How to Use a Speed Queen Washing Machine?

If you run a survey asking 100 people to tell you the washing machine brand they trust and would rather have in their homes, we guess some of the most popular answers you’ll get are LG, Samsung, Frigidaire, GE, Amana, Hotpoint. Even as experts, we barely mention Speed Queen washing machines because they’re the last point of interest, and even in local stores, they’re the least popular ones and that only shows what people think about the brand. However, if you read washer machine reviews online, people are always raving about how great Speed Queen washing machines are, which often makes other people wonder why the brand gets less attention than other mainstream washing machine brands.

Firstly, Speed Queen entered the mainstream washing machine industry with the production of commercial washing machines, so if you pay frequent visits to your local laundromat or you’re familiar with the washers found in apartment buildings and hotels, then chances are that you’ve encountered at least a Speed Queen washing machine. We can all agree that the washing machine industry is dominated by domestic washing machines rather than their commercial counterparts, so it’s not surprising that brands like GE, Samsung, LG, and Frigidaire are all ahead of Speed Queen in terms of popularity.

Despite being primarily a commercial brand, a post on the New York Times suggests that the brand also sells to residential residents, which means the brand’s stocks have risen in the past few years as their washers are some of the most reliable washers on the market due to its commercial heritage.

The same post on New York Times claims that Speed Queen washing machines are built to last for about 25 years and handle a total of 10,400 wash cycles, which only proves that washers made by the brand are outstandingly durable, something other brands can’t match because they’re primarily domestic washing machine brands. What makes Speed Queen different from other washing machine brands is that they make their residential washers almost the same way they make washers that are sold to commercial businesses, including laundromats. Speed Queen washing machines are built to operate cycle after cycle, handling tough loads without the fear of the machine breaking down, unlike most domestic washing machine models that are not built like this.

While Speed Queen may not be as popular as the top washing machine brands in the global market, the brand has done considerably well in the American washing machine market, winning many people over with a tough look and durability. A subsidiary of Alliance Laundry Systems, one of the largest commercial laundry equipment manufacturers in the world, it’s no surprise that the Speed Queen brand is making all the waves in the United States where it was founded 114 years ago by Joe Barlow and John Seelig. Operating out of Ripon, Wisconsin, United States, Speed Queen has been trusted with making a large variety of commercial and residential laundry products including dryers and washer-extractors that can weigh up to 250 pounds.

In a product review of Speed Queen’s washing machines on New York Times’ Wirecutter in 2018, the brand’s top load washers should be avoided at all costs because they have a reputation of being ineffective and will only result in you spending a lot of money running these machines because they require more energy and water than most modern front load washers. On the other hand, if you ever purchase a Speed Queen top-loading washing machine, you can be very confident of exceptional durability and these machines are also very easy to repair. If you have a Speed Queen washer in your laundry room, having a Speed Queen washer guide will tell you all you need to know about how to get the best out of the durable washing machine.

Whether it’s the Speed Queen commercial washer manual or Speed Queen washer detergent instructions, getting your hands on something that makes you know how to best handle your Speed Queen machine is more than necessary, because people don’t often get the value for whatever they spend on acquiring washing machines. Knowing how to use a Speed Queen washer is amazing because you’ll know every bit of information on how to put the machine to good use, giving you the best value for your money in the process.

With people looking for new ways to explore their Speed Queen washing machines, we’re not surprised that topics like Speed Queen Washer Directions, Speed Queen Washer Instructions, How To Force Drain Speed Queen Washers, and How To Use Speed Queen Top Load Washers – are becoming more popular by the day.

To safely operate your Speed Queen washing machines, there are some very important safety tips you need to work with. While we may not be able to explore all the tips as provided by Speed Queen via the Speed Queen user manual, we’ll be discussing a large chunk of these tips so you can safely operate your Speed Queen washing machine, top-loading especially.

10 Important Safety Tips

For anyone who has been very familiar with the washing machine for a long time, safety is always prioritized to avoid any accidents, which are very unpredictable with consumer electronics generally. Even if you’re not thinking of the damage your negligence can do to the machine itself, you should consider your well-being and that of those that will be around the machine when the unexpected happens. “Ignorance is bliss” but that bliss comes at a cost, and it can be very expensive, so you have to be very careful to get yourself familiar with some of the safety tips we’re going to be discussing below.

1. Most Speed Queen washer machines are known for their tough look and reliable operations, which means that they don’t come with some of the high-end features you’ll find in most modern washing machines today. The Child Lock feature is very rare on Speed Queen washing machines, so if you’re using this machine and you have kids at home, you should not allow children to play anywhere near the washer. We’re also aware that this situation can sometimes not be avoided as the machine has to be operated near the children. In this case, you need to closely supervise the children. Speed Queen washers should not also be used by people with reduced physical or mental capabilities and people with a lack of knowledge on how to operate the machine.

2. If you haven’t used the hot water system for two weeks or more, hydrogen gas may have been produced in the system. Since the hydrogen gas is explosive, you have to be very careful if you need to use the hot water system again after two weeks or more. To release any accumulated hydrogen gas in the system, you should turn on the hot water taps and let water flow through each of them for several minutes. It is very important to know that hydrogen gas is flammable, so you shouldn’t use an open flame or smoke while dealing with it.

