# I Must Have A Problem!



## Jenjen59 (Mar 24, 2013)

My husband just told me that he hates our washer and wants a new one. It's a front loader and works fine...he has just decided that he prefers a top loader. Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting? Do I have a problem? I'm not going to lie...I am already thinking about the projects that I want to add to my queue.


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## KaitlanBlackrose (Jun 11, 2012)

That would have been my thought too...


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## betty boivin (Sep 12, 2012)

I was told it was very difficult to felt with a front loader. Maybe someone who has one and who has felted can help you. I have a top loader and it felts beautifully.


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## Rachelle (Apr 7, 2011)

I also recently purchase a new washer and the salesman tried to talk me into a front loader. The first think I thought of was, how will this work for felting. I bought a top loader again. I find the front loaders are much too bulky.


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## ramram0003 (Nov 7, 2011)

:thumbup:


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## knitnanny (Feb 28, 2012)

I would have had that first thought too and am always disagreeing with my friend about top loader versus front loader!


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## beaz (Mar 16, 2013)

Does your husband wash the clothes?


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## Jenjen59 (Mar 24, 2013)

beaz said:


> Does your husband wash the clothes?


Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


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## Beachkc (Aug 24, 2012)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Forget the washer, I want your husband!


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## Jenjen59 (Mar 24, 2013)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


No way!! It has taken me over 27 years to get him trained. :thumbup:


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## Linday (Jan 22, 2012)

I swear by my front loader but I don't do felted knitting. My front loader uses les water and less hydro. The new top loaders are being made just as economical and efficient. I find it easier to move things from the front loader to the dryer with both doors at the same level. Top loader requires more lifting. Although I seldom do laundry, because my DH does it every Saturday. I didn't have to train him he came that way.


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## fergablu2 (Apr 30, 2011)

My husband knows that we have a washer, but that's the extent of his relationship with it.


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## cindye6556 (Apr 6, 2011)

fergablu2 said:


> My husband knows that we have a washer, but that's the extent of his relationship with it.


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

mine as well, and been attempting to train for almost 38 yrs! The only time he knows we have one is when it enters the spin cycle or beeps to let me know it's finished! My son has a better relationship with the washer than his dad.


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## RitaMc (Sep 16, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


Hear! Hear!


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

When my trusty (30-year-old) Maytag bit the dust, we got a front loader. There is no way to just spin without water! So, I dream about getting a top-loader _in addition_ to the front loader. I'm a plumber's dream come true!


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## mammakim (Feb 2, 2011)

Our front loader blew up Christmas Eve. Went to get a new one, we both decided not to go with another front loader. Got a top loader, with no agitator. It also has a wool cycle. Thought that was a cool feature, haven't used it yet so no idea how it will work.


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## BreJ (Jan 26, 2014)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


My husband does his own laundry, cooks, and cleans too. But he has mentioned several times that he doesn't think our front load cleans as well as a top load.


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## Memum (Jan 14, 2014)

Jenjen59 said:


> No way!! It has taken me over 27 years to get him trained. :thumbup:


Lucky you.....it took me forty years to train mine! :thumbup:


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## dachsmom (Aug 23, 2011)

Front loaders will felt, at least some of them will, but it takes a lot longer! I had a front loader before I started knitting so didn't know about felting.


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## Frogger (Sep 6, 2012)

Mom used to make felted slipper boots to wear inside of winter boots and my job was smashing them with the potato masher as they simmered...........perhaps that is why I have never even considered felting!! But when I do --- I have a top loader!!


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Frogger said:


> Mom used to make felted slipper boots to wear inside of winter boots and my job was smashing them with the potato masher as they simmered...........perhaps that is why I have never even considered felting!! But when I do --- I have a top loader!!


But I bet you had warm feet out playing in the snow! I had to put on several layers of socks inside the rubber buckle-boots; my feet weren't warm for long!


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

You have a husband who does the washing? Treasure him and do what he wants!


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## run4fittness (May 22, 2011)

I find that is a reasonable feature to look for in a new washer!


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Jessica-Jean said:


> When my trusty (30-year-old) Maytag bit the dust, we got a front loader. There is no way to just spin without water!....


I have an 'Asko' front loader, about 8 yrs old. Apart from all the usual wash cycles, it also does a rinse and spin or a spin only (without adding water). Perhaps you could try 'tricking' your machine by turning the tap off just after it starts to spin. (Some machines won't work at all if everything isn't as it should be.) You could try...


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Since men seem to be more cost conscious than women, I'm blown away that your husband wants to replace a front loader with a top loader that uses 3 times the amount of water and wears your clothes out faster.

I bought my first front loader in 1997 and am now on my second one. I saved a bundle in water bills that first year.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Linday said:


> I swear by my front loader but I don't do felted knitting. My front loader uses les water and less hydro. The new top loaders are being made just as economical and efficient.....


I also love mine, except how the towels come out, stiff and hard. I guess it's because of using less water. Got that sorted now, put them in the dryer for the last 30 mins of the warm cycle (15mins warm + 15mins no heat) to fluff them up, then peg them on the line to dry completely.


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## Jenjen59 (Mar 24, 2013)

They now make top loaders that are high efficiency, which is what we will buy so I'm not as concerned about that. I think that front loaders are certainly not perfect and have their issues. Even though they save money on water, I really don't like the extra cleaning you have to do such as wiping the seal dry, leaving the door open so the drum can dry and running a cleaning cycle once a month or so. I also worry about a power outage during a wash cycle and my wet clothes being locked in the washer. Almost everyone I know has the same issues with their front loaders and are migrating back to the top loaders.

And I don't know if I agree that men are more cost conscious than women. I know far more women who are more frugal than men.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Jenjen59 said:


> They now make top loaders that are high efficiency, which is what we will buy so I'm not as concerned about that. I think that front loaders are certainly not perfect and have their issues. Even though they save money on water, I really don't like the extra cleaning you have to do such as wiping the seal dry, leaving the door open so the drum can dry and running a cleaning cycle once a month or so. I also worry about a power outage during a wash cycle and my wet clothes being locked in the washer. Almost everyone I know has the same issues with their front loaders and are migrating back to the top loaders.
> 
> And I don't know if I agree that men are more cost conscious than women. I know far more women who are more frugal than men.


I have never done any of those "extra" things with my front loader, e.g. wiping the seal dry and leaving the door open. I have never had a problem with either one of my front loaders and mine has never had the smell I have heard some people complain about.

As to the cleaning cycle once a month or every so many loads, you need to do with with any washer, top loader or front loader. The purpose of that is to clean the drain hose and pipes of soap scum. And you can accomplish that by running a cycle with just hot water and a jug of white vinegar which is what I have done for many years before they even came out with the other cleaning stuff.

To each his own when it comes to buying appliances and that's why they manufacture so many different kinds. I just know I will never purchase another top loader ... if for no other reason ... for space ... because I can stack my dryer on top of my washer it gave me the space to move my second refrigerator from the garage to the laundry room.

I hope you find what you are looking for and it does what you want it to do


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## burgher (Feb 9, 2013)

When automatic washers first came out they were front loading but didn't have the problems that the new ones have. At least I don't think so. I was still using a wringer washer then and by the time I was ready for an automatic, the front loaders were out and the top loaders were in. I don't know what I will get when my top loader dies. I was wanting a front loader but they take more care that a top loader. My daughter has a top loader without an agitator and she loves it so I may consider that.


