Help! Washing Machine making things DIRTIER!

[tipp2chicago]

I have a Zanussi washing machine, 5 years old (I think). I faithfully run a maintenance wash the first Saturday of every month. I also cleaned the door gasket just last week really thoroughly; pulled it out as far as I could and cleaned all the ridges etc. I also cleaned the filter which had some grey gunk on it. I live in a hard water area. We have a water softener on the mains supply.

It is now making my things filthy. I just took out a load of sheets and am seriously considering throwing them out as they're so bad.

I am running another maintenance wash now at 95C with biological washing powder and vinegar instead of softener.

If that doesn't work, does anyone have any ideas of what else I can do? I could probably manage to disassemble it myself if I had to, but I have a 4 month old baby who likes a lot of attention so I don't really have a lot of time for such tasks.

Please help, oh wise Mumsnet community.

[PotionMaker]

Try running it on a boil wash with either just vinegar or just soda crystals in it, no washing powder.

[tipp2chicago]

Thank you Potion Maker, will do. DH is worried now in case the outlet needs to be unblocked.

[tipp2chicago]

Ok, vinegar wash finished, sheets gone back in to see if they come out clean this time. Fingers crossed.

[PotionMaker]

Hope it works, I feel quite responsible

[TheEnthusiasticTroll]

Same happened to me I opened the top to find the concrete weight had broken in half and the dirt was the concrete seeping into the machine.

[TheEnthusiasticTroll]

Why can't dh check the outlet pipe and dismantle it...or even look after the baby whilst you do it? Is there some reason he can't do any of that?

[Tagada]

Is it greyish gunk on a front loading washing machine ?
A combination of low temperature on a regular basis and using liquid detergent makes our machines gunky.

Soda crystals on a 95 degrees wash should help - mine needs doing every month or so.

And I am buying again washing powder instead of the liquid stuff.
Good luck !

[tipp2chicago]

PotionMaker, the vinegar wash worked perfectly, thank you so much. The sheets now look like new (almost).

I never use liquid detergent, only powder, I find it much more cost-effective.

DH couldn't do anything yesterday bc he came home from work at 6.15 and was gone again at 6.30 to teach a class.

[PotionMaker]

Glad it worked

[dikkertjedap]

Good that it is sorted.

I find that a monthly maintenance wash with empty machine and a pack of soda crystals cleans not only the machine but also the drains.

[tipp2chicago]

Adding Soda Crystals to next week's shopping list right now.

[PigletJohn]

when the sheets came out dirty, was it a general greyness, or was it black specks?

[tipp2chicago]

Like dirty grey stripes?

[PigletJohn]

'mmm

could it have rubbed off the door or door seal?