Yet Another Washing Machine Problem

While my HE washing machine has definitely been a money saver, I’m not sure I’d purchase another one. Here’s why -- the thing requires too much attention. I swear I don’t remember having to clean all kinds of places in my top-load washing machine.

Here’s the latest funk I found:

That’s the soap drawer. That’s also nasty.

In an April 2012 blog post, I commented on the down side of having a HE washer – my problem was a musty smell from the laundry room. After researching, I found that lots of folks have the same problem and that the smell comes from mold and mildew issues. That really troubled me – I was washing our clothes and linens in a nasty washing machine. I started doing all the things the article suggested but apparently I need to do more. After I made this latest discovery, I went back to see if the article mentioned the soap dispenser. It didn’t specifically. It mentioned following the manufacturers recommendations for maintenance and cleaning, which does include information on cleaning the soap drawer. So perhaps the one last thing I should have done is read the owner’s manual – if not actually earlier as a preventative measure.

So if I were to offer any takeaways on new appliances they would be:

1. Read the owner’s manual immediately. Don’t wait two years when you start having problems with the appliance.

2. If you purchase a front load/HE washing machine, be prepared to give it a little extra care.

And as a p.s. I’d like to say that I really am a cleanly person even though most of my blog posts make me appear not to be.