Hi Rita.

How did you take car of the LG washer?

Did you..

1. Leave the door open as well as the detergent drawer for 24/48 hours after use or until next use? (even wiping out the detergent drawer taking it out and wiping inside the long holder)

2. Wipe down the rubber boot after use?

3. Do a bleach clean cycle when the washer suggested or once a month or even do white washes and use bleach in it?

4. Use HOT water washes often or Sanitize every once in a while? (never use cold).

5. Use no or very little liquid fabric softener?

I've had my Electrolux washer three years now and do all of the above and no mold at all.

More care has to go into maintaining a front load washer.

Yes I am constantly cleaning it with bleach - and I even have a washerfan.com - and never close the door. The sludge build up is awful and the mold is everywhere. There is no way for the water to drain. This model was especially (ie nsmed in a lawsuit!)- I want to see if the new LGs are better? Tried to add photos but they didn’t load ..

I'm interested in Ritas answers to Georges questions.

All washers, front load and top load regardless of brand will develop mold if precautions are not taken to prevent it.

I love my LG front load. Have had it about 5 years, I think. I have not had any mold issues. Lackadaisical about running the bleach cycle. Do leave the door open. Clean the pump filter a couple times a year. I love my LG washer and dryer.

So, you had problems with your first LG front loader, and your preparing to purchase another? Am I understanding this right?

There is a really good reason, that you were apart of a Class Action. Beyond that... a simple GardenWeb Search would give you a world of insight. I'd also avoid Samsung as well.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/3479659/do-lg-washers-still-have-the-hammer-problem#n=45

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5444144/help-me-front-load#n=0

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2412412/my-lg-fl-is-pilling-my-clothes#n=80

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2428442/lg-washer-shrinking-clothes-on-cold-please-help#n=40

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2447016/new-lg-3431-hot-plasticky-smell-from-dryer#n=49

If you check out Abt.com and AJMadison, you should be able to find something that fits into your current space. I really think you should reconsider your purchase... before your stuck with another washer.

https://www.abt.com/category/918/Front-Load-Washing-Machines.html

https://www.ajmadison.com/b.php/Front+Load%3B2+-+2.9+%28cu.+ft.%29%3BWashers/N~37+4294846359+679

@Rolando Z

Thank you so much for the links, I'm reading through them. I can fit 27" width and the LG is about 29-30" deep. The other ones I've found are around 34" deep and won't fit. Current washer is 3.8 capacity which is great, the new one is 4.5 (*bigger isn't needed) but I can't go down to the 2-2.9 cu ft range.

My 2nd choice was Maytag top loader #MVWB765FW - but my Laundry Room is small and I prefer to have the space over the washer for baskets etc. And the sales guy said I wouldn't be happy with this compared to how the LG cleans. I do feel like our clothes are clean now, even with all the mold :(

What littlegreeny said. Really.

Use hot with powder detergent in the new machine on some cycles. It's probably too late for this one in your photo. I've been there, done that. I tub clean cycled (bleach, vinegar, oxiclean, the kitchen sink, everything) every two weeks d@mmit, and still yuck came back. The only time the washer door was closed was when the machine was in use, from day one. I used warm with liquid detergent on everything but towels, sheets, whites (those hot, but it was probably not really what we consider hot). Then I switched to powder for a couple of years trying to un-funk our laundry and washer. It was too late. Losing battle. I was still using warm (which was likely not what we consider to be warm, but rather, cool) but should have been using hot on my darks...anyways, like littlegreeny said. Life will be good again. It is for me, but I did have to start fresh, change my temp habits and get in the habit of using powders most of the time.

Thank you both Littlegreen & Sea Sea for your help! Yes too late for this one, the dryer just quit and the washer is super loud now anyway, there’s something wrong with it. But it’s worked 12ish years with only one minor service call

What powder do you use? We have hard water..

I will try all in hot and start with some older Lulu and jeans for comfort:) I really don’t want the biofilm mold etc. The new one has steam, not sure how that works with dark clothing. And I think it has internal heater. We also have instant hot water now so hot is actually hot. The new one has an improved rubber boot I can see that it will drain where this one doesn’t so hope that helps too.

Thanks all for your help! Hoping for the best:)

A problem many don't understand is it doesn't matter what temperature your hot water heater is set to, the machine dumbs down the temperature and makes it colder to a preset temp. So it pays to find out what temp. hot is in your machine at different settings. Also, I recommend never using the "normal" setting. That is the setting used to meet government regulations. The temps are lower and the water levels are lower. The only clothes that I have that gets washed on warm or cool are things that would never go in the dryer. The dryer is harder on clothes than hot water.

