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 washing machine and recognise none of this. My non teeny-tiny fingers are large and powerful enough to turn it on. We stayed in an airbnb last week and I managed to use the Bosch washing machine there too, despite the buttons being in a foreign language.

You are being completely ridiculous. Any machine which is ripping clothes and not rinsing things is clearly not fit for purpose. Any rational person would be looking for a new washing machine, not posting silly threads insinuating it's a "them" problem or fannying about washing things in the sink. Jeez Louise.

Life's far too short to be washing clothes in a sink!
Personally, I'd cut my losses and buy a new machine, although I'd be tempted to fight the supplier to the end as I hate being bested 🤭
IME suppliers don't want to fix machines or give refunds, I no longer take out extended warranties as I've been bitten before.
For the price of a new washer, peace of mind (priceless) and not having to hand wash clothes I'd give up on that machine.
For my white goods I always wait for a Curry's sale, my washer is a Hoover H-Wash 500 and I paid £360 in the sale, it's great, really easy to use, it does have WiFi so you can set the machine to start when you're not in, I avoid all that fancy stuff 😁
It's also has a Steamer setting, I avoid that too!
Go treat yourself to a new machine

Life is too short. Buy a new one. If funds are an issue you can them on credit. For about £350 you can get a new one delivered, installed and old one taken away.

This ⬆️. You'll be sorted in a few days.

Oh right I assumed it is just a badly designed machine from a cheap brand and that’s why the button is no good and the door seals don’t let water and soap escape easily.

Are you serious? There comes a point where you weigh up the pros and cons of washing by hand/ fighting with Bosch/ ruining your towels and clothes vs buying a new washing machine and just buy a new one!

You could still try to get some money from Bosch behind the scenes but seriously OP, life’s too short!

Firstly it sounds like the drum problem should have been fixed by them within the warranty.

Secondly the button does sound faulty somehow.

Did you report the button problem within the warranty time?

I’ve got a Bosch and you have to make very sure the door is properly closed or it won’t start. Try pushing it firmly.

This is such a crazy post.
So it works for your husband?
Just buy a new machine. You dont have to spend loads. Argos do some for around 250.
My kids have been able to use a washing machine since 13 . It really is pretty simple to read instructions.
Even if it is faulty . Why would you just leave it a few years and not just save and buy a new one .

I ripped my laundry once because you know those things inside the drum? (Don't know their name, but it's like hard plastic attached to the drum) One fell out mid wash and my clothes got stuck on the sharp metal😟

It may be entry level but they are reliable and simple to use without all these fancy sensor buttons to deal with. Turn dial to chosen program and press start. Foolproof. Had one 5 years and another for 14 odd years before that

Look on YouTube?

This is why I have a basic one where I press the on button and turn the dial to select the program I want. (usually a quick wash) It then tells me how long is left and makes a noise when it's finished.

It's a Logik

Could be that your also overloading the drum. If it works for your husband, you must be doing something wrong.

Yes I did report the problem in the first year, after many years of back and forth they have finally sent a second engineer who diagnosed the faulty drum but then this was outside the warranty. Quite clever of them to delay this really!

What an awful company. I'd just cut my losses and move on with a new, basic machine.

Beko are cheap as chips. No bells and whistles just simple straightforward and easy to use.

The machine is faulty. It was from day 1.
When we bpight our last machinr, it ruined several of my most beloved clothes and then some bits inside the drum came off. Just like that. They sent us a new one. Still working ok.
It was actually a rather traumatic experience, because we had so much laundry everywhere..... and felt stupid. Though, once the pieces inside the drum snapped it was all more clear.
Get a new washing machine. A different brand.

I have a top of the range Bosch washer dryer, not had a washer dryer for years, we downsized and didn’t have space for both units. I really struggled to get used to it, it is quite complicated, so I can understand why you have having problems. Have you tried YouTube sometimes easier to watch a video than read the instructions. But shredding clothes/towels shouldn’t be happening whatever programme you select. Good luck I hope you get something sorted out.

The button works for him after only 2/3 attempts sometimes first time but he still has the other issues.

Get a friend round and ask them to put on a wash. Repeat until it is obvious that it is you or the machine.

If it’s you then either work out how to use it or flog it on eBay. If it’s a new decent machine you’ll get a good price for it. Buy something easier. Not Beko.

Ive had Bosch washing machines and they’re brilliant so find it difficult to understand what’s going wrong.

I have a Hotpoint machine and I hate it so much.
It also has temperamental touchscreen buttons which beeps so I think it has registered, but actually doesn't always do the thing it should have. I might need to press it three times to start the machine.
The thermostat is clearly dodgy. It ruined all my wool clothing (which I'd been happily washing in my old AEG machine on it's default wool setting). In this machine I have to choose wool setting then reduce temperature to cold (using the button that beeps but doesn't always change settings).
The timer drives me crazy. It thinks it knows better than me and adjusts the wash shorter so things come out dirty. But also I've stood waiting for the last 2 minutes of the timer for half an hour.

It broke after only a year and I was actually disappointed that the engineer fixed it.

I'd go to a laundrette instead of using the sink at very least.

Me too! Hand washing is a massive pain.

Bosch is (was?) a quality brand.

However, yours is a Serie 2, which is their lower end range. I've got a Serie 2 fridge freezer that I hate.

So, I'd say that from the start a Bosch Serie 2 washing machine was going to be basically functional at best.

But it shouldn't be this awful!

I had a Bosch with the same issues. Clothes wrecked and not very clean. I absolutely hated it. Had a long sorry saga with Bosch and their engineers and eventually replaced it with a Miele which is absolutely fantastic.