Washing machine mystery - can anyone offer an explanation?

[Cam123]

Hi All,

I am at the end of my tether with my washing machine and wonder if anyone can offer any help. Basically, it's a Miele, so should be fantastic but actually it creates pilling on everything it washes (mainly cotton kids clothes). I've had two engineers out from Miele now and they disregard the piles of clothes that are ruined and keep repeating "it's not the machine" over and over. Miele management are standing by the opinion of their engineers, despite my sending pictures of clothes.

There's nothing wrong with the drum, I don't use powder, turn the spin down to 600/800. Never use the cotton wash. Wash towels and jeans separately... And yet I have cotton items go round once and they look like they're old!

Somebody please help! I daren't put the new clothes I've bought for summer into the stupid thing and I don't think I'm going to get any further with Miele. Aghhh!

[Yak]

Try Gary the Spin Doctor

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1267036,1336923#msg-1336923

[bluesuperted]

I think you mean Steve? Totally agree, he is brilliant. I did call him Dave the first time I met him though haha!

[hellosailor]

Yes the Spin Doctor is Steve, he's great!

[alieh]

Every washing machine I've used when visiting family in Canada does this. Enfuriating! Don't have an answer though. I would be raging if I paid for a Miele and it did that!

[rubyroo]

I am adding my voice to the growing list of Spin Doctor plaudits. I have a Miele washing machine that has been pumping out the most foul smelling sulphorous odours of late. Called him yesterday evening - he came at 1300 today and has fixed it. Quick, friendly and brilliant service.

[Cam123]

Thanks, I've given Steve a call and he's coming round on Monday. Hopefully he can get to the bottom of this but his first thought also seems to be too much detergent.

Does anyone else use the recommended amount of detergent (i.e. one capful) in a very water efficient machine?

[Fuschia]

Have you tried pure soap flakes or liquid?

[Convex]

Or those Eco balls?

[Cam123]

I only use liquid. When I first got the machine I was using powder and Miele managed to convince me that that was the problem. To be honest though, if powder or certain liquids created this amount of damage, no one would ever buy them.

[JessM]

I have more than halved the amount of powder I put in since we got our Miele. I Use Fairy powder, about 1.1/2 cm of powder in the jug thing that came from fairy. (Box says more like 6)

[tomskip]

The problem is the water efficiency! Clothes are rubbing together in very little water. When there is more water in the machine, clothing is cushioned slightly and kept separate. I have a fairly new Bosch and just have to grit my teeth and use the aqua plus button on every wash (which makes the cycles longer) but it is worth it not to have clothes worn out so quickly.

[Cam123]

JessM - I don't suppose you have the W5740 honeycomb do you?

Trouble is though that even on a test wash with half the amount of liquid, it still does it. I'm going to try another test with no detergent at all.

I also thought that the water efficiency was a good candidate for the cause but I still think that if everyone's machine did this, everyone would be complaining and therefore it must be specific to this machine. I can only use water plus on the harsher cycles, which I daren't use other than with towels. I suppose I could pour water in through the drawer?!

[Saffron]

Have you tried adding water softener? Or using an enzyme-based detergent (eg bio detergent)?

[Cam123]

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments.

I do usually use bio liquid, but also non-bio for baby things. Never used a water softener but not sure that would help?

[sophiesofa]

Are you overloading it?

[Mustard]

Sounds like one for Matt Allwright.

[Cam123]

Definitely not overloading it, no.

The pilling is so bad that I think it has to be more than just how I am using the washer. Yesterday I washed a brand new soft cotton vest top of my daughter's on delicates with about two t-spoons of liquid and the result is something which I would genuinely be embarrassed to give to the charity shop.

I've even started thinking that maybe if it had somehow got sand into it, then that could be pushed into the drum when it washes. Miele don't look inside the machine though, they just plug a laptop into it, so I don't know if something like this would be picked up on.

[Saffron]

Hardwater accelerates pilling and fading. But agreed it sounds like a complex problem, given what you describe! Hope you get to the bottom of it. xx

[mika1336]

Did you ever cleaned your washing machine inside. By clean I mean I use once a month a powder at the highest temperature which kills any germs mould andales it fresh and no smelly. I started doing that after few years back I saw in watchdog they were talking about wm being smelly and leaving clothes looking very bad after wash. Another thing I always make sure my washing machine doors and powder dispenser are always opened. Try when you wash to use DR. Beckmans color and dirt collector. It will keep colora not to run over in a wash but also helps to remove dirt.

[uncleglen]

Put everything inside out?

[EPB]

uncleglen Wrote:

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> Put everything inside

Brilliant!

[Opal_fruits]

Or I know its extreme maybe those bags you can put your clothes into then into the washing machine?

[intexasatthe moment]

Did Steve have any ideas when he came ?