Front loading or top loading washing machine?

Rockfella said:
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API Liquid Aquarium Water Test Kit Price in India - Buy API Liquid Aquarium Water Test Kit online at Flipkart.com

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This kit will measure PH upto 7.6, if your tap water PH is more you will need

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These kits are quite precise and high-resolution, unfortunately, the range is too narrow for general-purpose testing. Guess digital meters are the only way here.
Rockfella said:
What is going on in your head with all these detergents? I am very curious :)
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Finding a product that works well and avoiding those that can cause problems.

The works well bit is something I will post about later.
 
blr_p said:
These kits are quite precise and high-resolution, unfortunately, the range is too narrow for general-purpose testing. Guess digital meters are the only way here.

Finding a product that works well and avoiding those that can cause problems.

The works well bit is something I will post about later.
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Product as in detergent?
 
Rockfella said:

I only use this. No complaints.
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Which type of machine do you have, front or top load ? and model#

I'm just now having an argument with a washer enthusiast who insists liquid detergents are bad for the drum support of a front loader.

most cases with broken spiders are those who use only liquid detergent combined with always low washing temperatures this opinion came out from my technical experience on these machines.Try to use only powder and less liquid and have an empty boil wash with powder every month with or without clothes citric acid is used once per year to remove limescale deposits
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blr_p said:
Which type of machine do you have, front or top load ? and model#

I'm just now having an argument with a washer enthusiast who insists liquid detergents are bad for the drum support of a front loader.
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I have a semi. Whirlpool with that patented agitator.

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Grey color.
 
Rockfella said:
I have a semi. Whirlpool with that patented agitator.

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Whirlpool ACE 80a Semi-Automatic 8 kg Washer Dryer - Whirlpool : Flipkart.com

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Grey color.
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Full manual mode and almost indestructible :D

If it's hooked up to a solar water heater you will be set.

Lot of work though. Wash - spin - rinse - spin - rinse - spin

That's five clothes shifts.

The detergent argument does not apply to you except in the case that the detergent be formulated with surfactants so works in a machine that the SA8 already is.

As opposed to soap-based hand wash detergents which won't work as well as they depend on friction from your hands. These are great for handwashing they just don't work in machines.
 
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blr_p said:
Full manual mode and almost indestructible :D

If it's hooked up to a solar water heater you will be set.

Lot of work though. Wash - spin - rinse - spin - rinse - spin

That's five clothes shifts.

The detergent argument does not apply to you except in the case that the detergent be formulated with surfactants so works in a machine that the SA8 already is.

As opposed to soap-based hand wash detergents which won't work as well as they depend on friction from your hands. These are great for handwashing they just don't work in machines.
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Typical rinsing is not required really. It hardly has any foam. I have a hard time convincing mom crazy rinsing is not needed with SA8. Cleans well clothes don't lose color. No complaints. I think the latest pack I got is fake though. It was scented and the bottle looks low quality.
EDIT: I can't find that listing in amazon anymore.
 
Rockfella said:
Typical rinsing is not required really. It hardly has any foam. I have a hard time convincing mom crazy rinsing is not needed with SA8. Cleans well clothes don't lose color. No complaints.
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Just because it does not foam does not mean the detergent is removed. Foaming agents are added because that is what sells detergents. People associate wash quality with foam generation yet there is no connection whatsoever. In your semi-automatic, a little foam helps in lifting dirt & lint away.

Clothes not losing colour is a good sign.

Rockfella said:
I think the latest pack I got is fake though. It was scented and the bottle looks low quality.
EDIT: I can't find that listing in amazon anymore.
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Amway usually has a network of agents around the country. They charge more but you will get what you pay for.

How well does it remove stains?

There are two enzymes in it that work on starch & protein stains.

www.amway.com

Amway Home™ SA8™ Liquid Laundry Detergent

Check out the Amway Home™ Fabric Softener Floral Scent from the Laundry products collection in our product catalog. Shop Amway US for a wide selection of high quality products today.
www.amway.com www.amway.com
 
blr_p said:
Just because it does not foam does not mean the detergent is removed. Foaming agents are added because that is what sells detergents. People associate wash quality with foam generation yet there is no connection whatsoever. In your semi-automatic, a little foam helps in lifting dirt & lint away.

