Reader Mail: F1 on Maytag Bravos rears it's ugly head

From Melissa:

Dear Brad,

First of all I have to tell you that your blog has been a tremendous help in getting to the bottom of the pesky F1 code I have been getting on my Maytag Bravos machine. I called a for a repair last week and I wish I would have found your blog before he came. He told me that the cause of the F1 code was partially the fact that I was not using h/e detergent, I make my own powder formula of borax, washing soda and fels naptha, but also the fact that I was using too much and the soap was not completely cleaning out of the lines. The build up was causing the F1 code, he said he saw this with people using too much h/e detergents also. He suggested running more hot water through the lines and using less soap. I have done along with cleaning with vinegar and store bought washing machine cleaner for the past week and its still coding. That was when I went searching for answers and found your blog. My first question is what causes this code? Is it bad manufacturing or my using the wrong/too much detergent? Can it clear itself or does it need to be repaired? What are the consequences of not getting it repaired, will it cause worse damage to the machine? This code only comes up on the first load of the day. If I have multiple loads the other loads usually don't code.

Thanks for your help and I look forward to hearing back from you to get an idea of what I should do next regarding this problems.

Sincerely,
Melissa

My response:

Melissa,

It is possible that the F1 code was caused by your laundry habits (detergent), but I think that is unlikely. Too many of these machines have problems with the F1 error code. There is a known problem with the Oasis / Cabrio / Bravos machines. However, I thought that the Bravos had been introduced by the time Whirlpool was aware of these problems, and would have had them sorted out. Silly me.

I do not know if changing your habits will fix the problem. I would try to run a few loads of towels with just water (no detergent or anything) to try and flush out any excess detergent residue you may have. I don't know if you are able to set your own water level on this machine, but if you are, I would just run an empty load or two. The objective in doing this is to see what the machine does. If the machine continues to throw the code even after you have run some empty loads to rid the machine of detergent build-up, then the problem is not your detergent.

You did not say whether the machine is still under warranty. If it is, I would find another Maytag servicer in your area. The guy who has been out there has already made up his mind that the problem is with you, not the machine. If it is no longer under warranty, call the Maytag customer service line and explain the situation. Be firm, but be polite. Drop the words "recall" and "class action lawsuit" and see what they say. I suspect they will agree to fix the problem.

Let me know what happens. This is not a problem you should have to live with. Thanks for writing!

~Brad

Read more...

Soap nuts anyone?

I had heard about soap nuts some time ago while bouncing around on the GardenWeb Laundry Forum. I looked into them a little bit, but didn't really think too much more about them. Until this morning.

I pulled a clean shirt from my closet, put it on, and was overcome with the scent of laundry detergent. Now, I do not use a lot of detergent in my wash. I actually use less than the recommended amount for a small/light load, even when I am doing a full load in the large 3.76 cf Dexter 400 washer. Despite the miserly amount of detergent I use, my clothes are still saturated with the perfumes added to the detergent.

That got me thinking about soap nuts. After doing some research into soap nuts, I found that they are 100% natural. The grow on the tree, fall on the ground, are gathered and dried for distribution. That's it. Nothing is added.

Ever wonder what is in commercial laundry detergent? So did I, and I did not have much luck finding an answer. You can look here for more information on what is in laundry detergent, and why manufacturers are not putting that information on the labels.

Another benefit of soap nuts? They are truly "green". Little to no plastic packaging to fill out landfills. No toxic by-products in manufacturing or wastewater. Spent nuts can be tossed in the trash (completely biodegradable) or added to your compost.

Soap nuts are simple. You place four or five of the nuts into a muslin bag, tie the bag shut, and toss the bag in with your laundry. Just like any other detergent (commercial or natural), the surfacants will not activate or release properly in cold water, so you should make a soap nuts liquid for use in cold water washes. Instructions to do so are found here.

A brief crash course in soap nuts from the information I have been to find on the 'net:

* Product of the shrub or small tree Sapindus
* Contain saponins, a natural surfacant and also naturally antimicrobial
* Hard outer shell with fruit inside
* Soaking in water releases the saponins

More information about soap nuts can be found at the following sites:

Tiny Choices
Exeterra
Green Home

If you are ready to take the plunge and truly try something different, then head on over to Amazon pick up some soap nuts. If you decide to try them, let me know what you think. Likewise, if you currently use soap nuts, leave a comment below and let me know your experience!

Read more...

Reader Mail: Amana frontload washer

From Sherry:

Hey Brad,

I've been reading some of your blog on the new 'fangled' front load washers. I was thinking of buying the Amana even before I stumbled upon your blog, and now am even more interested. But I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping you can answer:

(1) is the Amana (3.5 cu ft) big enough to effectively clean a king-size bed comforter? (all the appliance sales people and an internet appl repair guy said I would need at least a 4.0 cu ft… do you agree? I was hoping to find something more moderately priced, such as the Amana, but that can handle large bulky items like king-size comforters and dog beds)

(2) why do you comment that it's necessary to have an internal water heater in front-load washers? (just wondering since the Amana doesn't have one, but all the consumer reviews state it cleans great).

Oh, and thanks for the price 'heads up' on the Amana -- I was going to order it from Sears, but can save over $100 by buying it from Home Depot… and they have free home delivery!! Excellent!

Thanks for your time!
Sherry

Hi Sherry!

I saw your comment before I turned in last night, took the time to write a long reply, and then my computer decided to cop an attitude and freeze up on me when I hit the "submit" button. I was not happy.

I had a nice, long-winded answer to your first question regarding capacity when I realized I sounded like an idiot. So I'll just say that 3.5cf would probably be pushing it for a king-size comforter. It will mostly depend on how thick your comforters are. I had many customers come into the store dragging a Hefty bag with a comforter stuffed into it to see how capacities really stacked up. Give it a shot and see what you think!

In regards to internal water heaters, I should probably revise my statements that they are a must-have in frontload washers. Clearly, they are not required. They are very useful, though.

There is a great post in the FAQ over at the GardenWeb Laundry Forum about the virtues of the internal water heater. The best benefit to me is the fact that the internal water heater can generate and maintain much hotter wash temperatures than a machine without. This is especially beneficial on whites. I never used bleach in my Samsung with the water heater, and they always came out white white white!

I think there are many laundry nerds (myself included) who tend to overthink laundry and washing machines. An internal water heater definitely is not required to get a good wash. I would say that a washer with a heater will outperform one without, especially when it comes to very stubborn stains. But that is not to say a washer without a heater will not do what it is supposed to do: clean your clothes.

Thank you for writing!

~Brad

*Note: After reading my response to Sherry, I realized the keywords in her question regarding capacity were "effectively clean". I should have pointed out that even though you can really stuff a frontload washer full, the machine will not function properly if you have to lean against the door to get it shut. You need to leave a fist-sized space at the top. The clothes will compress slightly when the load is saturated, but you still want to be sure you leave enough room for the clothes to actually tumble, not just spin around in circles with the rotation of the drum.

Read more...