Washers - Tangled, Twisted, Knotted Clothes

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Washers - Tangled, Twisted, Knotted Clothes

Tangled, twisted or knotted clothes are usually a result of improper sorting of wash loads.

To prevent clothing from knotting and twisting:

• Avoid mixing heavy items with light items.
• Avoid putting too many or too few items in the washer.
• Make sure you set the proper water level for the size load you are doing. The water level should just cover the clothes.
• Never wrap the clothes around the agitator.
• Be sure your wash water is not too hot for the fabric.

http://www.geappliances.com/search/fast/infobase/10002848.htm
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Possible Reasons and Cures for Wrinkling in the Washer and Dryer

Reasons for wrinkling

• Improper sorting of the load (i.e. loading large, heavy items with lightweight, delicate materials).
• Too many items in washer for the load size.
• Use of incorrect wash and drying cycles.
• Incorrect water level during the wash cycles (not enough water for amount of clothes).
• Washing repeatedly in water that is too hot for fabric.
• Accumulations of lime scale due to use of carbonate detergents.
• Failure to use fabric softener.
• Leaving clothes in dryer after tumbling stops.
• Too many items in dryer.
• Too few items in dryer.

Steps to correct wrinkling

• Re-tumble on "Permanent Press" setting with small load.
• Re-rinse and dry on "Permanent Press" setting.
• If unsuccessful, re-tumble on high heat for 10 - 12 minutes and hang immediately.
• Iron carefully.
• If still wrinkled, you may need professional steaming.

Note: If you follow good laundry procedures and "permanent press" clothes still come out wrinkled, the finish may no longer be good quality. The permanent press "memory" has been worn away.

Steps to prevent wrinkling

• Remove clothes immediately when dryer stops tumbling and place on hangers.
• Dry only one washer load at a time. Do not combine loads.
• If drying only one article, add two similar articles, even if dry, to ensure proper tumbling.
• Avoid laundering heavy permanent press items, such as work clothes, with lighter permanent press items, such as shirts or blouses.
• Do not wash permanent press items with ordinary items such as towels, bed linens, etc.
• Items must have room to move freely. Permanent press loads should always be smaller than regular loads, and no more than medium loads.
• Use Permanent Press Wash and Dry Cycles. This cycle provides a cool down rinse to minimize wrinkling.
• Use Full water fill for medium load, Medium fill for small loads.
• If a non-phosphate detergent must be used, avoid the use of a high-carbonate detergent (high carbonate would be in the 7% range).
• Proper use of fabric softener will minimize wrinkling.

http://www.geappliances.com/search/fast/infobase/10000361.htm 
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Dryer - Lint Concerns and Solutions


The following information is from studies done by detergent and appliance manufacturers that point to some possible causes of excessive lint.

UNDISSOLVED GRANULAR DETERGENT may leave white powdery residue on fabrics, which can be mistaken for lint. Feel lint deposit by rubbing between fingers. If the residue is from detergent, it will spread out.

Note: this usually increases during winter months because of water temperatures being colder.

Solutions:
• Add detergent and start the washer before adding clothes so that the detergent can dissolve completely & work effectively.
• Reduce the amount of detergent
• Increase wash water temperature.
• Change to a liquid detergent.


SORTING: Mixing "lint producing" fabrics with "lint collecting" fabrics allows lint to transfer to other garments, instead of being trapped in the lint filter. This is one of the most frequently found causes of linting.

Solutions:
• Separate lint producers (flannel, cotton knits, terry towels) from lint collectors (fuzzy, brushed fabrics, synthetic blends. ex. corduroy, acrylic blankets, children's sleepwear).
• Separate dark colors from white and light-colored items.

LENGTH OF CYCLE: Washing (agitation) beyond what's necessary to clean clothes will generate lint.

Solution:
• Shorten wash time (use medium or light soil wash) for smaller loads or lightly soiled garments to avoid washing clothes longer than needed.

WATER LEVEL: Setting the water level switch to a higher setting than needed will cause linting due to excessive movement of the clothes in the water.

Solution:
• Select a water level to just cover the clothes.