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

burgher said:


> When automatic washers first came out they were front loading but didn't have the problems that the new ones have. At least I don't think so. I was still using a wringer washer then and by the time I was ready for an automatic, the front loaders were out and the top loaders were in. I don't know what I will get when my top loader dies. I was wanting a front loader but they take more care that a top loader. My daughter has a top loader without an agitator and she loves it so I may consider that.


I remember those first front loaders. My brother had one. Weren't they called Bendix?


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## Xay-Zays.auntie (Aug 26, 2013)

We have a front loader, bought because we have well water and need to be smart about usage. My biggest complaint is that I have to put small items (socks,etc) in mesh bags because otherwise they get sucked into the pump. 
We have stacked ours, too, and put in cabinetry so a front loader it will be for us forevermore.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Joy Marshall said:


> I remember those first front loaders. My brother had one. Weren't they called Bendix?


I don't know if it was the _only_ one on the market, but that's the first washing machine I ever saw or operated on my own. It lived in my grandmother's cellar, and I lived in her house. After her death, I spent infrequent weekends there and needed to do some laundry. Unlike today's washers, it was simple and just about foolproof. There was only one dial and no plethora of choices to make! 

When I visited my other grandmother, I saw how a wringer-washer worked, and was even allowed - under close supervision - to feed wet laundry into the wringer.

When I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


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## Joy Marshall (Apr 6, 2011)

Jessica-Jean said:


> I don't know if it was the _only_ one on the market, but that's the first washing machine I ever saw or operated on my own. It lived in my grandmother's cellar, and I lived in her house. After her death, I spent infrequent weekends there and needed to do some laundry. Unlike today's washers, it was simple and just about foolproof. There was only one dial and no plethora of choices to make!
> 
> When I visited my other grandmother, I saw how a wringer-washer worked, and was even allowed - under close supervision - to feed wet laundry into the wringer.
> 
> When I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


Memories! My first washer was a Beatty. I thought it was the most wonderful thing ever inventive and was, indeed, a very good washer. I did get my right hand through the rollers, though, and screamed my head off. Have had wonky fingers on my right hand every since, and that was about 1950.


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## Abby1234 (Feb 10, 2014)

My washer konked out this past summer. I went with an old style top loader. I hand wash many of my clothes. And wanted a washer that could spin out the extra water. 
My mom has a high effiency front loader. It uses less water. But tangles up the clothes terribly. A load of shirts come out with the sleeves twisted together. That steered me away from a HE front loader.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Abby1234 said:


> My washer konked out this past summer. I went with an old style top loader. I hand wash many of my clothes. And wanted a washer that could spin out the extra water.
> My mom has a high effiency front loader. It uses less water. But tangles up the clothes terribly. A load of shirts come out with the sleeves twisted together. That steered me away from a HE front loader.


That's funny! The first front loader I bought was because my top- load Maytag twisted things up so bad that it practically tied my laundry in knots. Typically front-loaders are much gentler on the clothes than the agitating top-loaders.

I'm sure part of it is the brand of the machine.


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## Jessica-Jean (Mar 14, 2011)

Come to think of it ... It was only after we'd got the blasted front-loader that my lovely red SUPERWASH wool scarf - inside a lingerie bag - became partially felted. It had been through the old top-loader once a year for many years, but one trip through the front-loader changed it from lofty and soft with excellent stitch definition to something too rough to wear and looking decades old. 

And I HATE what it does to shirt sleeves!


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## cindye6556 (Apr 6, 2011)

Joy Marshall said:


> I remember those first front loaders. My brother had one. Weren't they called Bendix?


My mother had one, it was called a Bendix combo matic. Would wash and dry all in the same unit.


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## cherylthompson (Feb 18, 2013)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Mary Cardiff (Mar 18, 2012)

The front loader, fits under the work surface.


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## lynnlassiter (Jun 30, 2011)

this is a great opportunity to add to your knitting tools! lol!


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## kmckinstry77 (Jan 18, 2013)

No... Don't you always try to make sure your appliances will do everything you want them to do? Just because you know you'd like to use it for felting doesn't mean you've got a problem... it means you've got foresight. 
Actually, I'm more amazed that your husband wants a new washer. How often does that happen??? Mine didn't believe we needed a new washer & dryer, even when I made him do a few loads. It was only after we got the new ones that he realized how bad the old ones were!


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## RuthSpinner (Apr 9, 2013)

I got a top loader so I can felt or soak or spin my fibers and yarns. It's still an efficiency type washer - just not front load.


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## BiDDi (Dec 21, 2012)

Jessica-Jean said:


> I don't know if it was the _only_ one on the market, but that's the first washing machine I ever saw or operated on my own. It lived in my grandmother's cellar, and I lived in her house. After her death, I spent infrequent weekends there and needed to do some laundry. Unlike today's washers, it was simple and just about foolproof. There was only one dial and no plethora of choices to make!
> 
> When I visited my other grandmother, I saw how a wringer-washer worked, and was even allowed - under close supervision - to feed wet laundry into the wringer.
> 
> When I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


My heart aches for the 13 year-old you. My step father always made my brother and me feel that we were not quite right and a bit unclean. Nasty then.


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## cafeknitter (Apr 2, 2013)

Jenjen59 said:


> My husband just told me that he hates our washer and wants a new one. It's a front loader and works fine...he has just decided that he prefers a top loader. Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting? Do I have a problem? I'm not going to lie...I am already thinking about the projects that I want to add to my queue.


Absolutely not! It's rather smart! Oh the possibilities I say!


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## whitknits (Nov 9, 2012)

You are absolutely not crazy! Seems to me like you are thinking ahead - a good thing.


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## baglady1104 (Apr 10, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> No way!! It has taken me over 27 years to get him trained. :thumbup:


Did you write a training manual? You could buy a lot of yarn from the sales. :lol:


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## Grandma Edie (Feb 21, 2012)

I have had a front loader for several years, I have never liked it, my husband was doing the wash at the time and that is what he wanted, I however will not get another front loader.


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## seedstitch (Nov 29, 2011)

Jennie, wondering ... do you have room for both models? since both front and top loaders have good features. Another thought ... will the new washer have a lint filter? My appliance repair man told me that new models don't have those anymore. If you have a septic tank, that is a big factor and sticking with the older machine might be wise. Personally, I believe in old Maytags since they are fixable. Mine was purchased about 25 years ago as a used machine ...and still works fine!


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## maur1011 (Jul 25, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


I almost snorted my tea when I read this! LOL!


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## socksaholic (Sep 8, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Lucky you!!!!


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## socksaholic (Sep 8, 2011)

baglady1104 said:


> Did you write a training manual? You could buy a lot of yarn from the sales. :lol:


I've been trying, unsuccessfully I might add, for 43 years, so YES! I would buy that training manual! :lol:


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## stirfry (Nov 3, 2011)

I just recently did my first felting with my front loader. It came out beautifully. To be honest because it was my first attempt and I didn't think there was a difference. Guess I was lucky being clueless.


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## Aimee'smom (Nov 24, 2013)

People abandoned the first front loaders because the 'drop' wore out their clothes much faster (still does) and clothes were expensive. Top loaders more gentle. Now clothes are cheap and 'they' want to save water - and the washing machine industry needs a boost.


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## Gweneth 1946 (May 20, 2012)

My husband would not know how to work the darn thing. The only reason I got a front loader is to wash my bedspread, comforter large items like that every month otherwise I have to spend a few hours at the laundry mat. I also think my husband feels house work is beneath him other than picking up after himself in the bath room and bed room that is the extent of his house duties. But he is very good at pointing out something needs picking up. :thumbdown:


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## Lizruork (Aug 25, 2013)

Jessica-Jean said:


> When my trusty (30-year-old) Maytag bit the dust, we got a front loader. There is no way to just spin without water! So, I dream about getting a top-loader _in addition_ to the front loader. I'm a plumber's dream come true!


i have had 2 front loaders an lg and a ge and both have had independent spin cycles...

besides being eco friendly (and utility bill friendly) vis a vis water and hydro, they hold more and beat up your clothes and linens less.... therefore not so good for felting i guess...

but i know my lovely SIL felts in her giant samsung front loader... not sure of the details....