I have not seen any fading on darks since I switched to Cheer or Mas for darks. Cheer has no optical brightners and Mas has a tiny amount of dye that keeps things dark.

I like powder Cheer for darks. Keeps the fading to a minimum. All, Tide, Mexican Ariel powders (available at Hispanic grocery stores) are good for everything else. Mex Ariel is strongly scented, so do be aware of that. Tide with Bleach powder is very nice to use on white loads. I do use liquids, but it's not the majority of my usage rotation. Others here can use mostly liquids and not have gunk/funk/yuck, but I'm not willing to take that chance having been where you are now.

I didn't wash in cold--only warm and hot, only using extended heavy soil cycles and the dreaded gunk set up house in my old washers. Like hcbm says, modern mainstream washing machines cool down the temps so warm is really cool, hot is hardly warm. The fact that you do wash in cold makes the conditions better for gunk to form.

I wash most of DH's darks on hot, but mine, I still wash on warm. I got a cheapo instant read thermometer recently and tested my warm wash water. It was only 104F, so I may switch my dark loads to hot too, or at least half warm half hot since my hot is 140F. 104F is not very warm.

I don't have experience with steam on a washer, but maybe someone else will write in their thoughts on that.

Better luck on the next washer!

New LG FL washer & dryer arrived today & I love them already! They are so much quieter and so pretty. I will

be following your recommendations (thank you!!) including hot/warm water and also I switched to powder detergent in case that was last of my problem. It has a steam cleaning option. Love that the door stays in a slightly open position (the old one was only wide open or closed).

Very nice Rita! Please keep us updated on how your laundry and washer observations change following your new routine.

I have those exact machines Rita and I love them

Thank you MiMi! They have been running nonstop since i got them yesterday (a lot of catching up to do) & I love them already!

Which powder detergent did you settle on? The laundry nerd in me wants to know ;)

Hi Sea Sea ;)

I wanted to get Cheer! But I had to get what our local grocery had yesterday so I could start washing. They had powder Gain and the original was the only small box. I like it & smells great! But still going to get the Cheer when I find it and prob the Tide with bleach you mentioned. I am going to steer clear of the liquids - I can see the difference!

Also I thought the WiFi was a weird & unnecessary option but getting notifications on my phone to “please unload the laundry” is helping me stay on task

Thanks for sharing Rita. My inner laundry nerd is happy now! Amazing, isn't it, how quickly you can see a difference? I was stunned too when I got my new washer a couple of years ago. I wish you many happy loads of laundry going forward!

FYI, I usually have to order powder Cheer and Tide with Bleach from Target or Walmart as my local merchants don't have it most of the time. I can get powder Tide (regular) from Costco when they are not out of stock and sometimes it's on a $6 coupon, which is nice. There was no powder Tide at my Costco for a couple months within the last year and I kinda hit the panic button there. haha

Are you still enjoying them Rita?

Rita.....What cycle do you find yourself using the most? It’s perm press for me, uses plenty of water, like the washing action of that cycle also. I’ve used the towel cycle but weird cause it won’t let me use extra hot water with that cycle. Brightest White cycle will not let me choose extra hot either so curious why it’s called brightest whites Can’t select extra hot on the bulky cycle either.

Rita - "And I think it has an internal heater." Even if your new washer has an internal water heater, it will not come in except in the Allergy/Sanitize cycle. Just be aware. Otherwise, your Hot setting might only be 100°F, which is Warm in my Miele FL washer.

Good luck with your new washer!

Not true Cavimum... I have the same washer as Rita. There is a water setting called Extra Hot. The heater does engage using the extra hot setting but it cannot be used on all cycles but the heater certainly works with more then just the Allergy/Sanitize cycle.

@ lorilou72 - yes love them!

@MiMi - same I’m using perm press a lot. Does great job and drying time after is pretty quick. I’m using the speed wash for smaller loads and in 15-18 minutes it does a great job (small, not too dirty loads). Tried to find extra hot & only see it on Sanitize and Normal. I don’t see why it isn’t on towels and whites either, seems like that would be a fit. The sanitize takes almost 2 hours as does the steam. The extra hot normal was going to take hour and a half.

MiMi, what happened to your top loader?

I haven’t had a top loader in 20 years Rolando .... you must have me confused with MamaP maybe?