we live in today, and are owned by many households across many countries in the world. In 2021, 82% of households in the United States owned a cooker/oven, another proof that that’s one of the most important household appliances in the country.
The appliance with the highest ownership rate in 2021 was the microwave oven with a whopping 91%, followed by the refrigerator with an ownership rate of 90%, further showing its importance across the States. Surprisingly, the ownership rate of washing machines in the United States only stood at 80% in 2021, lesser than what was recorded for other countries, but we can say these countries are not as populous as the United States. Vacuum cleaner, standalone freezer, and dishwasher all had ownership rates of 85%, 38%, and 64% in 2021 respectively.
LG has contributed greatly to the massive success and popularity the washing machine is enjoying globally today, and the South Korean brand has done immensely well with tech integration, affordable prices so people can easily buy them, and a very strong advantage on the market. Just in 2020, LG Electronics manufactured about 13.66 million washing machine units, the most they’ve produced in many years, and these machines were manufactured in Thailand, China, and South Korea. This shows how far the LG brand has come in terms of producing the best appliances, and for the record, the washing machine is LG’s third-leading household appliance only behind refrigerators and air conditioners.
Italy currently has the highest ownership rate of washing machines in the world with 97% of the households in the country owning a washing machine, which is an amazing feat, considering the country doesn’t make as much impact on the market as countries such as the United States, South Korea, and China. The chart was also created using the information provided by Statista’s research expert for the IT security and services market, Justina Alexandra Sava, and it shows the ownership rate of major household appliances in Italy in 2021. It’s surprising that the ownership rate of washing machines in Italy stood at a whopping 97% in 2021, but that’s not the only area that had skyrocketed rates.
The refrigerator, cooker, vacuum cleaner, microwave oven, dishwasher, and standalone freezer had 97%, 90%, 89%, 70%, 66%, and 41% respectively, with standalone freezer being the only exception as it was the only appliance that didn’t make it above average – we guess people in Italy just prefer refrigerators.
Knowing how to use an LG front loader washing machine or how to use an LG top loader washing machine is great, considering how much people are looking to explore everything that comes with their washing machines these days. Let’s face it, how many people actually take their time to go over every single feature, cycle, and setting their washing machines have to offer? Not too many of them, we guess, and that’s where the problem is from because your LG washing machine can do so much more than just run a normal cycle, which every other washing machine from another brand can do, so why buy an LG machine when you know you won’t explore it?
Topics like ‘LG washing machine usage,’ ‘LG washing machine settings,’ ‘how to use bleach in LG washing machine,’ and ‘how to work an LG washing machine’ wouldn’t be trending if people weren’t looking for new ways to make their washing machine work in a way they had never work it before, and that’s a good thing. People barely use half of the things their washing machines have to offer, especially the high-end ones, and that’s very sad because it means they’re not getting the best value for their money. Brands like LG are out to ensure that the convenience you’re paying for is delivered to you, but what’s the point of having a high-end washing machine that has all the features you need to not spend more than a minute on laundry, but won’t explore them anyway?
Before we get into how to use an LG front load washer as well as its top load counterpart, let’s take a quick look at the LG brand and how much the brand is doing for the appliance industry in the world today.
About LG Electronics
When we talk about successful appliances brands coming out of Asia, particularly South Korea, you can only think of a few, and our guess is that LG will be one of the first two names that come to your mind – yeah, alongside Samsung, another South Korean powerhouse in the global appliance market. In terms of year of founding, Samsung has an edge as it was founded in 1938, some years earlier than LG, which was founded in 1947, still making it one of the oldest appliance manufacturers in the world today. When Koo In-hwoi founded LG, which was formerly Lucky-Goldstar (1983-1995), he knew exactly what he wanted to achieve with it, and 75 years later, we can all share his ambitions which have turned out to be one of the sweetest success stories ever told.
LG Corporation, as of 2012, had over 222,000 employees in several countries in different continents, including North America, Europe, Africa, South America, and, of course, Asia. Some of the company’s products include power generation, information technology, electronics, telecommunications, engineering, and chemicals, but the one we’re focusing on today is ‘electronics.’ The company also operates in several subsidiaries including LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Household and Health Care, LG Display, LG Uplus, and LG Solar Energy.