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## grandmaof7 (Feb 6, 2011)

Send that man to my house pronto! He can have his front loader and I will make arrangements for me to have the top loader. What a gem you have, don't deny him the front loader. lol


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## Lilda (Nov 14, 2013)

We renovated to enable us to have the washer and dryer in the bathroom. I kept my top loader so that I would still be able to felt. With only two adults in the family it seems a little extravagant to have two washers but I needed to be able to felt!


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## CdnKnittingNan (Nov 17, 2011)

I guess my first comment would be, if your husband uses the machine enough to dislike it that much, that's a good thing! 
I have a top loader and it works wonderfully for felting so if he's using the machine to do laundry and you need it for felting, let him buy what he wants. I'd never argue with a man who wanted to the laundry! lol


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## Grannyanne (Jan 28, 2014)

A top loader is much more convenient! Easy to add that sock etc that you found in the corner...(I have a teenage boy) Front loaders you have to wait for it to wake up and smell the coffee before it will let you open the door!


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## kmckinstry77 (Jan 18, 2013)

socksaholic said:


> I've been trying, unsuccessfully I might add, for 43 years, so YES! I would buy that training manual! :lol:


Hi! 
I've only been trying for about 6 months (yup - married last August). He doesn't really realize he's being trained... heh heh heh... however, he vacuums, does help with the washing/drying & the ironing, he does cook sometimes, he does 99% of the grocery shopping, he does *not* need to be prompted to start the dishwasher or to unload it... and best of all, if I'm in the middle of a semester & going nuts with teaching stuff, he will just jump in & help! 
No, you can't have him. He's mine.


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## Maplelkknitter (Dec 19, 2013)

I have a front loader for laundry. I have a small counter top unit from Amazon that loads from the top, empties and fills with a hose and spins with a timer. Felts just great! Cost under $200 and does the job! (You know, I'm a knitter so I don't count the cost).


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## jeanbess (Aug 20, 2011)

i think the front loader is gentler especially on sweaters i have done felting in mine it takes a view times to get the results i want


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## joanne1013 (Sep 25, 2013)

oh that sure gave me a much needed chuckle!!!!


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## Debbystitchknit (Dec 7, 2011)

It has taken me 39 years. he does dishes too. but no windows


Jenjen59 said:


> No way!! It has taken me over 27 years to get him trained. :thumbup:


 :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Ontario Silk (Feb 16, 2014)

You have a man that helps you in the home... In my humble opinion... good trade off for the top loading washer exchange. He is a keeper...LOL


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## janielha (Dec 20, 2012)

I use my front loading machine for felting and it works every time. I just wash the item on hot with a little detergent, then dry it on high in the dryer. I had been told it wouldn't work, so of course I had to try it! My husband does run the vaccuum occasionally, but doesn't have a clue about the washer or cooking. Still wouldn't trade him for anyone else, though!


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## socksaholic (Sep 8, 2011)

kmckinstry77 said:


> Hi!
> I've only been trying for about 6 months (yup - married last August). He doesn't really realize he's being trained... heh heh heh... however, he vacuums, does help with the washing/drying & the ironing, he does cook sometimes, he does 99% of the grocery shopping, he does *not* need to be prompted to start the dishwasher or to unload it... and best of all, if I'm in the middle of a semester & going nuts with teaching stuff, he will just jump in & help!
> No, you can't have him. He's mine.


I'll be nice about this, DARN!!


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Mine does too  he says doing the Laundry relaxes him.. it must be kind of like what we do with our knitting.. its just relaxing lol

as far as your washer goes... they are making the new ones with less agitation  I don't remember off the top of my head what they are called but they are supose to clean better with less wear and tear on the clothes...

You might want to get a old small washer to do your felting with if you have room.. I personally don't have room for another machine.. and we have a front loader, so I can't felt in it anyway...

looks like Knit Picks needs to come up with a 'Felting' machine for us that need one


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## Ronie (Jan 21, 2011)

Maplelkknitter said:


> I have a front loader for laundry. I have a small counter top unit from Amazon that loads from the top, empties and fills with a hose and spins with a timer. Felts just great! Cost under $200 and does the job! (You know, I'm a knitter so I don't count the cost).


I would love a link to this if you can find one 
This is just what I was talking about in my last comment


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## Catherine42 (Jul 3, 2013)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


Hahaha


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## GrandmaNona (Aug 2, 2013)

My DH has been doing his own laundry for the last 30 years. Ever sense we moved home and I went to work. We have a front loader. I do not do wool or felting.


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## Marilyn Dietrich (Mar 1, 2013)

I hate my LG front loader, but loved my Duet.


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## burgher (Feb 9, 2013)

Joy Marshall said:


> I remember those first front loaders. My brother had one. Weren't they called Bendix?


Yes. they were called Bendix I couldn't remember the name and kept thinking Whirlpool but I knew they weren't that make.


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## Munchn (Mar 3, 2013)

Well, I "heard" that front loaders are not for felting. :?: :?: :?:


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## Ms Sue (Jun 5, 2013)

I'm short with short arms and I love the front loader for the ease of getting small items out. I can't reach them in the top loaders if they are on the back side and nearly have to dive in to get them at all. I will say, my daughter got a top loader with NO agitator and it isn't as bad, and the tub will spin easily so you can move items to the front side.
That said, I don't felt, so don't know what will work for that.


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## Cyber Granny (Sep 30, 2013)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


We will have to share him


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## disgo (Mar 2, 2013)

Jessica-Jean said:


> When my trusty (30-year-old) Maytag bit the dust, we got a front loader. There is no way to just spin without water! So, I dream about getting a top-loader _in addition_ to the front loader. I'm a plumber's dream come true!


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Nana Doreen (Sep 16, 2013)

We can't get 'top loaders' over here any more. I loved my one and when it died on me had to resort to a front loader, apparently we had to get ones that didn't use lots of water. Wish I could get another top loader again!!


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## mamasbird (Jun 5, 2013)

This has nothing to do about felting, but, stay away from the front loaders. I had one and it kept spewing out water from the door and at times even blew the door open. I had quite a good flood that ruined not only my kitchen floor, but, the basement. Of course, it wouldn't happen when the techs were here to fix it. I finally had enough and bought a top loader. Never been happier.


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## hgayle (Aug 22, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> My husband just told me that he hates our washer and wants a new one. It's a front loader and works fine...he has just decided that he prefers a top loader. Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting? Do I have a problem? I'm not going to lie...I am already thinking about the projects that I want to add to my queue.


When we needed a new washer a few years ago, my DH told me to go ahead and get the front loader. At that time, I had read that you couldn't felt in one, so I opted to get a top loader. Told DH it was silly to spend all that extra money.


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## Gweneth 1946 (May 20, 2012)

I find the younger male generation who either lived on their own for awhile or brought up by a single mom are more helpful around the house. My husband had no sisters and I also think that contributes to his thinking that all this sh-- is for mom to do.


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## wittless knitter (Mar 25, 2011)

I have a front loader. love it. have felted many items in it with no problem. mine does have a pause cycle and also a spin only. also, I have mine on pedestels (sic) which is great on my old body and short body and arms. its a maytag. also, for those of you asking about a small one for fleting, there is a table top that I have seen and sells for less than $100. don't remember the name but do know it was available on amazon as well as other sites. good luck and happy knitting.


