Manky Washing Mashine <<despairs>>

[PacificDogwood]

So, washing machine has been leaving horrid brown streaks on laundry recently. Seems to be working fine otherwise.

So far I have:

Cleaned the rubber seal - repeatedly
Cleaned the detergent drawer
Washed a 95 degree cycle with White Vinegar
Rinsed the maching empty

And I have just pulled out my best white bed linen with farking brown streaks, FFS!

Any ideas, oh lovely Domestic Goddesses??

[PacificDogwood]

I use bio powder anyway...

DH has just taken the filter out and cleaned it - it was dirty, but not disgusting. I am puzzled...

Oh gawd, now you will never want to meet me slattern with my brown streaks, Prince

[spongefingeranyone]

90 degree wash with bleach???

[ShowOfHands]

You've done the main things. The only other thing I ever rely on is running a hot wash with soda crystals and then putting soda crystals in every time I run a white/hot wash to keep it ticking over.

But brown sounds like there's something in there corroding tbh. That's a guess by the way but wet rusty, corrody type things are brown.

[Thehusbandsatcricketagain]

I had this problem & did all the things you have already tried but to no avail,I ended up having to throw in the towel & get a new machine,extreme but I was at the point where I was depressed even thinking about putting the machine on.

[PacificDogwood]

'Meet me again', I should have said, Prince .

And nonononono to new washing machine - this one is only 9 years old .

The streaks are not rusty brown, more poo chocolate colour.

I am off to unload it NOW - wish me luck...
If it's not right, soda crystals it is, thanks for the suggestion, Show

[PigletJohn]

If you are sure it is not the rubber seal (stretch it to clean inside the groove), brown stains are usually from a steel bra wire that has got trapped inside and gone rusty, but blackish-brown rather than reddish-brown due to the soap.

You say you have already emptied the pump filter, you often find some bits in there. Some machines have a removable hatch in the drum so you can root about. If you are lucky you might find a bit of wire caught in the holes that you can pull out.

BTW take out the soap drawer and see if it, or the aperture it slides into, are sludged with soap and mildew (but this is usually black not brown)

[PacificDogwood]

Thank you, all, I white wash was had today without streaks, huzzah!!

John, I only read your post after the fact today, but I think it was indeed the detergent drawer as no underwires here, ever - evil things!

[PacificDogwood]

I am sorry, but I have to resurect this thread - no more brown streaks, but now it says 'pump blocked?' and has stopped working.

Any technical bods who know about Siemens IQ serie 1600??

I have drained the water out - now what?

[PacificDogwood]

Aaaaargh, it so flipping old I cannot find a user manual on-line for its number

[PigletJohn]

you mentioned DH taking the filter out. This filter is usually on the front of the pump and you can usually get to it by removing a panel at the bottom of the front. When you take the cap and filter off you can poke your fingers in and remove all the coins, old socks and stuff that has collected in it.

[PacificDogwood]

Oh, hi, John, I was hoping you'd be back.

I suspect a small Lego Ninjago figure will turn out to be the suspect ...

I found instructions eventually, drained machine took panel off, but did not find anything.
As some sandy black water had come out I thought I'd try again; washed and drained initially well, but stopped at second cycle.

I'll have to drain it again, won't it??

DS3 and 4 aged 3 and 1 year are 'helping'....

[PacificDogwood]

Drained again, nothing obvious to see, the propeller thingy seems to be able to turn with ease. Now what?!

There is a red toggle grip inside that service flap - what's that?

Should I pull?

[PacificDogwood]

Ah, 'emergency release' - no, won't open.

So, as I said - now what??

[PigletJohn]

the "propellor" in the pump is the impellor, you should find it turns, but has some "difficult" segments of the circle as you rotate it, as if you are pushing one magnet past another (which you are)

If it spins freely, it either has an odd sort of motor, or has come loose or broken.

On a Bosch, which might be similar to a Siemens, you unscrew a cap over the pump, and some muck will be inside the cap, and some will be up the pipes leading to the pump, you may be able to move it with a finger. If you are getting a "pump blocked" signal it is most likely that. Don't poke anything that might get stuck or broken up there.

[PigletJohn]

p.s. I don't know your machine, but "Emergency Release" sounds like it might be to unlock the door if the lock has jammed.

[PacificDogwood]

Yy, the 'impeller' moves through 360 degress but against 'soft' resistance, like magnets. So it is not lose, non?

I have now moved the machine, unplugged and am considering taking the pipe at the back off??

PS Emergency release is indeed to open door in case of power failure or similar so nought to do with my problem.

[PigletJohn]

If you really want to

if it comes out of the bottom of the machine, lie it flat on the floor with the end in a bowl, and the remaining water will drain out of the pipe.

start looking up the phone no of the mender

btw I think Siemens use Domestic and General like Bosch do, and they may offer you a fixed price repair, or a 12-month contract that costs not much more. Parts can be very expensive.

I am not an appliance person, but when I had this, I took the pipes off the pump. It was very difficult putting it all back together afterwards. I had to turn it upside down and got water in the control panel which had to be replaced (see previous para

[PacificDogwood]

Oh no, crap, John!

I don't think I will be tipping anything anywhere

Have sodden washing in a basket slowly dripping in the garden....

[PigletJohn]

perhaps you will be lucky and it is just sludge that will come out with a few rinse and drain cycles? Have a look in the pump filter after each one.

If the drain hose comes out of the bottom of the machine, drain it like that, it is less messy than letting it drain out of the pump cap. Peer down the drain hose as well in case it is blocked.

[mum33ok]

try washing it with bicarbonate of soda! let us know how it works for you.