Clothes not losing colour is a good sign.
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OK :)
blr_p said:
Amway usually has a network of agents around the country. They charge more but you will get what you pay for.

How well does it remove stains?
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I have not really tested major ones.
blr_p said:
There are two enzymes in it that work on starch & protein stains.

www.amway.com

Amway Home™ SA8™ Liquid Laundry Detergent

Check out the Amway Home™ Fabric Softener Floral Scent from the Laundry products collection in our product catalog. Shop Amway US for a wide selection of high quality products today.
www.amway.com www.amway.com
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hmm .. following your insight on this topic.
 
Rockfella said:
OK :)
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Ya, with your mother on this one. Better safe than sorry. Detergents are not meant to contact the skin. Less the better.

It's hard to test for it. You can try putting something washed and dry in a bowl of water and see if the water gets cloudy. Passing this test will require more than two rinses and two rinses as a minimum usually gets a lot of the detergent out. So if the water gets a bit cloudy then what does it mean? too much? just right? I don't know. If it bothers you then use less detergent, they recommend a capful which is 20ml of concentrated. I usually use that much for a regular load and Surf is not concentrated. There is a concentrated version available now though.

The thing with liquids is they dissolve easier in colder water ie. tap temperature water, (mine is like 23 degrees atm) which is what you will be using, you then rinse in the same temperature water and getting it out takes more effort than warmer temperatures or powders I think.

Warm rinses are best but is rare to find on machines and they double the cost if not more of a wash in terms of electricity consumption.

Spinning clothes that have been warm-rinsed also gets more water out as cotton extracts the most water at that temperature.

Rockfella said:
I have not really tested major ones.
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Does it remove the smell of sweat? sweat is protein based. You can only test when it comes out of the washer and is still wet.

Once the clothes dry any odours will get masked by the perfume.

Incidentally, does Amway do a fragrance-free version of that detergent?

Fragrance-free detergents are rare in India. Very easy to tell how clean the clothes are when there isn't some overpowering perfume on them.

No smell=clean. Simple as that.
Rockfella said:
EDIT: I can't find that listing in amazon anymore.
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Directions

Says it comes with a tamper proof seal

www.amazon.in

Check out this Amazon review of i am using for last fifteen years.Never ever found a compromise in quality.

i am using for last fifteen years.Never ever found a compromise in quality.
www.amazon.in
 
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stefanm said:
I have an old ifb machine, 12 years old now. Changed the drum a couple of weeks back for 4k. The "technican" claimed the pcb would continue to melt the protective coating and thus would need replacement shortly, I disagreed and it stopped melting. As the pcb is just a bunch of discrete through the hole components and the controller IC, I'll just change out the components to be on the safe side for a few hundred bucks and an hour of my time. Otherwise I'm happy with IFB as they have a factory here in Goa we get decent service, I believe LG is supposed to be good in that respect too. My advice though is to avoid anything with digital control panels.
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Was it a front loader or a top loader?
 
stefanm said:
Front loader
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12 years is a pretty good run before a spider failure. Would you mind sharing how you used the machine?

1) Did you use powders or liquids? If both which was used more. I'm guessing powders as liquids have only been in the market for the last few years

2) Maintenance washes. How often you ran them and what product did you use if any?
Likely your machine did not have a specific tub cycle so which cycle did you use and what temperature?

3) How often a week did you do hot washes? 60 and/or 90. You mentioned you were a chef in another thread. So I guess you wash a lot of whites on hot or boil even.

4) What are your do's and don't to maintain the machine for long life?
 
Are the 50+% discounted descalers fake or nearing expiry?

IFB The Essentials Descal Powder (100 g Each)- Pack of 6 https://amzn.eu/d/jhkDGn8

Samsung Descale Powder for Automatic Top Load Front Load Washing Machine, Tub Cleaning Powder, Drum Cleaning powder (100 gm Pack x 8) https://amzn.eu/d/81GBLGV

LG ScaLGo Descaling Powder for Front Load & Top Load Washing Machines -100 g (PACK OF 10) https://amzn.eu/d/1J2xRjX

Wanted descale powder since I see lots of scale powder coming out of the water outlet pipe since last few washes.
 