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## wittless knitter (Mar 25, 2011)

my front loader is HE. I only use homemade laundry soap and then white vinegar for rinsing. keeps everything clean and my clothes are really soft and cling free when they come out of dryer. changed to above after reading about "stuff" in the soap and wax in liquid fabric softners.


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## dsteggs (Jun 15, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


 The fight is on... I want him too


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## CBCAROL (Apr 12, 2011)

cindye6556 said:


> :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
> 
> mine as well, and been attempting to train for almost 38 yrs! The only time he knows we have one is when it enters the spin cycle or beeps to let me know it's finished! My son has a better relationship with the washer than his dad.


Don't worry about it - Mine's the same - EXCEPT when I'm Ill or physically unable - then He's right there....... with bells on...... and we've been married 57 years now........


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## K2P2 knitter (Jan 31, 2013)

I have front loader and don't really see any way to felt properly in it. Once the washer fills to a certain level the door is locked at least on my Maytag. I guess you could try to advance the cycle which would drain the water, open the door check the item to see if it was felted to your liking but if it wasn't you would then need to start the process over. My husband of 32 years doesn't do laundry only because I don't want him to but he does cook, fold all the laundry, put it away, vacuum, dust, cleans the bathrooms and dries dishes. He took a long time to train.


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## Elder Ellen (Mar 9, 2013)

fergablu2 said:


> My husband knows that we have a washer, but that's the extent of his relationship with it.


Mine expects clean, perfectly folded laundry to appear but I don't think he has any idea about how this happens. I'm sure he couldn't tell what kind of machine we have, and, I doubt if he knows where it is, let alone how to use it. He used to snort because it was in "his" basement work-shop. Likewise, I was not happy about it doubling as a work bench and the residence for greasey tools and cleaning rags. Washer and dryer have been moved but I'm not saying where they are now. Well, they are in a more convenient place.


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## Mssell (Jan 30, 2014)

I felt in my front loader. I use hot water and extra long cycle.


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## BethChaya (May 6, 2011)

Be aware that the H.E. washers are not conducive to felting.


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## yarncrazy102 (Mar 16, 2013)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Mine does a lot of housework so I can knit and crochet! No cooking though as he tends to burn things. As for the washer, I've had both top and front loaders. I like my front loader and I just add boiling water to it when I felt. Works well. Good luck in the hunt! :thumbup:


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## mlsolcz (Feb 16, 2012)

:thumbup:


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## Siouxiq (Aug 26, 2011)

It will be great for felting, but you will have to be careful washing your sweaters. I used to just soak, rinse soak and spin.


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## Siouxiq (Aug 26, 2011)

My wish as well, they each have their special amenities.


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## Shimal (Apr 21, 2013)

Unless your husband is the only one who is going to use the washer, then your feelings need to be taken into consideration also. And, yes, using it for felting is a legitimate reason to want a particular type of washer. You will need to look at everything (make a pro/con sheet and list each out): amount of water used, ease in loading/unloading/ efficiency, amount of detergent needed, ability to felt or wash unusual items, etc. If everything else on the list clearly points to a front-load machine, consider getting one of the mini tabletop washers for your felting...


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## Pishi (Jul 15, 2013)

I love my Kenmore front loader. It is nine years old and I have never had a problem. I like the fact that I can put larger loads in if I want and small loads don't have to have a lot of water. Problems may have to do with brands. I do leave the door slightly open, but that causes no problem. I wouldn't let anyone scare you against a front loader or a top loader. The first front loader I used was a friend's I was visiting and I hated it! Small doors and I had to get on the floor to move the loads. I needed to get a front loader so I looked for large doors. My washer and dryer are large and stacked.


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## headlemk (Feb 16, 2011)

Linday said:


> I swear by my front loader but I don't do felted knitting. My front loader uses les water and less hydro. The new top loaders are being made just as economical and efficient. I find it easier to move things from the front loader to the dryer with both doors at the same level. Top loader requires more lifting. Although I seldom do laundry, because my DH does it every Saturday. I didn't have to train him he came that way.


I'm with you. Love my front loader. It is also not nearly as hard on the clothes as a top loader. Less agitation, less wear.


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## GHBELL (Dec 22, 2011)

I don't felt but I would consider the effects of felting if I were buying a washing machine. 
My husband does not do cleaning or laundry. He will cook but not clean up after himself. My sons were trained to cook, clean, do the laundry, iron, etc. I did not want my future daughter in laws to have to deal with training them. 
When one of my sons gets angry, he cleans. My DIL loves it.


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> My husband just told me that he hates our washer and wants a new one. It's a front loader and works fine...he has just decided that he prefers a top loader. Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting? Do I have a problem? I'm not going to lie...I am already thinking about the projects that I want to add to my queue.


Some of the new top loaders are bragging that they have not agitators. OK. People on the forum who bought them are saying they don't clean as well. And of course, forget felting with them.


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## GHBELL (Dec 22, 2011)

I have a non agitating one and I DO NOT LIKE IT. It does not clean as well as my old maytag that died last year. I would not buy another one if I have a choice.


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## Damama (Oct 2, 2011)

KaitlanBlackrose said:


> That would have been my thought too...


 :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## FrannyGrace (Dec 25, 2011)

Okay, how do I put this delicately? We managed apartments and found that when the caregivers washed without shaking out the underwear first they would complain that "someone put feces in the washing machine". Turns out it was only when they used the front loaders and yes, there were "rolls" of feces in the bottom of the washer. We have dogs and found that using a front loader keeps the dog hair on their blankets, etc. and bits of food, etc. are in the bottom of the machine from the towels when we clean up their barf. After we move into our own home I will be getting a top loader!


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## kmckinstry77 (Jan 18, 2013)

socksaholic said:


> I'll be nice about this, DARN!!


Don't worry... most of his cooking is either on the grill or in the form of chicken enchiladas. I'm still the only one cooking vegetables...


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## calmeroth (Jul 12, 2011)

I have a High Efficiency top loader & don't like it. It uses very little water ("high efficiency") which barely covers the clothes. It does not get the clothes very clean, in my opinion. My DIL has a HE front loader, which seems to get the clothes cleaner. I oughta know, I do their laundry! As to felting, I have no experience there. I just know I would not buy a top loading HE. This one came with the house.
~Connie in CA


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## SAMkewel (Mar 5, 2011)

fergablu2 said:


> My husband knows that we have a washer, but that's the extent of his relationship with it.


Same here, but at least it's a top loader :~).


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## kmckinstry77 (Jan 18, 2013)

It's been interesting to see who has which type of washer & whether they love it or hate it...
I have an LG HE front-loader washer & dryer set. I love it because it actually washes & dries things & doesn't take 5 hours (my old washer & dryer were... well, dying by inches really). I have tried felting in the washer (haven't tried putting the felted item into the dryer, although I've heard it puts a nice finish on the item). I haven't been universally thrilled, but I think that has a lot more to do with the way I knit the items than the actual felting process. One bowl came out rather neat, the other not so much. I'm making a tote bag for books & once I finish the strap, it'll be put through the felting process. I don't felt a lot since I have skin sensitivities to wool, so actually knitting the items requires a lot of patience, hand-washing, & lotion.


