Laundry Stains - Yorkville,IL

Updated on October 04, 2010
B.D. asks from Yorkville, IL
14 answers

We have a front load washer a few years old and now when washing clothes they come out with oil spots on them. We tried this with a brand new tee shirt an many stains appeared. PLEASE HELP WITH ADVICE

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L.M.

answers from Dover on

Are these items that did not have the oil spots before (and the washer is the cause) or are these items that had oil spots that are not coming out? If it is the washer call a repair man or get a new washer. If the spots just aren't coming out, use PreSpot and Mela Power.

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

1 mom found this helpful

D.K.

answers from Sioux City on

I would call a repairmen.

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M.P.

answers from Chicago on

OMG, it's not just me! I have had small black markings. If you figure it out, please let me know!

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C.M.

answers from Chicago on

that is why I got rid of my front load washer......... I had the same thing happen so I solved the problem by washing everything inside out so the marks wouldn't ruin the front of our clothes.

What I think it is is water that pooled in the rubber seal near the door had turned to mold and it is rubbing off on the clothes. When I started leaving the door open and absorbing the water out of that rubber seal for the door it stopped happening. Run a hot load of water with vinegar and then afterwards clean your seal very good - inside and out and all the way around and see if that helps.

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A.K.

answers from Chicago on

I have a top loader and have been having the same problem for the past few weeks. I don't know how to take care of the problem but I found out if I put color-safe bleach on the spot and rub it in then throw it in with the regular wash, the oil spot goes away.
I'm in your neck of the woods and I have well water, I'm not sure if this makes a difference about the oil spots.

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A.S.

answers from Chicago on

Hi - I used to have these same spots. Front loading machines are SO efficient that the amount of soap that your washer calls for (the fill line) is too much. Use about 1 Tablespoon of soap (I use tide he) and put vinegar in the liquid fabric softener spot. This method is great as it doesn't cause spots, is cheaper, since your using very little product, and it's green!

To remove the spots that you currently have, spray them with Oxy and launder as above.

This method also gets rid of the moldy smell that is a result of using to much product. If your tub has a clean cycle I would run that first to get rid of all of the build up that has accumulated.

Best of luck

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J.E.

answers from Chicago on

We have the same problem and we have called three different repair men and we finally bought a new washer and still had these clear oil stains. So then we thought it was the dryer and bought a new LG front load dryer. I too leave the door open and clean out the mold around the seal which is not much and still have the problem, we have called and called since we have the warranty and they all day it is the dryer, it has been cleaned and serviced many times. I too have noticed when the clothes are washed inside out that helps. It is so frustrating. I am going to try the vinegar thing. The funny thing is is that it doesnt always stain with each load, of course we notice it more with ruining new clothes. What kind of detergent is everyone using? we use he organic liquid brand no scents. thanks
J.

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C.P.

answers from Chicago on

I had this same issue and spoke to a washermachine repair guy once and he asked me "are the spots only in the front or in the back as well?".

I thought the answer was all over, but upon closer review, the spots were just in the front and only on my and my son's shirts. When I went back to him and reported my findings, he said it was the food we were eating and that when we dry the clothes, that's when the stain sets in and is most visable. His suggestion: leave a bottle of dish washing soap near the washer machine and when you see a stain, apply some dish soap, let it soak and then throw it in with the next set of like clothes.

Guess what? It worked like a charm!

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A.S.

answers from Chicago on

We also have a front loading washer and have problems with stains on our clothes. They typically come out when you wash them again but new stains are always appearing. We needed a repair a few years ago. The repairman (and many reviews I have read since) say this is very common in front loading washers because the rubber piece that keeps the water in gets dirty. He suggested completely wiping it down with a towel after each use and always keeping the washer door open when not using to allow that rubber piece to dry more thoroughly. He also told us about some cleaning tablets called Affresh that we now use once a month. The same company also makes "grit grabber" wipes which seem to help. We still have stains but not as bad. The repairman said the newer models are not as bad as the ones purchased when they first came out because they are making adjustments to control the stains, the odors and the mold. He basically said the only way to keep the musty smell out is to always keep the door open & the drawer (where the laundry soap goes) pulled out when not in use. He said he has done repairs where so much mold has built up in the front loaders that it causes a blockage. It all makes sense if you think about it & compare it with a top loader but of course I didn't think of any of that before we bought them. All of the reviews I've read from Moms who actually use the front loaders have been bad. The good/bad news is that the repairman said the front loaders typically only last about 7-8 years before they need to be replaced! Good Luck & I hope someone has a better answer than I do as I know how frustrating those stains are.

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J.S.

answers from Chicago on

I have a top loader and am having this same issue! I have stopped using liquid fabric softener which has reduced the amount and size of the stains but it still happens. My machine was repaired a little over a year ago (about half of it replaced). I personally am convinced it is the laundry soap! My clothes do not come as clean as they used to before they switched to all of these new machine specific 2X formulas. I have had some success soaking in a bucket of oxy before I wash the stained items (but not pouring the water in the machine because then the clothes do not rinse out properly.
This really is becoming a science to getting a truly clean load!!

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M.T.

answers from Chicago on

Thank you so much for asking this question. I just chalked it up to my inexpensive tee shirts. Every one of them has these oil stains. I buy new ones, wash before wearing and I get these stains. I hope the one responders advice works (1T soap and vinegar) works. I am so relieved I am not alone and well... not CRAZY!..

Thank you.

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J.G.

answers from Rockford on

I get that from time to time with my front loader, also a couple years old. I run a bleach cycle on it to clean it out. That also helps with the smell. Mine has a "Clean Washer, bleach only" setting purely for cleaning out the washer and getting rid of the musty mildew smell.

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A.S.

answers from Chicago on

I have felt and continue to feel your pain. We had this problem with a top loader. Our washer came with the condo when we bought the unit and was probably about 8yrs old when we moved in, but the oil stains only started a couple of years ago. My husband did TONS of research on the internet, and we held off on a new washer after he learned that people were continuing to have the problem after replacing their machines. We tried EVERYTHING and in a very systematic approach to rule things out. The problem is definitely in the washer and not the dryer. It happened to us regardless of the detergent and how much detergent we used; we used as little as 1oz, but then I didn't feel it cleaned the clothes well enough. We've never used detergent with fabric softener or added liquid softener during the cycle. Basically, nothing worked: vinegar in the rinse cycle, soaking in oxy clean, varying amounts of detergent, washing clothes inside out, etc. We never called for a repair because from other postings my husband read, it didn't make any difference.

We finally bought a front-loading washer. All of the tubing was replaced when it was installed, and we're still having the problem. This has been the bain of my existence of the past few years (if you can't tell). I'm convinced it has to do with the water source (we live in the city) or residue in the pipes. My husband doesn't have the problem with his clothes, so he's convinced it's the body lotion that I use and that we use on our kids (Cetaphil cream) since he doesn't use lotion. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you find a solution, please let me know ASAP! Sorry this isn't much help to you, but I thought I could at least pass along our experience :(

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