Maintenance Tips to avoid Washer Repair

Until a few years ago, almost all washing machines loaded from the top. You had to dump your clothes in around the center post and hope that they went in and would stay in an even, balanced configuration or you would soon start to hear the tell-tale *thump thump thump* of an off-balance washer load. These days, times have changed. You no longer have to hand-balance wet clothes halfway through a spin-cycle and thanks to modern washer innovations, you don’t even have to do that awkward transition from the top of the washer to the front of your dryer.

Now there are matching sets of high-efficiency double-front-loading washer-dryer pairs. Of course, once you have one, the trick is keeping them in good repair. If you’re used to a top-load washer, it can be a little difficult to adjust but with these five tips, you should be enjoying your convenient arrangement, lower water use, and higher energy efficiency for years before you ever need to call a washer repair service.

1) Don’t Overload the Drum

Just because the washer says it’s high efficiency doesn’t mean you can stuff it full and expect your clothes to get washed. New washers function on nearly the same principles as the old ones only with less water and power waste. Make sure to leave plenty of room, at least 1/3 of washer capacity, so that your clothes can tumble and scrub each other. The more room you leave, the more effective the spin cycles will be. Many HE washers also sense their own load size so you don’t even have to worry about telling it how large a load of clothes you’re washing. It will efficiently and automatically adjust to smaller loads.

2) Use the Right Soap

An HE washer, especially a front-loading one, was built to wash clothes but not to create sudsy bubbles. To make sure your washer runs correctly, only use HE rated soap which has been designed to create far fewer suds while providing the same ability to strip dirt and grease from fabric. Make sure to check the amount you’re supposed to use as well because over-use of soap is not just wasteful, it could damage the machine.

3) Mix Large and Small Items

When washers switched from top to front loading, the way they wash clothes had to change as well. Front-load washers rely a great deal on the tumble factor because they can’t agitate in a pool of water like the old top-loaders do. This means that if you throw in a load of mostly lightweight items, they won’t tumble correctly and very heavy loads can throw the washer off balance and make a bunch of noise. Mixing both large and small items is the best way to get a thorough clean.

4) Wipe Down the Inside with Vinegar

One of the very few downsides to HE front-loading washers is that they can retain a little too much moisture between loads and get musty inside. There are a few ways to deal with this including leaving your washer door slightly cracked to air out or using a fan to dry it out between loads. However, if you don’t have time for that mess, simply wipe down the inside and sealing rubber gasket with a damp cloth dipped in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.

5) Move Load to Dryer Quickly

Finally, as another part of the musty problem, frontloading washers have to be air-tight like a submarine so that clothes and water can’t escape through the door-side. However, this also means that clothes left in your washer are sealed in there with their own moisture from washing which can go, quite literally, sour. Make sure to move your washed clothes into the dryer as quickly as possible to prevent this. If it happens by accident, run the entire load again on hot.

Whether you’re working with a five-year-old HE frontloader or have just about your first brand new model, it’s important to take good care of your washer so can keep your clothes clean and soft. If your washer starts acting up in ways you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to call for professional washer repairs in El Paso, Texas. For more information about appliance maintenance and repair, contact us today!

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