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## Linda6885 (Feb 13, 2011)

No not at all. In fact I have a new washer that works great, but I can not felt or dye (as in Rit dye not yarn) in it. I want to kick myself everytime I think about it. It is a top loader but uses less water . It does not have the typical agitator , it looks more like just a bump in the middle of the tub. When I bought it, I thought 'less water, good for septic tank' But I have absolutely no control of how much water goes in and then there is the irritating and frustrating lock on the cover so you can't in into the tub when you want. UGH!!! Why oh why didn't I just get a basic washing machine, without any of the new computer crap!!! Kicking myself again... :thumbdown:  :roll:


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## barbdpayne (Jan 24, 2011)

I detest my front loader. I don't felt, but I just don't like the fact that you have less control over the amount of water (at least in my model) or that it retains water in the gasket, which has to be cleaned after each use. And unless you keep the doors open, you get a horrible smell which transfers to your clothes. I'd love to go back to a top loader, but the one I got when I bought a new house was a top of the line and expensive, so I guess I am stuck with it.


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## Bea 465 (Mar 27, 2011)

We had Maytag front loaders and loved them. But, we decided to get the ones with windows in the doors. We were told Maytag wasn't available anymore and ended up buying Whirlpool. Well we HATE the washer. If it decides the load should be classified as bulky and you set it as normal, it won't spin dry the items. You have to mess around with the machine, resetting it for spin only, speed medium and wait another 20 minutes while it get the job done. We'll never get Whirlpool again!


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## kmckinstry77 (Jan 18, 2013)

barbdpayne said:


> I detest my front loader. I don't felt, but I just don't like the fact that you have less control over the amount of water (at least in my model) or that it retains water in the gasket, which has to be cleaned after each use. And unless you keep the doors open, you get a horrible smell which transfers to your clothes. I'd love to go back to a top loader, but the one I got when I bought a new house was a top of the line and expensive, so I guess I am stuck with it.


Wow!
I've never had any of those problems with my front-loader. I mean, I can't entirely control how much water goes in... it's pretty much bulky, normal, or light... but I *love* that I can control the temperature. I virtually always use either "tap cold" or "eco warm". I don't have water left in it after the fact. Once in awhile, if the load is especially large, it does have trouble spinning it so the sheets & towels might be a bit soaked... an extra spin cycle solves all of that & makes it dry just fine, though. Oh, and I leave my doors shut & it's fine... I'd rather not have my cat get into it (& she would!). 
Maybe it's the model or the age of the model?


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## Cathryn 2ed (Feb 1, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting?


Beware many of the new washers have water restrictions built in and NO temperature control.


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## grammy52 (Dec 19, 2013)

My Husband can do laundry & cook to when he wants to he also does all other housework as well. We have been Married 42 years the 30th of March.
I have a top loader I really like it for felting. It works great.


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## Grandma Jo (Feb 18, 2011)

I am oh so very lucky. I have free water. Live on a ranch and have spring water. Water comes down off the mountain. I have a Costco Kirkland top load washer and dryer. Both are larger than normal. I have had them awhile and really like them. Really get the clothes clean. Many years ago I lived in a mobile home and had a stack unit of front load washer and dryer. I think they were General Electric. I had a baby and a toddler and the washer did not get the clothes clean. I will never have a front loader again, I know they are probably much better now, at least I hope.


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## Elder Ellen (Mar 9, 2013)

About 30 years ago, front loaders were unheard of here in the States; however, we were spending a month in Switzerland and our laundry room had a front loader washer and dryer (German made, I believe, and, very expensive) with coin operated units above. There were instructions in both French and German but they were way too complicated for me, so I waited for my bilingual son to show up -- an employee of the hotel/apartment complex explained the workings to him, and he then explained it all to me in English. Not that he knew much about the workings of the machines, but he did understand the language. It took a while but I was able to do our washing, OK. 

One day I encountered a couple of young men in the laundry room and they made it known to me with some frantic signs that they wanted to use the laundry equipment. I proceded to show them, signing, pointing and shaking my head until they indicated that they understood. (Never a word was spoken!) At that point I picked up my basket and started for the door. It was then that I discovered they actually spoke English to each other, so all these contortions were unnecessary. We had a good laugh as the explained that they were part of a touring soccer team from South Africa.

I still like my own old faithful top loader though.


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## alidakyle (Dec 20, 2011)

betty boivin said:


> I was told it was very difficult to felt with a front loader. Maybe someone who has one and who has felted can help you. I have a top loader and it felts beautifully.


I have done felting with a front loader and it works fine. The door does lock but I can override that to take a look to see if the felting has been completed. If not, you can just carry on. Not sure if all machines can be opened once they are locked though. Personally I prefer a front loader for washing.


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## mooseymom93 (May 1, 2013)

I have a front loader machine; purchased it because trying to be environmentally conscious since we are on a well and septic system. Not a big fan, as i don't think it cleans as well but just may be the brand. My next washer will be a top loader, which now-a-days are just as efficient, using less water, etc.


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## Grannyanne (Jan 28, 2014)

Call me a dinosaur, but I loved my old twintub. Economical on water and detergent, got good results and a spin speed no automatic can beat!


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## 007lager (Aug 31, 2013)

I've felted with my front loader and it came out beautifully.


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## Maryhm (Oct 11, 2012)

You're just being practical!


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## Ontario Silk (Feb 16, 2014)

Well Ladies ... I guess that we have to thank our mother-in laws for the great men that they have raised and trained on our behalf. I for one had a FANTASTIC mother-in -law. I could have never thanked her enough for all the goodness that she and pop- in -law instilled in their son. I was the lucky gal to have caught his eye. Heck he even never complains when I let the dishes pile up in the sink or the beds don't get made on occasion, because I am caught up in a project and still in my jammies. :lol: On the subject of felting.. I had accidently washed a 100% white wool sweater in hot water along with bleach,soap and white sheets. My sweater shrunk and I just threw it into the dryer. I figured it was ruined anyway for me but I could give it to a second hand shop. I was surprised how small and tight the weave became once dried. Then someone told me that this was felting. SUPRISE!! actually learned something by mistake. Now I actually do this on purpose! :thumbup:


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## Elder Ellen (Mar 9, 2013)

Grannyanne said:


> Call me a dinosaur, but I loved my old twintub. Economical on water and detergent, got good results and a spin speed no automatic can beat!


Was that what they called an "Easy Spin-dry"? I had one and liked it a lot. That was many years ago but I never forgot how well it worked.


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## Dreamweaver (Feb 1, 2011)

My neighbor has a lovely set with a front loader. Her husband owns a nursery and just felt that the front loader did not use enough water to get the clothes clean so it is sitting in the garage and an old top loader reinstalled. I had thought about replacing mine with a front loader to make it easier on back but am rethinking that now... Tried to do a small load on mom's and couldn't figure it out... I had heard the front loader was better for washing quilts, but I don't really have a problem with my top loader...


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Now for the big question-----Does he give lessons?? 
He should be running some kind of husband school


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

fergablu2 said:


> My husband knows that we have a washer, but that's the extent of his relationship with it.


Same with my husband. He thinks the washer is NEW, it's about 12 years old. I think he's used it a couple times when I was gone, or maybe he got the grand daughter to start it for him. And the vacuum cleaner, he thinks it's some sort of ornament or an object that takes up some room in the small closet. A broom, that would be my ride, and the mop, he has not the foggiest idea.


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## Penrith Grandma (Apr 19, 2011)

What a husband, my machine has to completely stop working before I can buy a new one, so go get the one you want.


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## lindseymary (Oct 29, 2011)

Linday said:


> I swear by my front loader but I don't do felted knitting. My front loader uses les water and less hydro. The new top loaders are being made just as economical and efficient. I find it easier to move things from the front loader to the dryer with both doors at the same level. Top loader requires more lifting. Although I seldom do laundry, because my DH does it every Saturday. I didn't have to train him he came that way.


