What am I doing to my washing machines

[IdaBattersea]

My 4th washing machine within 9 years is about to pack up. 9 years ago my Bosch washing machine caught fire out of nowhere no sign it was on the blink. We replaced it with a hotpoint. Moved house and it packed up out of warranty. Replaced with another Bosch and within the 2 year warranty this one went wrong, the drum came off the bearings, as it was in warranty Bosch replaced it. 5 years on same thing has happened drum come off bearings and making the most almighty racket. The engineer last time said this was costly to fix hence why it was replacement rather than fixing it so I’m fairly sure we need to buy a new one.

What am I doing wrong? We are family of 4 normal amount of washing. I tend to do several loads on one day and none others mainly due to work. I was told by the last washing machine engineer to switch to powder as liquid was bad and clogged up the pipes. However a plumber recently told me powder was awful as gets caked up inside and sets rock solid.

Why are they all breaking down so quickly.

Are you overloading the drum?

I think you’ve been unlucky. I would buy a reputable brand and then extend the guarantee to five years that way you will get at least five years out of it. John Lewis are quite good for this.

I had a bad run of luck and had rugby playing sons so invested in a Meile with a ten year guarantee. After nine years and nine months the motor went which was replaced free and it’s still going strong three years later.

This is what I’m wondering now.

Thanks Matilda that sounds good advice. I think that sounds worth doing. My neighbour just bought Miele and loves it.

I got 9 years out of an Argos cheapo washing animal bedding daily + human stuff. It could have been fixed when it broke too. I've never overloaded it, regularly clean it (de scale + 90c empty wash)and empty the filter.

I’m like that with appliances. I now have insurance in all big appliances. I’ve had 3 new fridge freezers and 2 new microwaves in the last 6 years. It’s only a few pounds a month.

Are you overloading the drum? You should be able to see mostly half the back of the washing machine when you load it.

Second the overloading, just because a machine can take 7kg or more of washing, none it is wet it weighs a lot more and very overloaded drums do not wash well as there isn't enough distribution during the cycle.
Is your machine standing on a level surface? A quick check with a spirit level will show you. Also, when you moved, was the machine moved with its supporting struts in place? My first Miele "died" as it was moved without the struts hold everything firmly together. Mind you it was 15 years old as well, but I know people who have had their machines for over 20 years without problems.

We’re yiu possibly overloading the drum?? Do you clean out the filters and drain it regularly??

We had a run like this until our repair man advised us to get a Miele.

The machine is fantastic and has never let us down in nine years. We bought I think the second cheapest Miele at the time, which was still expensive in comparison to other brands. But in our case it was worth the money.

You should be able to see mostly half the back of the washing machine when you load it

I'm not sure that's true, unless you are only using the quick programmes, which have a lighter load.

Years ago, I tried weighing 6 kg, or whatever the capacity of the machine was, to check I wasn't overloading it. The amount was loads and more than I thought I should put in.

I've read that for a cotton cycle, it should be nearly full to the top and you should just be able to get your fist in the gap between the top of the washing and the drum. Also that clothes agitate better if the machine is fuller.

But OP, I have no idea what you are doing with your machine. We've had 2 in 23 years. We left the first one, still working, in our old house when it was 10 years old and the one we have now is 13 years old, with no sign of giving up. Both mid range brands, currently a Zanussi, previous one I don't remember, but not cheapest but also not Miele/AEG level either.

I've only had 3 washing machines in nearly 40 years. The first of those (Zanussi) was 2nd hand, so I have no idea how old that was when it gave up the ghost. The second, an Indesit, lasted 15 years, the current one (Bosch) is over 10 years old.

If only I knew what I was doing right, I might be able to advise you!

However, we have only ever been a household of 2 adults, so they probably get less than half the use that a family would need. We don't do sports and both have desk jobs, so don't get particularly dirty, either. Almost everything is done on a quick wash.

Sounds like one of my sisters. She has to get a new washing machine every couple of years, whereas we have had no problems with our machine in 10 years (Bosch classics 1200 slimline).

I live in daily expectation that mine will give up. I've had it ten years and my grandparents had it about the same before me. Admittedly, it's never had to cope with family washing, but it's really done a lot of time. But it just keeps on going.

The spontaneous combustion is a known thing with washing machines in the fire service. My friend's house burned down a few years ago because of a washing machine fire in the middle of the night. You're supposed to always turn them off when you're not actually using them.