The corporation is the fourth-largest industrial conglomerate in South Korea and is headquartered in the popular LG Twin Towers building in Seoul. AS of 2022, according to a Wikipedia post, LG Electronics, the electronics arm of the company, had over 83,000 employees across 128 operations globally. The company is also regarded as the second-largest TV manufacturer, only behind Samsung Electronics, the arm of Samsung Group that also handles the company’s electronic appliances.
Those coming up in this modern era will be surprised to learn that this arm of the LG Corporation was founded in the aftermath of the Korean War to help the country rebuild with homemade consumer electronics as well as home appliances. The country’s economy skyrocketed when the start of the national broadcasting started paving the way for the electronics market to boom, and LG quickly took advantage of this to strengthen ties with Hitachi, another Asian powerhouse, which quickly helped the then GoldStar (now LG Electronics) with the production of the first radios, washing machines, air conditioners, and television sets in South Korea. Back in 2014, LG Electronics made the much-anticipated announcement of the integration of HomeChat messaging services in South Korea to launch its smart appliances.
With this integration, homeowners with smart appliances in their homes can now monitor their LG smart appliances, communicate, control, and also share content among their smart appliances. To control your washing machine, you can send a simple command by sending the message “start washing cycle” to your washing machine even if you’re nowhere near the machine, as long as the machine is connected to a power source and loaded with your laundry. This beautiful innovation earned LG Electronics some cult-hero status across the world because, since the beginning of the new age, the brand has been looking for new ways to make laundry more convenient and easier for people.
How Does the LG Washer Work? LG Washing Machine Cycles Explained
Every washing machine comes with numerous washer cycles, even the not-so-high-end ones. Sadly, people don’t even get to explore half of the things they can do with their washers, and perhaps you would only use 40% of the wash cycles in your washer for as long as it lasts without exploring the others. According to LG, each wash cycle selected automatically adjusts the default settings and cycle options to help meet your laundry needs and to get you familiar with the wash cycles available in LG washing machines, we’ll be exploring some of them below.
Cotton/Normal
No matter how small a washing machine is, it is expected to have the “usuals”, one of which is the Normal washing machine, which is also labeled ‘Cotton’ on some LG washers. It is the most common and frequently used washing cycle in many washing machines, including LG washers, and it’s quite ideal for clothing such as sheets, towels, mixed loads, and jeans. If the load doesn’t have delicate fabrics like silk or wool, it’s safe to use this cycle to wash all normal items. The approximate time to run this cycle on your LG washing machine is 58 minutes, but you can extend it, depending on whether or not you are able to get the result you want within this period. The cycle is also perfect for wash options like Prewash, ColdWash, Wash/Rinse, Stain Cycle, Water Plus, Extra Rinse, Rinse+Spin, Quick Cycle, and many more.
Heavy Duty
If you have heavily-soiled cotton fabrics, using the Normal cycle to wash these clothes will only result in you not getting what you want at the end of the day because that’s not the right cycle to use. The Heavy Duty cycle is perfect for heavily-soiled cotton fabrics because it’s the toughest cycle to combat the toughest stains. The approximate time to run this cycle is 100 minutes, and it’s perfect for wash options like ColdWash, Wash/Rinse, Quick Cycle, Water Plus, Steam, Optimizer, and Prewash among many others.
Bulky/Large
Sometimes, the clothes may not be as dirty, but you want to wash them in bulk to save time, and you can only do this when you have a large-capacity LG washer. This cycle is also perfect for large items such as comforters and blankets, and it works perfectly with wash options such as Quick Cycle, Prewash, Water Plus, Rinse+Spin, ColdWash, Steam, Extra Rinse, and Optimizer. If you’re running this cycle, you need to be prepared to spend an approximate time of 105 minutes, although this can be extended if you’re not pleased with the result you get when this time elapses.
Small Load
If you have small loads like towels, mixed loads, cotton, shirts, jeans, towels, and sheets, this is the perfect washer cycle to run because it’ll get you the perfect results at the end of the cycle. The good thing about it is that it will only run for about 50 minutes approximately. However, when you’re running this load, you need to be aware that you’ll be short of wash options as you’re only limited to Prewash, Rinse+Spin, and Extra Rinse.