Well done,that man's mother :-D Lindseymary


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## joanne1013 (Sep 25, 2013)

it's time I asked "what is felting" have never heard of this term till this list. thank you


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## ginia (Apr 9, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


I've had mine for 50 years. Is there any hope? Name your price and I'll send him along for you to train. I seem to be a failure. 
:lol:


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

Joy Marshall said:


> I remember those first front loaders. My brother had one. Weren't they called Bendix?


In 1964 my ex and I bought our first house, and I got a used Bendix, front loader. His mom had a Westinghouse front load, and neither of those had the problems of the newer f/l machines. But my main cycle died, and that was the wash cycle, but it had a soak cycle and it was the same as the wash cycle without the rinse, so I continued to use it for at least a year. Boy did that thing clean the clothes. My daughter now has f/l and it does not clean the clothes as well as my top load, HE machine. The HE top load machines don't fill with water, there is only enough to soak the clothes, plus fill the tub under the clothes container tub. I never thought a machine that uses so little water could possible clean clothes so well. It has many cycles, and the wool/silk cycle is so great for washing wool sweaters, yes, wool. This washer bounces the clothes up and down and the water sprays through. For the wool/silk cycle it doesn't bounce them, and they come out so clean and not damaged at all, and it's not superwash wool I am talking about. I hate to think of when this washer dies, I like it that much. I have back problems and I didn't want to have to bend over to get things out of a f/l washer. My daughters stack, which is great for them, they designed and built the house with a very nice laundry room and if they had to have side by side, they would have to take out 1/4 of their counter in the room.


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## StitchDesigner (Jan 24, 2011)

joanne1013 said:


> it's time I asked "what is felting" have never heard of this term till this list. thank you


Felting is a technique to make such things as slippers and handbags. It requires untreated wool (not superwash or a blend). After knitting or crocheting the oversized project is placed into a washer with some towels and run through one or more cycles. It is then put into a dryer. The result is a very firm, matted fabric. When it is properly felted there is no need to line a purse.


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

BiDDi said:



> My heart aches for the 13 year-old you. My step father always made my brother and me feel that we were not quite right and a bit unclean. Nasty then.


I think it's things like these that give step parents a bad name. Plus the physical treatment of small children and even older ones that may be scared into not telling on them.


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## Shautzie (Jun 9, 2013)

45 years and DH doesn't even know where I keep the washing machine and dryer. Ok, that's a stretch, but I wonder if he thinks they are self-loading,


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## deshka (Apr 6, 2011)

StitchDesigner said:


> Some of the new top loaders are bragging that they have not agitators. OK. People on the forum who bought them are saying they don't clean as well. And of course, forget felting with them.


my top loader has no agitator and it cleans clothes better than any washer I have ever used. My daughters f/l leaves sand in the clothes, the dryer takes it out, but I don't have a sand problem at all, and my clothes are cleaner than hers. I know this because she has come here and used my washer and I have used hers, she agrees that mine does the best job. It's not hard on clothes, in fact, I wish it would wear them out faster, so I can justify getting something new.


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## karlen (Apr 22, 2011)

No, you are not crazy. My washer can not be fixed and I need a new one. It must be a top loader with a lid that does NOT lock. Yes, check to be sure that the lid does not lock.


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## MzBluejay (Sep 1, 2013)

Hi Jessica Jean

I too was told my step mother that my clothes were too dirty to wash with the others and was not allowed to do them in the washer--used a washboard AND bucket on the weekends. Know how you feel- odd man out


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## Memum (Jan 14, 2014)

Jessica-Jean said:


> I don't know if it was the _only_ one on the market, but that's the first washing machine I ever saw or operated on my own. It lived in my grandmother's cellar, and I lived in her house. After her death, I spent infrequent weekends there and needed to do some laundry. Unlike today's washers, it was simple and just about foolproof. There was only one dial and no plethora of choices to make!
> 
> When I visited my other grandmother, I saw how a wringer-washer worked, and was even allowed - under close supervision - to feed wet laundry into the wringer.
> 
> When I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


I don't understand how some people can be so cruel!! It makes my heart so sad.😥


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## M30Knitting (Aug 9, 2012)

I have felted very successfully with my front loader. Mine has a start/stop button, and I've read on this forum that not all of them do.


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## KarenJo (Feb 24, 2011)

run4fittness said:


> I find that is a reasonable feature to look for in a new washer!


Haha, I thought to myself, that's a reasonable feature to look for in a new husband, too.
Actually my late husband did do laundry and so does my current one.. They both came that way, too!!


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## joanne1013 (Sep 25, 2013)

thank you much


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## Grannyanne (Jan 28, 2014)

I could get through five loads of washing in the time it takes to do one now and I really felt I'd done something. Now the machine seems to take forever and even though I can do something else at the same time, it's just not the same, and it costs more in hot water and detergent because it's fresh water every load. 
PS My grandson thinks I'ma fossil...


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## Elin (Sep 17, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!


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## Elin (Sep 17, 2011)

I have a top-loader and wish I had a front-loader for several reasons: less water used and since the clothes aren't agitated they don't wear out as quickly (mostly the undies).


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## bunny mom (Apr 25, 2012)

My front loader died in Nov. and have been doing the laundramat until I can save for a replacement. Thouhgt a front loader was better, but the used top loader I had before this lasted longer. The old one also got out the pet hair and dirt better. I am really torn as to what to get as a replacement.


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## LindaRodriguez (Jan 28, 2014)

BreJ said:


> My husband does his own laundry, cooks, and cleans too. But he has mentioned several times that he doesn't think our front load cleans as well as a top load.


I'm lucky enough to have one of those jim-dandy guys, too, and I would never get a front loader. Can't felt, can't spin fleeces without spraying water. Useless to me.


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## LindaRodriguez (Jan 28, 2014)

Jessica-Jean said:


> I don't know if it was the _only_ one on the market, but that's the first washing machine I ever saw or operated on my own. It lived in my grandmother's cellar, and I lived in her house. After her death, I spent infrequent weekends there and needed to do some laundry. Unlike today's washers, it was simple and just about foolproof. There was only one dial and no plethora of choices to make!
> 
> When I visited my other grandmother, I saw how a wringer-washer worked, and was even allowed - under close supervision - to feed wet laundry into the wringer.
> 
> When I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


Oh, Jessica Jean, how hurtful! She must have felt very threatened by what you represented to do something so mean and petty.


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## tjay (May 13, 2011)

I had a front-loader. I gave it away. I want top load. I also want one without a lock and with knobs so I can select the amount of water, type of water, and type of load. I do not like any machine making those decisions for me. I also found that my whites were no longer white in the front-loader. They are now in the new top-loader.


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## cassieschef (Jan 30, 2014)

I have a front loader and I love it. I felted with it without a problem. My dryer felts too.


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## Grandma Laurie (Feb 2, 2011)

seedstitch said:


> Jennie, wondering ... do you have room for both models? since both front and top loaders have good features. Another thought ... will the new washer have a lint filter? My appliance repair man told me that new models don't have those anymore. If you have a septic tank, that is a big factor and sticking with the older machine might be wise. Personally, I believe in old Maytags since they are fixable. Mine was purchased about 25 years ago as a used machine ...and still works fine!


I want your old Maytag Pat!! My new top loading Maytag is a joke. I've gone to washing all my tops and sweaters by hand and using the machine to spin them out. I can not felt items in it either. I dislike it so much...... It was a gift from my hubby. He thought he was doing me a favor getting this one when my old one went bad.......