LOAD SIZE: Overloading can prevent lint from being flushed away during the washing process as well as increase the effect of clothes rubbing against one another and generating lint.

Solution:
• Loosely load clothes no higher than the top row of holes in the washer tub.

TOO MUCH BLEACH: Over-bleaching will damage fabric & cause excessive lint.

Solution:
• Follow manufacturer's instructions on the amount of bleach to use.

TOO MUCH FABRIC SOFTENER will coat the fabric and make clothing stiff (rough to the touch). Fabric softener may chemically combine with detergent to form a deposit, which can be white.

Solutions:
• To remove coating, wash and dry without fabric softener 3 times.
• Use fabric softener only in rinse cycle, unless softener manufacturer specifies adding to wash cycle. Use your fabric softener dispenser (if your washer is so equipped.)

PILLING naturally occurs with polyester/cotton blends. The stronger man-made fibers, instead of breaking off, will collect and hold small bundles of fibers resulting in "pills". Lint becomes entangled in the "pills" and makes the lint appear more obvious.

Solution:
• Turning the garments inside out may provide some protection.

http://www.geappliances.com/service_and_support/faqs/faq_washers.htm
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Washers - Stain Removal

Common stains and the proper removal procedures

Blood: soak in cold water, then launder in warm water.

Catsup: scrape off excess, soak in cold water, launder as usual.

Chewing gum: rub with ice, scrape off excess, sponge with cleaning fluid, rinse and launder.

Chocolate: soak in cold water for 15 minutes, rub detergent into fabric and launder in the hottest water that is safe for the fabric.

Coffee/tea: soak in cold water, then use bleach treatment with the hottest water that is safe for the fabric. Launder.

Cosmetics: apply undiluted liquid detergent to stain, or dampen stain and rub in soap, forming a paste. Work until stain is gone and rinse well. Repeat if necessary, bleach if safe for fabric.

Crayon: loosen stains with kitchen shortening, apply detergent, working in until outline of stain is removed; launder as usual.

Cream/milk: sponge or soak stain with cool water for 30 minutes or longer, work detergent into stain and launder as usual.

Deodorants/antiperspirants: scrub area using white vinegar. If stain remains, saturate with denatured alcohol and scrub, rinse, and launder as usual.

Fruits, fruit juices, wine: follow same procedure as for coffee. If stain persists, blot with lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. Where hot water cannot be used, sponge well with cool water and work glycerin into stain.

Grass: rub detergent in stain, launder in bleach, if possible.

Grease: scrape off as much as possible, rub plenty of detergent into stain, launder as usual.

Ink/ballpoint: spray stain with hairspray until wet looking, allow to soak briefly. Hand scrub using heavy application of liquid detergent. Launder and repeat, if necessary.

Meat juice: scrape off dried portion. Sponge with cold water. Rub with detergent, launder as usual.

Mildew: pre-treat with detergent, launder. If stain remains treat with hydrogen peroxide, launder as usual.

Mud: brush off dried portion, sponge with cold water then launder in the hottest water fabric can take. If stain remains, sponge with 1 part rubbing alcohol and 2 parts water, launder as usual.

Mustard: work glycerin into stain. Pre-treat with detergent, launder as usual. (You should be able to obtain glycerin at drug stores.)

Nail polish: do not use nail polish remover. Sponge with chemically pure "amyl acetate" (i.e. banana oil - can be purchased at local drug stores). Launder as usual. If stain persists, sponge with rubbing alcohol and launder.

Oil: pre-treat with concentrated detergent. Let it sit for 1/2 hour, then launder in the hottest water possible, bleach if fabric can withstand. Launder as usual.

Perspiration: if color is affected, sponge fresh stain with ammonia. Old stain, sponge with vinegar. Rinse and launder in the hottest water that is safe for fabric. If fabric is yellow, bleach if possible.

Rust: apply rust remover, using manufacturer's directions.

Soft drinks: sponge immediately with cold water and launder.

Transmission oil: usually impossible to remove. Best possible treatment is detergent and the hottest water the fabric can handle.

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