Permanent Press
This is often shortened as Perm Press as you’ll see on other washers where it’s also available, and its responsibility is to help handle table clothes, poly/cotton blenders, and dress clothing. The approximate time is 34 minutes, so it’s one of those cycles with the shortest running time, and that’s the exciting thing about it. It works perfectly with wash options like Optimizer, Water Plus, Prewash, ColdWash, Quick Cycle, Steam, Wash/Rinse, and Rinse+Spin.
Allergiene
This is a special cycle that utilizes the heat of steam to help remove over 95% of the most common household allergens such as pet dander and dust mites. If you have pets around the house, it’s ideal to purchase a washing machine with this wash cycle (you can check this list of our best washing machines for pet hair to explore some of them). The cycle is also ideal for dust-like pillow covers and bedsheets that need special attention. To get you the results you want, you may have to wait for as long as possible as the approximate time to run this cycle is 113 minutes. You can run this cycle with wash options such as Water Plus, Rinse+Spin, Extra Rinse, and Steam.
Baby Wear
Perhaps the greatest misconception people have about washing machines is that they think they can run all clothes on the Normal cycle, which is not impossible, but not in any way ideal. You can’t just toss babywear in the washing machine and run the Normal cycle because you might not just like what you get at the end of the cycle. The Baby Wear cycle is perfect for lightly-soiled babywear and will run for approximately 120 minutes with wash options such as Steam, Quick Cycle, Rinse+Spin, Extra Rise, and Water Plus.
Drain and Spin
This is another special cycle that can only be found on modern washing machines. The cycle only performs a drain and spin, so if you have already washed some clothes, but they’re still in the washer, you can simply run this cycle to help get rid of the water in the washer and also excess water from the clothes. This is one of the few washer cycles that don’t take forever as it only has an approximate time of 20 minutes. However, you won’t be able to use any wash options or soil levels because the cycle can only be operated alone.
Handwash, Wool, or Delicates
Some clothes are meant to be washed with special cycles, and these are just some of them. These three cycles were designed to help wash fabrics that are extra delicate. As the name implies, use the Hand Wash cycle for any clothes that you know are supposed to be hand washed. Likewise, use the Delicates cycle for delicate fabrics such as lacy garments, dress shirts, sheer, blouses, and nylons. The approximate time for these cycles is not also long as it just stands at 34 minutes, with compatibility with wash options such as ColdWash, Rinse+Spin, Quick Cycle, Extra Rinse, and Water Plus.
Sanitary
Sometimes, you need extreme temperature changes to help you clean the dirtiest loads, and that’s where the Sanitary cycle comes in handy. It uses high-temperature changes – switches to extra hot during the wash and cold during rinse – which helps you get the best results you can ever imagine. It’s similar to the Allergiene cycle because it eliminates about 99.9% of bacteria in your laundry when it uses high temperatures. The approximate time for running this cycle stands at 105 minutes and it’s compatible with wash options such as Wash/Rinse, Extra Rinse, Optimizer, Water Plus, Steam, Rinse+Spin, Stain Cycle, and Prewash.
Tub Clean
We all know the washing machine is tasked with cleaning clothes, but if the washing machine itself doesn’t get cleaned, it’s only a matter of time before it breaks down as a result of lack of proper and regular maintenance, which cleaning is a big part of. If you regularly maintain your washing machine, you will realize that mold and mildew will be prevented from forming around the rubber door gasket. Thankfully, you can clean the accumulated dirt in the tub by simply running the Tub Clean once a month or after every 40 washes to eliminate mold, moisture, and mildew. If you want more information about the Tub Clean cycle, you can check the LG Front Load Washer Maintenance.
SpeedWash
SpeedWash is LG’s special feature that is used to quickly wash items that are not heavily soiled. To ensure the best results, LG advises running the cycle in small loads of about 3 lightly-soiled garments. Since the approximate time is 35 minutes, you can run as many loads as you can, and you don’t even have to be there to inspect it. The cycle is compatible with wash options like Fabric Softener, Extra Rinse, and Cold Wash.
