AIBU to be incredibly disappointed and think you all lied to me?

[GodRestTEEMerryGenTEEmen]

I did a maintenance wash on my washing machine yesterday.

There were not mountains of bubbles. There were no bubbles.

I blame all of you for my disappointment.

KenAdams I also use a dryer and there's no vinegar smell left. Sometimes I find the washing machine drum has a very very faint vinegar smell left but if I leave the door open so it dries properly, it goes.

Yeah, about this filter thing. Am I meant to be clearing that out? I've not located one.

Lots of tip top info here about how to do a maintenance wash, along with handy links about how to use detergents properly/get rid of mould & smells etc.

I have insomnia tonight and this is what my life has reduced to

Well well well... Just goes to show you really do learn something new every day!
First up maintenance wash....and fatty deposits that leech out of dead skin in your flimsies .... But best of all soap nuts..... Soap nuts!!!
Thankyou .

Soap nuts go in a bag (I use a tiny string bag that came with a free sample of some washing powder tablets, ha ha!!).

Vinegar goes in the fabric softener tray.

Vanish (which probably does ruin all my lentil-weaver credentials but my whites go grey without it) goes in the detergent tray.

There is never any vinegar smell.

I did once wash a rug in my washing machine which I had previously spot-cleaned with washing-up liquid and water. The bubbles down my hallway were something to behold!!

We also use a mix of dilute white vinegar, tea tree oil and washing-up liquid in a spray bottle as a surface cleaner (polishes eco-lentil-weaving halo).

Going to do a maintenance wash later! Quite excited now.

I also use vinegar in my machine (and dishwasher), gets everything clean and no trace of a smell at all. I also clean my house with vinegar - just fill a spray bottle with half vinegar, half water, few drops of tea tree oil (not necessary though) and use to clean. The smell of vinegar vanishes very quickly, it's cheap and much better for the environment. And supposed to kill just as much bacteria as bleach. Saves a lot of money.

I like using soap nuts but I've found that they sometimes stain my whites, am I doing something wrong?

Is the filter on front or side please, do I need to pull it out?

place marking.

WHAT ??????

I can't get the drawer out on mine (crap design).
Where do you put the vinegar?

I'm standing by the larder ready to liad the washing machine with whatever baking ingredients are deemed necessary.

?

The black gunk under the rubber rim of the drum is inaccessible to cleaning. I tried once and gave up, it was YUCK.
I do not have a filter door at the bottom of my machine

Totally buying some white wine vinegar tomorrow and doing a maintenance wash!! How exciting!!

Have just commenced my very first maintenance wash. I am on tenterhooks!!

Bleached my tray bit too - I am beyond excited!

Well I cleaned my fliter, I smelt rank and all that was in there was a black 20p and some soapy gunk.

I also did a maintenance wash which I did wrong according to that link as I did a cycle with a prewash (I don't normally use a prewash cycle but thought it would provide maximum benefit for maintenance purposes). My machine only goes up to 80 degrees so whacked it on that and the bastard took 3 hours. However it doesn't smell anymore (was really musty and horrible although clothes smelt fine and of my washing liquid/softener combo).

However, I think the machine protested about it as I've jus finished a proper load and opened the door and it hadn't drained properly so my kitchen turned into Lake Geneva! Popped it on another spin and drain cycle and haven't dared open the door again

*just

I leave the door ajar to let it air after washing.

Cheers nanny that's magic

Kitbit you can just put the vinegar in the drum.

annie

Don't polish your Eco halo to quickly,vanish is just a very slightly concentrated version of biological washing powder sold at a grossly inflated price,

You would be better off not bothering with the soap nuts for your whites and just using a bio powder from a Eco and cost perspective.

Yes don't quite get the Vanish thing. Maybe try a tablespoon of cheapo bio powder (supermarket economy brand is perfectly fine) plus vinegar? Using less bio powder is still pretty eco-friendly, you really don't need as much as the packaging says.

Or you can make your own powder with soap flakes, borax substitute (get this from Savers or from Amazon/ebay) and washing soda.

I've just purchased some soap nuts thanks to this thread, and being up at 5am doing a night feed. I'm excited to try them out!

I'm actually ashamed to admit I know this and in RL if anybody asked I would deny it but,

Cheap washing powder is often only a version of a premium brand but from a year or so ago, when a premium brand upgrades (for that read piss arses about without need) its product it then sells the recipe or what ever its called on into the own brand market.

Apparently they used to just make the own brand stuff

(Disclaimer it was a very drunk supermarket buyer who told me this)

My drawer is in the dishwasher as we speak...

Cheap washing powder is fine - Aldi and Lidl own brands are great. You do need much less than the packaging says.