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## Grandma Laurie (Feb 2, 2011)

tjay said:


> I had a front-loader. I gave it away. I want top load. I also want one without a lock and with knobs so I can select the amount of water, type of water, and type of load. I do not like any machine making those decisions for me. I also found that my whites were no longer white in the front-loader. They are now in the new top-loader.


When you find the one that doesn't lock and make all the decisions for you let me know! I'll be buying one. I told my husband I want to go to a used appliance store to get a good washer......


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## Angelsmom1 (Jan 28, 2012)

Your thinking is fine. I would be thinking the same way. Got to be a top loader.


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## jmai5421 (May 6, 2011)

Jessica-Jean said:


> But I bet you had warm feet out playing in the snow! I had to put on several layers of socks inside the rubber buckle-boots; my feet weren't warm for long!


JessicaJean I remember those boots. Mom used to make/knit heedless socks for my brothers and me. We had the socks, a pair on our feet and a pair over our shoes and then a bread wrapper to keep our feet dry. We could play outside forever or at least it seemed that way. Everyone in my school had boots like these, all 14 of us! You brought back memories.


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## Condia (Jul 24, 2012)

I totally agree, I have a front loader I HATE THAT THING!!! can't wait for it to die so I can replace it with a top loader.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Grandma Laurie said:


> I want your old Maytag Pat!! My new top loading Maytag is a joke. I've gone to washing all my tops and sweaters by hand and using the machine to spin them out. I can not felt items in it either. I dislike it so much...... It was a gift from my hubby. He thought he was doing me a favor getting this one when my old one went bad.......


Maytags are not what they used to be. My Mom swore by Maytag washers and bought her first one in the late '50's. She thought there was no better. I bought my first Maytag in 1991 and it was the one that literally tore my towels up and twisted my clothes to the point of knots. I was convinced that the agitator agitated too vigorously and the Maytag repairman could never seem to get it to work correctly.

In 1997 when Frigidaire came out with the first front-loader in this country in decades, I went and bought one. It was a great machine and still was working great when I retired and moved in 2010. I was going to have to buy a new dryer when I moved, so I just left the Frigidaire at the old house when I sold it and bought a new washer and dryer when I moved.

I bought a Whirlpool front-loader that works just as perfectly as the Frigidaire did and I love it.

In 2006 Whirlpool bought Maytag, but I have no idea how the Maytag front-loader works.

I just know that mine gets my clothes super clean, doesn't twist them up, I don't have frayed towels now, I save on water and I don't have to do any of the special cleaning that I hear other people complain about.


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## Debbystitchknit (Dec 7, 2011)

I don't like my front loader either, don't think it cleans as well and I don't like the door locking and no choice of water level.


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## wittless knitter (Mar 25, 2011)

as with all topics, there are almost as many opinions as there are posts. I think each brand is different, and a brand can be diff. from year to year. I love my front loader, a maytag Neptune. it felts, "weighs the cloths to dispense the right amt. of water, etc. has as many options and my old top loader. whats right for one is not necessarily right for another. happy knitting


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## tjay (May 13, 2011)

I think there's one for us somewhere. It's going to be a Kenmore even if I can't find everything I'm looking for. I'm sick of them lasting a year.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

tjay said:


> I think there's one for us somewhere. It's going to be a Kenmore even if I can't find everything I'm looking for. I'm sick of them lasting a year.


And ask Sears who made the Kenmore you are looking at. Sears contracts with different manufacturers every year to make the Kenmore brand. Sometimes it's Frigidaire, sometimes it's GE, sometimes it's Whirlpool. Sometimes you can tell without asking if you have looked at all the major brands.

One Kenmore refrigerator I bought years ago was made by Frigidaire and the last one I had was made by Admiral.

EDIT: The average life of a washing machine should be 13 to 15 years and a dryer should last at least through 2 washing machines.


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## tjay (May 13, 2011)

this stuff breaking and needing repairs after the 6 month warranty is ridiculous. I will ask for a Sears made Kenmore. I don't want anything less than that. I've had that for the past six years, and I'm done. Soon, it'll be worth it to me to go to the laundromat and use the laundry room for something else, like storage.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

tjay said:


> this stuff breaking and needing repairs after the 6 month warranty is ridiculous. I will ask for a Sears made Kenmore. I don't want anything less than that. I've had that for the past six years, and I'm done. Soon, it'll be worth it to me to go to the laundromat and use the laundry room for something else, like storage.


Sears doesn't make anything ... they contract out to manufacturers to make their products.


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## SouthernGirl (Dec 28, 2011)

Beachkc said:


> Forget the washer, I want your husband!


 :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Viwstitcher (Jul 29, 2013)

I got another top loader because you get chewed up price wise on a front loader since you really need a base. My top loader Samsung even has a wool cycle which I love, because when I use it it's super gentle on my shawls and doesn't agitate them every which way. So far I've been very happy with it and I've had it about a year now.


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## beadknitter (Sep 23, 2011)

One thing I have discovered about front loaders is if it is on the floor level as you become more MATURE it is very easy to have a fall as it is harder to bend down to the machine. My elderly aunt had one in her unit & we had so many issues with it due to her being unsteady on her feet & then had knee's replaced, hips replaced etc this is really a huge problem that you don't consider at the time, if it is up at eye level great. Just putting my two bobs worth in there as food for thought.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

beadknitter said:


> One thing I have discovered about front loaders is if it is on the floor level as you become more MATURE it is very easy to have a fall as it is harder to bend down to the machine. My elderly aunt had one in her unit & we had so many issues with it due to her being unsteady on her feet & then had knee's replaced, hips replaced etc this is really a huge problem that you don't consider at the time, if it is up at eye level great. Just putting my two bobs worth in there as food for thought.


Hmmmm ... dryers have always been at the same level as the front load washers are.

When the front loaders came back to the stores here in the '90's there wasn't such a thing as the base ... that came several years later. I can't imagine having a base under my washer to raise it ... I would need a ladder to reach my dryer since it is stacked on top of the washer :mrgreen: And I love having my dryer up there at eye leval as I take my clothes out of it to fold.

All of us having different likes, wants and needs is what makes the world an interesting place.


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## Judy M (Feb 17, 2011)

Jenjen59 said:


> My husband just told me that he hates our washer and wants a new one. It's a front loader and works fine...he has just decided that he prefers a top loader. Is it crazy that the first thing I thought about was to look for features in my new washer that will be beneficial to felting? Do I have a problem? I'm not going to lie...I am already thinking about the projects that I want to add to my queue.


Well, I hate our washer. (it's a little over a year old) It's a Whirlpool and has that corkscrew type agitator. I think it is very hard on the clothes and - things sure get thin faster and there is always more lint in the dryer. Also turns clothes inside out and the ones washed inside out always have that crease along the sleeves and sides. I sure wish we had spent a little more money and got a Maytag, which is what I replaced after many. many years - around 21 years.


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Judy M said:


> Well, I hate our washer. (it's a little over a year old) It's a Whirlpool and has that corkscrew type agitator. I think it is very hard on the clothes and - things sure get thin faster and there is always more lint in the dryer. Also turns clothes inside out and the ones washed inside out always have that crease along the sleeves and sides. I sure wish we had spent a little more money and got a Maytag, which is what I replaced after many. many years - around 21 years.


Since Whirlpool bought Maytag in 2006, I'm betting they are pretty close to the same machine now.