Most Common LG Washing Machine Wash Options
Child Lock
It’s never safe when children have direct access to electronic devices in the house, and LG perfectly understands this, which is why it has included the popular Child Lock feature in most of its washing machines. The option can be used to disable controls on the washing machine, making it almost impossible for children to control the machine or change the cycles while the washer is working. It is important for you to know that the feature does not lock the door/lid, so you have to pay extra attention to older kids with this. Once you activate the Child Lock, every control gets deactivated, except the power button which can still be used.
Smart Grid
One of the best things about modern washers is that they help you save a lot of money on energy (power and water) without compromising the quality result you want so badly. The Smart Grid is LG’s special feature that helps you reduce energy costs by avoiding peak usage periods when washing your clothes. This information will be supplied by the local electric utility company, so it’ll be very easy for you to contact them for information regarding the Smart Grid features.
Wi-Fi Connect/Remote Start
With this feature, you can connect your washer to your home network, while the Remote Start feature allows you to control your appliance remotely using your smartphone as well as check how much time is left in the cycle that is currently running. This is one of the many things people love about modern-day machines, especially washers because distance won’t be a barrier as they can control their appliances from wherever they are as long as they’re connected to the washer’s app.
Add Garment
It’s not unusual for you to forget items in your pockets and throw the clothes in the washing machine without even checking for these objects. “Ignorance is bliss” as they say, but this bliss is consequential, and with a washer, you can’t afford to be ignorant as the consequence may be as bad as getting the washer damage and your hands being forced to purchase a new one. To help avoid this situation, LG has included this function that allows you to pause the washer mid-cycle to get foreign objects out of the washer without having to end the cycle. You can also add more garments to the load you already have in the washer with this function.
Soak
Some stains are so tough that putting the clothes in the washer and running a cycle immediately won’t get the stains out completely, leaving you frustrated at the end of the day or forcing you to run more than one cycle in a bid to try and get the stains out. You can avoid this situation by pre-soaking your clothes 30 minutes prior to the start of the selected cycle, something LG has made possible with most of its modern washing machines. The Soak option helps you presoak your garments such that it’s difficult for the washer to help remove tough stains. Once the presoak time elapses, the selected cycle will start running with the water used for the soak.
ColdWash
Modern washing machines come with energy-saving features that help you reduce the pressure on your energy bills, and the ColdWash is one of them. The function increases wash and rinses to maintain wash performance while using cold water to optimize water and power. This way, you don’t have to worry about paying high electricity bills at the end of the month. It’s safe to know that running wash cycles on hot water will consume more energy than when you run cycles on cold water.
Extra Rinse
Just like you may need to run a wash cycle more than once to get the results you want, you may also need to run an extra rinse cycle to help efficiently remove the detergent and bleach residue from your fabrics to strongly protect them. To activate this function, press the Extra Rinse button twice and two additional rinses will be added to the selected cycle.
Fabric Softener
The fabric softener is applied in the final rinse to help soften the fabrics and make them as smooth as possible before being taken out of the machine for the drying machine or to be air-dried. It is one of the most important parts of the washing machine. Always ensure that you use the recommended product for your LG washing machine and make sure it’s compatible with your washer before buying it.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do you activate the LG washer bedding setting?
The bedding setting is a special cycle that is used to handle comforters and beddings such that they’re gently handled and efficiently washed. By now, we suppose you know you shouldn’t run the Normal cycle for all your clothes as this is a common mistake with people who own washing machines.
2. How do you know how to wash shoes in LG washers?
As much as shoes are not meant to go in the washing machine, some shoes are an exception, which means they’re safe to be washed in the washing machine as long as you confirm it’s safe for you to do that.
Final Thoughts
Getting used to your washing machine is not as hard as people think most of the time. Yes, it’s difficult to adapt, but isn’t that what we do best as humans? Being open to changes and how important they can be to our lives. Some people are just so comfortable running their washing machines through the Normal cycle all the time without even getting to explore every other thing the washer can offer them. We’ve highlighted the many things you can explore in your LG washing machine in our detailed guide on how to use an LG front loader and top loader washing machine
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