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albert_135

Old liquid softener gooed up new washer

I got a new washer and it had a place to add liquid softener. I had some old liquid softener on the shelf and added some to this place and it just turned to goo, goop, gunk. I've tried water, water with bleach, water with dish soap, water with laundry soap. I've still got gunky stuff. Suggestions?

Causes no problems. The stuff is just there.

I cannot find any way to remove anything for cleaning. There is this hole, says 'liquid softner' in very fine print.

Comments (4)

  • 18 years ago

    What kind of machine?

    Most of them have dispensers that are removeable for easy cleaning. Whether yours is or isn't like that, I suspect you will have to remove the goo by mechanical means. That is, by physical contact like brushing. Find a brush that fits where you need it to go. (Hardware stores usually have selections of various bottle-brushes, etc., that will probably work) The goo will cling to the brush bristles. Clean the brush and repeat until you've got it all. Then flush with hot (140F) water. Take the first globs of goo you get out that way and examine them. Find out what dissolves the stuff (since you say water doesn't) and use that for your solvent.

    Pretty annoying stuff. Sorry for your trouble.

  • 17 years ago

    I have not obsessed over this, I've gone sometimes for months with out thinking about it. Sporadically I tried alcohol and vinegar and ammonia and bleach and hot alcohol and hot vinegar and hot ammonia and hot bleach but recently cleaning the machine I noticed it and went after it with tools and a flashlight. There was a little place where one could insert a tool and then twist and lift the top and three parts of the softener dispenser could be removed.

    I soaked the parts in hot water and then hosed them off with pressure and finally removed the gooed up material.

    I am really surprised that persons actually use that stuff (What is softener anyway?) but what I am sharing here is this: if you find five year old liquid softener when you move, toss it.

  • 17 years ago

    I am curious. You never answered the question about what kind of machine you have.
    My next question is what was the condition of the lfs (liquid fabric softener) when you put it in the dispenser? Was it a thick gooey substance then? If not I would be at a loss as to how it turned into that during the wash cycle.

  • 17 years ago

    I stopped using liquid fabric softener about 3 yrs ago after reading that they contain wax, which can lead to a build up on the machines and clothes. I had a 7 yr old TL washer at the time and experience chronic buildup and odor. Buildup was minimized after i stopped using softener. My clothes, and esp towels/sheets, are much softer without it. Hope this info helps.