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## Viwstitcher (Jul 29, 2013)

I hadn't thought about the dryer being low. I just watched my sister in law struggle with her front loader ( yes we're both older) and decided against that issue. I was surprised to hear about the agitator on a washer. My newer one is a top load and has no agitator, nothing tangles. That's one of the reasons I like it. As for the dryer, I guess it's because my door drops forward and not like from the side like a previous one I had which was awkward. I guess I've been blessed since my washer has worked perfectly with no repairs so far.


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## mavisb (Apr 18, 2011)

My washing machine is fairly new, late last year and I always buy a Fisher & Pykel and it is a top loader and I love it. Most of my electrical equipment is F&P. The only one that isn't is my tumble dryer which is a very old Hoover which I have now had for approximately 26 years because I prefer to put my washing and knits on the washing hoist.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

mammakim said:


> Our front loader blew up Christmas Eve. Went to get a new one, we both decided not to go with another front loader. Got a top loader, with no agitator. It also has a wool cycle. Thought that was a cool feature, haven't used it yet so no idea how it will work.


Hope you have better luck with the no agitator top loader than we did with the one we got. Finally after 4 service calls for the same problem (it would not stay level and the drum kept banging against the sides), the company traded it for a front loader. I love the front loader. When I empty it, I just put my laundry basket below the door and empty the wet clothes right into it. I think it gets the clothes cleaner than the top loaders. It is also very energy efficient.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

peachy51 said:


> I have never done any of those "extra" things with my front loader, e.g. wiping the seal dry and leaving the door open. I have never had a problem with either one of my front loaders and mine has never had the smell I have heard some people complain about.....
> As to the cleaning cycle once a month or every so many loads, you need to do with with any washer, top loader or front loader. The purpose of that is to clean the drain hose and pipes of soap scum. And you can accomplish that by running a cycle with just hot water and a jug of white vinegar....


I never have either, ever, and I've never had any problems with any of my washers, top or front load. I have never run a 'cleaning' cycle either. I do, however use 3/4 cup vinegar in the last rinse instead of fabric softener, have done for years. I guess that may do the same as a 'clean' cycle. I believe that fabric softener can clog up the drain hose of washing machines. I only use 1/2 the amount of powder or liquid than recommended, the clothes still come out clean and it probably also helps to not gum up the hoses....


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## peachy51 (Feb 9, 2012)

Annelisse said:


> I never have either, ever, and I've never had any problems with any of my washers, top or front load. I have never run a 'cleaning' cycle either. I do, however use 3/4 cup vinegar in the last rinse instead of fabric softener, have done for years. I guess that may do the same as a 'clean' cycle. I believe that fabric softener can clog up the drain hose of washing machines. I only use 1/2 the amount of powder or liquid than recommended, the clothes still come out clean and it probably also helps to not gum up the hoses....


You are keeping yours clean with every load with your vinegar additive :thumbup:

I think you are correct about the fabric softened in the washing machine collecting on the pipes along with soap scum. But I do use it in my washing machine.

I never use any type of fabric softener in my dryer. I had a friend whose house caught on fire and he was told it was because the dryer sheets he used caused the lint from the clothes to build up in his dryer vent and eventually it caught fire.

And I also agree with you that unless you have very hard water there is never any need to use the "recommended" amount of the laundry soap. I use about half of the "recommended" amount and still have plenty of suds. Having a window in the front of my front-loader has allowed me to see just how much suds is produced with very little soap.


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

Jessica-Jean said:


> ...when I moved into my father's house in 1959, his mother-in-law (my step-mother's mother, who lived with them) still had _her_ wringer-washer and insisted that his work clothes (coal shoveller for a school's heating plant) be kept separate from the household laundry and be washed only by her and only in her wringer-washer. She was convinced that the coal-dust would ruin her daughter's new top-loading Maytag. _My_ laundry had to be washed by me ... at the laundromat and on my dime; I was 13. Did she think my clothes would contaminate hers, my step-mother's, and my baby sisters'??


That was very mean of her, I think, you were only a child....


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## chooksnpinkroses (Aug 23, 2012)

mamasbird said:


> ....stay away from the front loaders. I had one and it kept spewing out water from the door and at times even blew the door open. I had quite a good flood that ruined not only my kitchen floor, but, the basement. Of course, it wouldn't happen when the techs were here to fix it. I finally had enough and bought a top loader. Never been happier.


My front loader has never done that, but my sisters dishwasher did, what a mess... Didn't stop me from getting a dishwasher though... Love my dishwasher, it's water efficient too.


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## mamasbird (Jun 5, 2013)

I'm glad to hear that not everyone has had bad luck with the front loaders. Mine was a Maytag and they are suppose to be the best. Huh! No more Sears stuff for me. They wouldn't even believe we had a problem. We wouldn't have gone out to buy a new machine if there wasn't a problem with the one we had.


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## spinningmichele (Feb 3, 2014)

keep the top loader in the shed for felting. front loaders are more gentle in clothes


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## VictoriaJ (Sep 10, 2012)

Since you have the experience I need, would you please take me through the steps for felting? I have made two purses and have yet to felt them.... afraid to!

Thanks, Vicki


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## lkellison (Apr 23, 2011)

In the past week or two they were saying on television that front loader washers are having problems with mold and/or mildew. Didn't hear exactly what - maybe not completely draining used water???


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## Judy M (Feb 17, 2011)

Back to my "New" Whirlpool washer with the corkscrew agitator - There is water below the tub, which according to Whirlpool is there for balance. I too worry about mold and mildew because the water is always there, hopefully sealed but it makes me wonder.


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## spinningmichele (Feb 3, 2014)

Hi Vicki, I am also a beginner however I filled the washing machine with enough hot water to cover the items. Added an old pair of jeans to help the agitation. Put in some liquid detergent and then washed for about 10 minutes. Check every 5-10 minutes to see if it is felting how you want it. I have felted two purses this way. 
Good luck


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## spinningmichele (Feb 3, 2014)

I have heard that as well however if you leave the door open after you finished with the washing machine the rubber on the inside does dry. My daughter used to close her machine all the time which then resulted in the mould growing on the rubber. The other place I have found mould is where you put in the soap. Take that container out every now and then and clean the cavity.


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## SassyToy1 (Mar 31, 2011)

In order to felt in a front loader you need heavy weight like jeans with the item. I find it takes me twice as long as it did before.


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## Knitcrazydeborah (Oct 25, 2011)

peachy51 said:


> Since men seem to be more cost conscious than women, I'm blown away that your husband wants to replace a front loader with a top loader that uses 3 times the amount of water and wears your clothes out faster.
> 
> I bought my first front loader in 1997 and am now on my second one. I saved a bundle in water bills that first year.


Times they are a-changing! My new top loader carefully weighs each load before determining the PRECISE amount of water needed. It has no center agitator and it takes almost as long as my front loader (it was only 2 years old but my DH hated it! So we sold it & bought the Korean made LG). It uses a lot less water and power than the top loader!


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## wittless knitter (Mar 25, 2011)

I have had my maytag front loader for about 3 years and no problem with mold or mildew. however, I use white vinegar in my rinse dispenser and may my own washing detergent. and per instructions, leave the washer door open, usually between washings. energy eff. and also weighs load and uses exactly right amount of water for each load. also, have used it may times for felting. good luck everyone and happy knitting.


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## Evie RM (Sep 19, 2012)

I do at least one load of whites each week with a full 1/3 cup load of chlorine bleach in the load. Have had no problems with mold or mildew. Bleach kills mold, so guess that is why I have no problems with it. Also, I leave the door open after I empty the washer.


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## 2sweethearts (Aug 27, 2014)

Jenjen59 said:


> Yes, he does his fair share of laundry. He also cooks and cleans. :-D


Does he have a brother??? :lol:


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