Reviews of front loading washers and that moldy front load washer smell

   I've lived 36 years without using a front load washing machine.  Of course, they only started becoming popular in the U.S. a few years ago.  They are very popular in Europe and in the Middle East.  The new home we moved into recently had a front load washing and drying machine.  They definitely look fancy!  But are they really "all that??"  I thought I'd do a comparison between front load washer/dryers and top load washer/dryers to help people in making the best choice before going out and buying the most expensive and "latest" thing out there.  More expensive doesn't always mean better!

   Before we start, if you are interested, you can read the history of washing machines and some good information about them on the following Wikipedia link...

   As obviously stated in the above Wikipedia quote, a washing machine is supposed to wash clothes, towels, sheets, etc.  And one would assume that something that is washed would not only look clean, but would smell clean and fresh and yummy too.  When I first started using the front load washer at our new home I was disgusted at how gross all my laundry was smelling!  It smelled worse after coming out of the washing machine than before it went in!  Especially the towels and baby blankets.  When you took in a good, deep breath, the horrid smell of mildew filled your nostrils.  Yuck!

   I thought I needed a stronger detergent, although I'd used Tide with Bleach or Tide with Febreeze for the past 12 years and never had a problem with my clothes smelling gross.  I wondered if I had left them in the washing machine too long after being washed.  Sometimes in the past I would forget to transfer my washed clothes to the dryer and if left over night in the washing machine they would smell bad.  But I was really conscientious to transfer the clothes promptly from the washer to the dryer in our new home and STILL they came out smelling rotten.

   I tried adding Oxiclean (versatile stain remover) to every load because I have had the best success with this product in getting out even the toughest, set in stains, (that is a post in and of itself!)  But even Oxiclean didn't remove the smell. 

   I had to figure out what the cause of the stench was and I finally narrowed it down to the washing machine itself because that was the only thing different about my laundering experience in the past few months and the only time I'd ever had a foul odor in my laundry.  Was the machine old?  It looked so new and fancy.  Was it dirty?  Did the previous owners wash weird stuff in them???

   I happened to talk to my sister on the phone right around this time and she mentioned that she recently purchased a brand new front load washer/dryer.  She complained to me of the odor her laundry had developed.  We live in different states and different climates-I live in Southern California where there is higher humidity than where she lives in Utah.  As we talked and complained about the problems we were having with our front load washers, I quickly hopped online and searched about the odor from front load washing machines.  I found several great articles that verified my assumption--that the musky, moldy smell in my clothes was due to the "high tech/fancy" front load washing machine. 

1. Front load washing machines tend to trap water in the front, rubber seal of the door which allows mold to build up even in dry, desert climates, and that moldy, musky smell is then deposited on the clothes you wash in the machine unless the mold is cleaned out.

2. You need to use the laundry detergent with the "HE"(high efficiency) symbol on it for front load washing machines or else you are more likely to develop dirt build up on the drum itself which will deposit dirt and smell on all your loads and make your clothes look dingy.  It will continue to build up on the drum unless the drum is cleaned out regularly.

3.  They say that front load washing machines hold more clothes.  I found that my old, extra capacity top load washing machine held just about as much as the new front load washer I use now.  However, it is true that they cut the drying time down by about 15 min. a load because they wring out more water than top load washers.

4. Front load washing machines have more settings than a typical. lower end, top-load washing machine so  specialty settings such as "silk, hand washables, sanitize" make it convenient for washing specialty clothing.  However, there are plenty of newer and high-end, top-load washers that have these specialty settings and digital settings as well.

5. I have found it slightly easier to reach in and get the clothes out of a front-load washer than out of a top-load washer.

   Not much price difference!  Sure, you can get a low-end, smaller capacity, top-load washer for under $350, but if you want the digital settings, the specialty settings and the larger capacity, then you are looking at an appliance in the $500 range.  You will pay about the same price for a top-load washer that has all the whistles and bells as you will pay for a lower-end, smaller capacity front load-washer because they are the current "craze."  And with the front-load washer you have to deal with the dirt build up on the drum, making sure the detergent you buy is "HE" and also keeping the mold build up on the rubber door seal cleaned out or else you will get a foul odor on all your freshly laundered clothing and towels.

   For me, it's a no-brainer.  I like whistles and bells but don't like paying a lot for them, but I am equally practical as I am concerned about appearances.  Since top-load washers come with them whistle and bells now too and are less expensive than front-load washers, and are easier to care for, the next time I buy a laundry appliance it will be a top-load washer.  We lived on the Southern California coast for the past six years and made weekly or bi-weekly trips to the beach.  I never had to think about or fuss over the top-load washing machine I had then.  I would take our 6 sandy, dirty towels, throw them in the washer and they would come out clean and smelling fresh 50 minutes later.  No fuss, no hassle.  I never cleaned my washing machine or thought twice about it.  I have too many other things I have to fuss over and take care of.

   Some people just like the look of the front load washer better.  They do look fancy.  They do carry a "status symbol" because they are uber-popular right now.  They are easier to reach into, especially  for shorter or younger people, such as my children (I start teaching them how to do their own wash at age 7).  Some even have the "VRT" label (vibration reduction technology).  So if you are one of those people, there is still hope for you to have a front-load washer and come out with good smelling clothes.  You just have to pay more attention to your appliance than a top-load washer owner would have to do.  Some things you can do are:

1. Leave the washing machine door open when not in use.  That will help the water build up in the rubber seal slowly evaporate and prevent mold build up.  But make sure you wipe it out about once a week and use a mold remover on the seal about once a month to keep it mold free and your clothes free of the musky smell.  This will be the most important thing you can do.  Sure, it makes for an untidy look in your laundry room, and I have to remind my kids and husband to leave the door open, but it really is the best preventative measure you can take.

2. Occasionally, like maybe every 3 months, you should run your front-load washer empty of any clothing or towels and run it on an extra hot water cycle and fill the detergent tray with a cup of bleach for a quick cycle (20 or 30 minutes).  That will clean the dirt and mold build up out of the drum.

3. Wash your white clothes or towels on hot water and with bleach because that will also help keep the drum clean.  Hot water dissolves laundry detergent better, helping prevent build up and bleach is a good bacterial killer.  But remember that both bleach (unless color-safe) and also hot water tend to fade colored clothing.  That is why I recommend you do this process on white clothes or towels.

   In case you aren't familiar with the laundry detergent that carries the "he" label on it, here it is so you will know what to buy for your front-load washer.

    Also, Whirlpool has produced a product called "Affresh" that is a front-load washer cleanser.  You place the tablet in the washer drawer and run the machine on hot water for a quick cycle and then wipe it out with one of their "gripper" cloths, leaving your washer smelling fresh and clean again.