Question For Washing Machine Experts ???

[Joe]

I have one of those thin profile washing machines. I washed some whites with chlorine and after it finished the clothes still smelled strongly of chlorine. I noticed in the back, that the water exhaust hose is at the bottom of the unit (where you would expect it) but for some reason they route the hose up three or four feet into a plastic tube in the wall - totally unnecessary. It would have been more direct just to empty it into the drain in the floor. Is this normal practice? The washer must have a pump to push the water out to overcome the laws of gravity. But I'm afraid that under the steel spinner is old water with detergents that never get completely expelled.

I'm thinking of unscrewing the grate in the floor and routing it there - a bit unsightly... Recommendations?

 

[syngirl]

I'm not sure about mechanics, but I do know that every once in awhile it's good to fill the soap chamber with white vinegar and run through an empty cycle -- both powder and liquid detergents tend to build up in the machine.

 

[PhilinBSAS]

What you propose only Ok if a clear gap at end of outlet pipe and not submerged in water. Otherwise a real risk of back siphoning - flooding and filling drum with foul. Best practice is to route outlet pipe in a loop. Any washing machine pump can cope with this. Can flush out machine with solution of washing soda if neurotic!

 

[Davidglen77]

I have one of these slim washing machines and it drains into a floor grate in my bathroom. HOWEVER, you MUST have that drain hose shaped like an arc as it comes out of the bottom of the machine. It can not be simply drained directly out of that hole into the floor. If that hose is simply routed to a drain without an "up arc" shape, as the machine fills with water it will drain directly out of the machine, and your water pump will continuously run and the machine will think it's empty and keep trying to fill with water. Your pump will eventually burn out...what I did was secure the middle of the hose about half way (60cm) up the machine's chassis with a piece of wire to make the arc shape and then let the other half of the hose flow back down to the floor into the drain grate. You are right about the clothes coming out somewhat soapy smelling with these machines. After the cycle finishes just do an extra rinse and spin - problem solved.