To be 38 and unable to do my own washing

[Laundryhelp45678]

I don’t know if I’m being stupid but I’ve had a Bosch washing machine for a few years now and I literally can’t turn my washing machine on and I certainly can’t wash things well in it, so I’m washing clothes (really badly) in the sink! Laundry is a basic life skill and at my age this is really embarrassing!

I mean it turns on for me eventually but I’m literally there pressing the weird button thing for ages until eventually it works (I average about 7 attempts). I could be stood by the machine feeling like an idiot for ages!

Once I can get the machine to turn on, all my stuff comes out soapy and my towels come out hard as a rock. I mean I don’t need to buy sandpaper because the towels will do that job perfectly well!

My towels come out with holes and rips as well and this happened from the very moment we bought this new machine!

I’ve tried changing detergent and softener and using less but it hasn’t helped.

I can’t do laundry like a normal person, I dread using the machine and not being able to turn it on and worry about it ruining my clothes so I’ve literally been washing my clothes in the sink for the last couple of years (I still wash towels in it thought because I just can’t be bothered to wash them in the sink).

It never used to be like this, I had a Zanussi washing machine and it worked fine, you could load clothes in, press start and they would come out without holes, clean and not full of soap, which was great because we all have far bigger things to worry about than washing right?

I reported these problems to Bosch including showing pictures of the rips in towels in the first year of having the machine, an engineer came out to look, they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. For the last 2 years Bosch have just fobbed us off saying it’s user error (which may very well be the case LOL) and delayed doing anything about the issue despite numerous chases from ourselves. They eventually sent another engineer who said the drum was faulty and causing the holes in towels (didn’t explain why I was having the other issues with it though). But they had fobbed us off and delayed things for so long that the diagnosis from this second engineer was made after the machine went out of warranty (clever tactic from them I guess) so they are no longer obliged to do anything to help us. But even if I get the drum fixed, it’s not going to help if I can’t get the soap out of my clothes and turn the machine on first time.

Is the Bosch brand just more entry level and cheaper quality or something? Is that why the customer service is so bad? Or am I just useless at laundry? Do I just cut my losses and buy a more upmarket brand like AEG or Zanussi?

I have a Bosch.. works fine

I have a Bosch washer, it works fine on all cycles. The only time I’ve ever had issues were when I’ve overloaded it or washed something big and it’s become unbalanced. Try some YouTube tutorials first to make sure you’re using it properly. If that doesn’t work, get it serviced. If that’s doesn’t work, buy a new washer. Any brand will do!

ive hyead a bosch for years basic with a dial but does the job

you complained before the warranty ended theyre just trying to fob you off-thr4eaten with trading standards

next machine just get a basic machine nothing fancy

I think they meant 'either' OP

Throw the Bosch in the bin and get a beko. Job done.

Oh yes of course! Very silly of me. Thanks very much.

OP @Laundryhelp45678 I sympathise. I bought a Bosch combi oven thinking I was buying a quality product but steam kept escaping from it, damaging my new kitchen 😒. Months of speaking to customer services who kept fobbing me off saying it was my fault for the food I was cooking in it (wtf!). Anyway, it took ages and a lot of persistence to sort out. Put me right off Bosch I can tell you!
Anyway re washing machines, my washing machine repair man who i trust implicitly recommended I buy a cheap basic Whirlpool and 7 years later it's still going strong. No bells and whistles and all the better for it I think. I've had some washing machines in Air B n Bs that have taken ages to complete the cycle and make all kinds of beeps. I prefer simple 😁 Good luck!

Did you contact them by phone. And by email? Do you have written evidence of contact over this period? If you have no written contact, do you still have a phone history of contact? Make a note of all correspondence. It will help in your case. The most important thing you have is the fact you contacted them within the warranty period and their responses were inept.

What I’ve found (and this was supported when I was dealing with complaints in my job) the people who shout the loudest (for that read, continually, don’t give up) are the people who get a good result. This is my experience a personal level too.

You will win this if you are determined enough. I would be because I hate being ripped off and treated disrespectfully, which is what has happened to you.

Get a John Lewis own branded one they’re not bad. We have a Miele and they’re excellent but not cheap. The John Lewis ones are on sale now (don’t work for them) but their aftercare is good.

@Laundryhelp4567 Yes, it doesn't work if we press the buttons - you have to lay a finger on them instead

If your stuff is coming out ripped it sounds like one of the paddles in the drum is loose and has a sharp edge. Also have you tried emptying the filter? Sometimes they don't drain properly if there's something stuck in the filter. If it can't drain away the soap it won't rinse properly.

Can you post a photo of the control panel?
Can you let us know the model number?
You must have seriously misunderstood the instructions.

I have a Bosch machine and it works fine.

Just here to second the poster who said they have a Beko £200 machine and it’s brilliant and simple.

30 degree wash takes 28 minutes and a 40 degree wash takes 38 minutes, although you can choose longer ones if you really want to.

Turn a dial, choose a temperature and spin speed and press start.

Had it for about 5 years with a large family, using it at least once a day and never had a problem with it.

I can’t imagine struggling on with that awful machine you have OP, just cut your losses, bin it off, buy a Beko and move on with your life!

It’s definitely user error. Bosch is not entry level, it actually tends to be recognised as a superior brand to Zanussi and Which magazine regularly rates their machines highly.

It’s User error and you should start with reading the instructions.

I have a Bosch. The one thing I will say on certain washes sometimes the washing liquid pods don’t fully break down and get stuck on clothes in a soapy mess. I’ve found that the ones with multi pockets (Ariel, persil etc) are the worse culprits. I now buy the cheap supermarket branded ones which is a single pouch of just liquid (no fabric conditioner etc) and this never happens.

Sorry either

I Have read the instructions and looked at videos etc and had two engineers out that have given advice.

Is there anything you can recommend to not get rips and soapy clothes at the end.

From what I was told it’s not ripping it as such but the drum opening mid wash is resulting in sharp edges which pull at towel fabric. In fairness it’s never done this with clothes.

Im fine if they say the issues are caused by a faulty drum, I’m just not sure why apthey are not willing to pay for it to be replaced.

I have a Bosch washing machine my last few have been Bosch. Never had any issues the 1 I have now is a Smart washing machine with a 9kg drum. I love it you do have to hold the button and make sure the cycle has started.

It doesn’t matter how many people tell you you’re doing something wrong, you aren’t. You have a faulty machine, you need a refund and then you can buy a good one. Don’t get caught up in this. Get a refund. Follow the steps to get one.

Let me tell you how easy it is to use my machine. I put my clothes in, chose a cycle and press go. It has to be that simple. I’ve never had ripped clothes and I don’t stand at my sink handwashing.

Are you putting in too many towels then? If it's not doing it with anything else then maybe too many wet towels are just too heavy?

Yes this, washing machines don't rip towels and washing machines are supposed to be "user friendly" your machine is faulty.

I sometimes open mine midwash if I've forgotten something. It's never torn anything. I did have an issue recently with clothes coming out really creased. Even with fabric conditioner I couldn't get the creases out.

I looked online and it said I need to add a water softener and some soda crystals and use a lower spin speed. I was actually using too much washing powder with the soda crystals I don't need to use as much detergent. You do need to put it through a wash once a month with no washing in to clean it and get rid of all the residue detergent.

The amount of new gadgets and machines I've bought that take an age to figure out how to use the basic setting of because they are so new fangled and high tech is ridiculous. These things should be easy to use and shouldn't need the user to pore over instructions over and over again for ages.