It's luck of the draw IME. I went through 3 washing machines in 5 years when I moved into my house, current machine is now going into it's 6th year (touch wood) with no problems or changes to my laundry ways.

The men who delivered my Miele washing advised that to prolong the machine’s lifespan, never over load and always allow time for the motor to cool down in between loads. You mention doing several loads on wash day, perhaps you are not leaving enough time between loads for the machine to cool down?

Well we are 2 adults, but DP has a dirty job so produces a lot of washing. We also have sheets, towels, sports clothing and cat blankets to wash, and sometimes wash muddy trainers in the machine.

Nearly all loads are a 40 cotton cycle (about 3 per week, machine just about full), except that I do a hand wash cycle of my jumpers and bras about once a week.

Soft water, which I think is a factor, non bio liquid, 90C maintenance cycle once in a blue moon.

That's what we do and both machines we've had have lasted more than a decade.

We're at the age now, where I'm not sure that the extra cost of a Miele would be worth it, as it would have to last 30/40 years to justify paying 3 or 4 times as much as the £250/300 machines that we have had in the past.

I always get one with 5 yr guarantee.

I use AO for mine and get the insurance. Works out about right when the bugger breaks and it's just replaced with no hassle.

Agree with the overloading comments. washing is much heavier wet!

Also re the detergent, don't use too much. Often the recommended amounts are generous, so don't add a bit more for luck! (Even add a bit less) Also, use liquid / powder rather than tabs as you can put less in the machine if you're doing a lighter load. Powder for whites tends to have bleach in, so can help clean out your machine / kills bugs. (This is the same stuff that is in vanish oxyaction etc. People now use more liquid to wash white, which doesn't have bleach, so the industry has come up with a second product to do the same as old fashioned white powder. So now we use two products rather than 1 = more money for Unilever et al)

Another difference in modern machines is that they have a lot of plastic parts, particularly around the drum that used to be metallic. This is good when you need to move them because they are lighter, but the plastic doesn't cool as quickly as a metal and ages quicker so will become brittle over time. I think Miele have a lower proportion of plastic parts. Plastic also has a greater surface roughness, which attracts sludge and bacteria. Combined with people generally only washing at lower temps, this can build up. The bleach in powder will help keep it clean, alternatively stick through a washing machine cleaner every so often. Or regularly run a 90° cycle (60° doesn't necessarily kill bacteria as it's at the upper limit for them, and if the water has cooled slightly on it's route around the machine then the bacteria is quite happy)

Washing machines don't generally like being moved, no matter how expensive. So it may be more cost effective to keep buying cheaper machines if you tend to move houses alot. It's relatively easy to knock the drum out of balance, which will very quickly kill a machine when a load is added.

Sorry that was long

It could be just bad luck. Or you might have been putting strain on the machine by either overloading it or underloading it.
Overloading makes the drum too heavy when the washing is wet. Underloading can make the load uneven, which causes problems during the spin cycle because the drum isn't spinning centrally.

I've had mixed luck with my machines. My first was a Hoover, which packed up after 5 years and several repairs. Second was another Hoover that lasted only 4 years.
I then got a Zanussi that lasted 6 years, then another Zanussi that packed up after 3 weeks when the motor burned out! The retailer repaired the machine rather than replace it. When the engineer came round he said that the motors in these machines used to made by AEG but had recently been replaced by another, vastly inferior make. He happened to have one of the older AEG motors in his van and so he replaced mine with that, assuring me that I wouldn't have any more problems with it. He was right: the machine lasted for 21 years - and would probably have lasted even longer if DH hadn't kept overloading it!

But the machine capacity refers to the weight of dry clothes. You don't need to account for the weight of the water.

techtalk.currys.co.uk/kitchen-home/washing-machines-cleaning/washing-machine-capacity-guide/

Possibly overloading.

We buy a £20 gumtree one each time we move (generally every 12-18 months) rather than drag it around and have so far had trouble free laundry.

This sounds eerily similar to our experience.
4 washers in 8 years!!

We've gone the other way and bought cheap.
2 and a half years ago I bought a Beko for £189. It's lasted longer than the Boschs. It's still going strong and actually it gas all the features my branded washers had - well the ones I use. It's washing performance is as good but it is actually quieter even now 2 and a half years later. If it dies tomorrow I would replace it with the same.