Korean Job Discussion Forums

[orosee]

Okay, this might also belong into the technology section but since it is a general nuisance for me, I put it here first.

I hate my washing machine. Not just "hate" as in "little love", but real hate as in "an axe, please". I hope to find some advice here to improve that relationship.

I have a top-loader LG "shake your booty" washing machine that couldn't be any simpler. A few buttons, water temperature, load, program is all it take to get it running most of the time. It plays a little melody. It beeps when it is sad. It makes the proper noise and moves. The only thing it doesn't do is clean my laundry.

More details: I have cleaned out the lint trap. I am using liquid or poweder detergent to see if that makes a difference. I rinse. I pre-soak. I spin. I have bought smart Japanese laundy sacks. Still:

Whatever I put inside, comes out dirtier than before!

The only things I wash myself are t-shirts, towels, socks and underwear. I separate the colours. I wash the towels separately. I put, for example, a load of black socks (worn only once) inside, with a little bit of Soeul dust under the feet. I add a handful of underwear, clean enough to be a guy and say "I'd wear you twice more". They are not dirty in a disgustin way. There is some fiber stuck outside. There may be some hair (sorry for the image) inside. There are no stains and whatever else is associated with used underwear. They are all dirty in a "neat" fashion.

After 30 minutes of rinse, wash and spin, what I get is: everything covered in a white, powdery-soapy substance that looks like the icky stuff inside your underwear if you wear it for a few days and never took a shower either (I would not know that from personal experience, this is just a visual aid). White streaks on the outside as if drawn with chalk. Lots and lots of white fibers on the black clothes, and dark fibers on the light ones even though I separate. Hairs everywhere, so much hair that I cannot believe it should all be from me.

It is so disgusting that I even washed an entire load twice. Same result.

I tried all I could imagine. Is it still my mistake, or is the machine broken? The only thing that would make sense to me is if the water input was connected to the drain. That should result in something disgusting.

Has anybody ever had a fight with their washing machine and is now older, wiser and willing to give some advice?

I did not wash my own clothes for over 15 years, I would throw it all on the Cleantopia desk but at 900 Won a piece this is not economic for this type of laundry.

I also still don't have a real credit card, but that's another thread and topic.

Thanks for any advice!
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[crescent]

IMO, if it's only taking 30 mimutes to wash your clothes, you haven't set the machine right. Three cycles shoudl take a minimum of 45 minutes as far as I'm concerned.

Also, check to see if you have it set on high speed... and use warm water.

Other than that, yeah, these top loader machines are pretty useless.

[Beeyee]

Screw washing machines. The dry cleaners is where its at

[the_beaver]

Sounds like hard water.

Get a filter and put it on the water hose.

[orosee]

Godd tip; the display on the machine often shows 2x (minutes) left but there is no movement, just a noise as if some part of the machinery is stuck (motor working against the mechanics?). That may be part of the problem. But the laundry does come out spun, i.e. no excessive water in the clothing. I'll bring that to my boss, he has to solve the problem for me.

Dry cleaning for this type of clothing seemed silly to me before, but I may just do that only to get the "ick" out of my undies. Fortunately there are at least 3 dry cleaners within 3 minuts walk from here.

Anyway, further tips are welcome. The culptir is an LG WF-KJ 650 if anyone has the same machine.

[orosee]

Lots of typos; sorry about that. I am writing on a notebook that is set on top of my TV, and the mouse pad is on the keyboard. Still waiting to move to a place with a real desk and chair.

[Yaya]

I was never a fan of the top-loading machines, it seems all they do is get your clothes wet and rinse them. Consumer Reports magazine says drum machines use less water but don't necessarily get clothes cleaner, but I am a fan of drum models (though not the combo washer/dryer ones).

The popularity of top-loading models has fallen faster than the won, with 12kg models going for under 400,000 won.

Make sure you are also using the right detergent. Tide with Bleach Alternative is really good, as it got the highest marks from the magazine. Persil has a water softener built in.

Dry cleaning should be done as LEAST as possible, for the last time! The combination of chemicals and heat will damage your clothes over the long run.

[orosee]

...and I thought laundry would be easy because my mother and my maid could do it...

Is it okay that I pour the liquid/powder detergent right on top of my laundry? I can't find a proper receptacle on the machine, and the bags/bottle did not come with any gizmo attached. I remember from commercial watching days that there used to be "magic balls" and little sacks that you would throw into the machine.

Funny how life is - I am an aerospace engineer but here I am, beaten by a Korean washing machine. I should ask that Korean astronaut lady, she would know

Okay, if chemical cleaning is tough on the clothes, I have seen that some laundry shops have large washers inside - I take it that they will clean normal clothes the normal way, i.e. using water and detergent? I once had my clothes done by the IBIS near POSCO and that was a. the most expensive and b. most destructive laundering I ever had.

[blackjack]

Try adding the liquid/powder after it is full of water.

Try doing a couple of hot runs with no clothes in it.

Try doing a couple of washes with big towels/sheets.

are you using hot wash soap with a cold wash? or cold water soap with a hot wash?

what happens if you put a load on with no soap?

Get a bar of soap and try making bubbles with the water that comes from the hose that feeds into the washing machine, if no/few bubbles form then your water is hard and you may need to add a water conditioner.

make sure you are not overloading the washing machine.

have a look at the water that is running into the washing machine (grey water ? unlikely)

that should keep you busy for an afternoon

[rD.NaTas]

[bassexpander]

They have some boxes of this super-powerful cleaner that is specifically made to clean your machine's drum. You can find it in about any corner grocery store.

You need to fill it up full with hot water (had to pour buckets of it into mine from the shower, as my machine isn't hooked-up to hot) and soak a drum full of that stuff in the hot water for like 1 1/2 to 3 hours (can't remember which).

That stuff is like lye, so don't get it on your skin -- and it'll burn out your nostrils .... very, very strong, but it works. It's about 5,000 a box.

[Zaria32]

Wash something that is very very white, by itself. When you pull it out at the end of the cycle, does it have a very slightly pinkish or orangish cast to it? If so, the outside of the drum may be rusted...

Also, even if I am only washing a few things, I always use a full load water setting...a lot of getting clothes clean, is using enough water. It helps in agitation, and in rinsing away the dirt.

And finally, do you have any washing balls in the machine? They help a lot. Use ones that are two or three different sizes, and with different shapes on the "wings."

[IlIlNine]

[Hyeon Een]

[little mixed girl]

i agree with the poster above that it might be something in the drum, rather than the detergent or whatever.

you could try and run a load with no clothes and just bleach and see what happens.

since i've been using the machine here, i've had some weird things happen with some of my clothes (brown flakes that look like skin peelings, streaks on some of my clothes, etc).

also, don't fill it up with too many clothes.