3. Exposing the body of the washing machine to water can cause it to get damaged before you know it. While Speed Queen washing machines are durable and are built to last longer than other washing machines, you can’t afford to be reckless with them. When installing the washer or storing it, don’t do it where it will be exposed to water or weather such as sun or rain.

4. Some things are naturally not meant to go in the washing machine, so before you toss your clothes in your Speed Queen washer, ensure that your clothes don’t have any of these substances or textile on them; waxes, cooking oil, dry-cleaning solvents, flammable chemicals, gasoline, vegetable oil, kerosene, and other explosive substances. Leaving these substances in your fabrics could ignite and explode as they give off vapors.

5. To avoid some serious physical injuries, you shouldn’t attempt to reach into the washing machine if the agitator or tub is moving. Putting your hand in the agitator or washer tub while the washer is moving could result in some serious injuries, including electric shocks when the washer is plugged into a power source and is filled with water.

6. Speed Queen washing machines come with important safety features that protect you from harm, but these features can be damaged when the washer is bumped into or dropped a lot. To avoid this, Speed Queen advises keeping the washer in good condition. If you’re placing it on a support, you should ensure the support is strong enough to hold the weight of the washer. However, if your safety features ever get compromised, you should contact a qualified services person as soon as possible.

7. You need to always handle the power cord with care by ensuring you grasp by the plug and not the cord when disconnecting it from the power source. When the power cord is damaged, it can only be replaced by the manufacturer, the company’s service agent, or a qualified technician to avoid a hazard.

8. If you ever have to repair or replace any part of the washing machine, you should contact a qualified technician unless stated otherwise in the user-maintenance instructions on how to repair or replace the parts of the washing machine you’re looking to fix. If you’re cleared to attempt the repair yourself, you should always disconnect the washer from the power source before attempting any repair, replacement, or service.

9. Attempting to bypass controls and safety devices on your Speed Queen washing machine will only result in serious consequences, which could be as serious as damaging the washing machine itself. Speed Queen advises against operating the washer with removed or broken parts, guards, and panels to avoid below-par operations.

10. You can reduce the risk of fire and electric shock by avoiding connecting the washer to a power source using an adapter or an extension cord. This is a common practice that must be avoided at all costs because it could also result in the washing machine getting damaged permanently.

Troubleshooting Your Speed Queen Washing Machine

Whenever we run into problems with our washing machines, we’re always very quick to pick up our phones to call qualified technicians that will help come take a look at what could be wrong with the machine, which is not wrong, but considering the amount of money you’ll spend spending on consulting the person excluding service charges, it may be ideal to take a look at the problems for a minute before making this move. Troubleshooting your machine and identifying the problem will help set the tone, so even if you’ll need a technician’s help at the end of the day, you won’t be conned to believe it’s another problem other than what you’ve already figured out. Below are some of the symptoms you’re likely to see with your Speed Queen washing machine and the possible causes and solutions.

Your Washer Won’t Spin

If your washer won’t spin, the first thing you should check is if the washer lid is properly closed. If the washer lid is not properly closed, it could hinder some operations, including the washing machine spin. However, if you’ve checked and you’re very sure the problem is not from the lid, you should check the fuse or circuit breaker in your laundry room. Another possible cause is a broken drive belt, which can only be fixed by a service person. Your washing machine may also refuse to spin if the motor overload protector stops the cycle. When this happens, you don’t have to worry as it will reset itself in about three minutes and restart the washing machine automatically.

Washer Won’t Drain

If your washer is not draining, before you begin any troubleshooting process, you need to manually get the water out of the washer because there’s almost nothing you can do with the water still in the washer. We have a detailed guide on what to do when you have a washing machine full of water; read it here. The first thing you should check if the washer is not draining is the drain hose to see if it’s not twisted or clogged.

Loud Noises

It is very unrealistic to expect your washing machine not to make any sounds whatsoever. However, when the noises are so loud that you and those around the house find them very disturbing, there’s a problem that needs to be fixed as soon as possible. The first culprit here is an unbalanced wash load. Unfortunately, Speed Queen washers don’t come with features that automatically balanced uneven loads. If the washer is also placed on uneven ground, it may cause it to vibrate aggressively, leading to loud noises in the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I know where to put detergent in Speed Queen washers?

There’s a dedicated space for detergent in every washing machine and it will be clearly indicated on the user manual where you can find the dispenser for detergent and fabric softener.

2. How long is a Speed Queen wash cycle?

There are different wash cycles on the Speed Queen washing machine and each cycle has a different timeframe. The Normal cycle in a Speed Queen washing machine should about 40 minutes.

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to use a Speed Queen washing machine is not as hard as many people think as most of them believe that Speed Queen washers are commercial and can be hard to be used in the domestic setting. In this article, we’ve discussed 10 important safety tips for Speed Queen washing machines and some troubleshooting steps to pay attention to when your Speed Queen washing machine develops some problems.