6pack said:
Are the 50+% discounted descalers fake or nearing expiry?
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Descalers are usually some mix of citric acid. To test if it's fake or not you need to know its pH. The cheapest if not very granular way to test for acidity is to use a universal indicator solution or pH test strips. Get both as you can double-check results.

Make a 10% solution to test. Add 10gm of descaler to 100ml and then add a few drops of the indicator solution. It should turn red if it changes to other colours then it's fake.

You can do a comparison with vinegar. It should turn to whatever colour the vinegar gives. With test paper or universal indicator.

You can do a test with common salt which is not acidic and see what colour that becomes. Now if they are cutting it with common salt (guessing) you will know immediately. Never put salt in the machine as it will corrode the stainless steel drum. For that matter don't use vinegar to descale either as it will dry out rubber seals and cause leaks in the machine. Citric acid will not affect the seals.

AFAIK citric acid has no expiry so long as it is stored airtight. So it should not be clumped or solidified. If it is free flowing powder then it's fine to use.

6pack said:
IFB The Essentials Descal Powder (100 g Each)- Pack of 6 https://amzn.eu/d/jhkDGn8

Samsung Descale Powder for Automatic Top Load Front Load Washing Machine, Tub Cleaning Powder, Drum Cleaning powder (100 gm Pack x 8) https://amzn.eu/d/81GBLGV

LG ScaLGo Descaling Powder for Front Load & Top Load Washing Machines -100 g (PACK OF 10) https://amzn.eu/d/1J2xRjX
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If you have a way to test acidity any of these should work. Didn't find a single person performing the above tests in the amazon reviews before declaring whether something is fake or not.
6pack said:
Wanted descale powder since I see lots of scale powder coming out of the water outlet pipe since last few washes.
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Is your water hard ? do you notice scale on pots, tiles, taps etc?

If you are using a top loader I'd use three packets in a go (300 gm) with hot water filled to the brim. Run for fifteen minutes. Let it rest for an hour then run it fifteen minutes again and see what comes out in the tub.
 
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blr_p said:
Is your water hard ? do you notice scale on pots, tiles, taps etc?

If you are using a top loader I'd use three packets in a go (300 gm) with hot water filled to the brim. Run for fifteen minutes. Let it rest for an hour then run it fifteen minutes again and see what comes out in the tub.
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Yup. I see white spots on dry utensils, taps, and even the steel drum in the washing machine. Even soap clumps form in hot water.
That machine does not have a hot water input or heater. So can't use hot water.
 
6pack said:
Yup. I see white spots on dry utensils, taps, and even the steel drum in the washing machine. Even soap clumps form in hot water.
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Then you need a descaler and be regular with it. What model# is your machine?

If you notice any smells in the tub too then use Vanish powder as I detailed in the other thread.
6pack said:
That machine does not have a hot water input or heater. So can't use hot water.
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Just fill hot water from the geezer in a bucket and throw it in. Fill it as high as it will go. It will be more effective with hot water.

Tap water temperature won't work so well.
 
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blr_p said:
12 years is a pretty good run before a spider failure. Would you mind sharing how you used the machine?

1) Did you use powders or liquids? If both which was used more. I'm guessing powders as liquids have only been in the market for the last few years

2) Maintenance washes. How often you ran them and what product did you use if any?
Likely your machine did not have a specific tub cycle so which cycle did you use and what temperature?

3) How often a week did you do hot washes? 60 and/or 90. You mentioned you were a chef in another thread. So I guess you wash a lot of whites on hot or boil even.

4) What are your do's and don't to maintain the machine for long life?
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I have never done a maintenance wash and just use powder, we rarely use the hot wash function, but the steam function 90% of the time.

I guess I should expect another five years out of it and I can't complain as it's served us well. The key is not to overload the machine I believe.
 
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