Washing Machine
When I lived in San Francisco, we never had our own washer and dryer. The flat that I shared with my roommate Troy had, inexplicably, a dryer, but no washing machine. The two apartments that I shared with Ted had laundry rooms, where you shared the machines with the other tenants. That all changed when we moved to Philadelphia, and we had a washer and drier in our apartment. It was such a relief to not have to guess when the clothes would be dry, to not have to trudge up and down stairs, that kind of thing.
When we bought our townhome back in 1998, it had the original washer/dryer combination, which was pretty small in capacity (you couldn’t wash a comforter in it, for example), but worked OK. When my mom died in 2008, we inherited a bit of money, basically her 403(b) that she had squirreled away for a retirement that didn’t happen, as she died at the age of 66. I decided that I wanted to spend a bit of that money on a new washer and drier. We have a small laundry closet in our upstairs hallway, between our bedroom and Maya’s. We got a full sized washer and dryer set, and somehow the delivery people were able to cram it into the closet, though I kind of remember them having to come out twice in order to do so for some reason. (Just went back and read that saga, they actually came 3 times.)
I loved it at first, and it never really failed us, but due to the location, it was a pain to have to keep the door open in order to dry completely, so it wouldn’t grow mildew. Sadly, despite our best efforts, it did grow mildew, which no amount of bleach or scrubbing would get rid of. We wiped it down after every use, left the door open, all of that. It never had an odor or made the clothes gross, it was just there and I knew it was there and it was annoying and made me feel like “Why can’t we have nice things?” which is pretty much how we feel about our flooring at this point, but that is a problem for another day.
When the door to the machine broke a couple of weeks ago, we had to decide what to do. A broken door is a fairly common problem with front loaders, so I assumed we would be able to get it repaired, and hoped it would be a couple of hundred dollars. As anyone who read my last post knows, it was not a couple of hundred dollars, it was going to be almost $1,000 if I could source a new door myself, as the repair guy couldn’t get one from a reputable source, so it may or may not fit, and if it didn’t he would have to come out multiple times, and it was all just too much. So we decided to buy a new washing machine. The question then was, do we just get a new washer, or do we need a new dryer as well? Our dryer was fine, but you don’t just plop them on top of each other, they are connected by screws and so on, and as ours were discontinued, we were not going to be able to get one that fit. We could keep our current dryer if we put them side by side, but our space is severely limited, and the other side of the closet has our only hamper, and a floor fan, and a step ladder, and an ironing board. So we would need to find other places for all of those. Our bedroom doesn’t really have room for a hamper, I work from home and we have so much furniture crammed in here it’s ridiculous. So no, not going to go through everything that would be involved in getting a side by side (including removing the partition between the two sides, and then putting in new shelving.)
Off we went to do some appliance shopping. We went to two big box stores, Home Depot and Best Buy, and two local places. We discovered that your average washer and dryer has grown in the 16 years since we bought our last set, and they have grown from front to back, so they would no longer fit in our laundry closet. At least, not with the accordion doors that we have. Instead, we would need to remove the doors and the tracking, and maybe put in a curtain if we didn’t want to look at them all of the time. This is what neighbors in our complex have done. We didn’t like that idea, so no, no full sized washer and dryer for us.
Our next option would be to get a basic unit like the one we had when we first moved in, one with a small capacity. They had one at Home Depot that we could get delivered and installed. I thought, eh, OK, why not. Ted had different ideas, and wanted to look at other options. The very helpful salesman at Home Depot named one of the local places (Friedman’s) as having smaller units, though they would be more expensive. So off we went to Friedman’s. There, we learned a lot about washing machines and laundry. Like that the reason front loaders get mildew is from too much detergent. He said for an average load of laundry, a tablespoon of detergent is fine, and a teaspoon is better. (!!!) He said that front load machines work with the friction of the clothing rubbing together, so you don’t really want to run a machine with only a few items in there. We learned that front load machines are more gentle on your clothing and use less water. We learned that there are German brands of washers and dryers that are even more gentle on your clothing, and you can use them for your dress shirts and sweaters. The holes on the drum are much smaller, so the bits of fabric don’t get pulled in and damaged when you pull the clothes out. We learned that you can get ventless dryers with heat pump technology, that are 90% more efficient than our standard, though they take about 20% longer to dry your clothing. We learned that some of these German washers and dryers are made with no plastic parts, so they will last a lot longer than a standard American washer and dryer. We learned that they cost a lot more. We learned that powdered detergent is generally better on the machine than liquid, and that dryer sheets create a film on the inside of your dryer that can affect its effectiveness (mostly on the filter). We learned that these units are compact and would easily fit in our space. We learned that if we bought one of these sets, we would need an electrician to come and install a four prong outlet in our closet. We learned a lot. We learned that it is possible to fall in love with a washer and dryer. (Apparently, I said this about our last set as well. I was in love with it. We went from such low capacity to full size, and it was glorious!)
From there, we went to two other stores…another local place, and Best Buy. The other local place had an LG available that was compact and would fit, and would be a good fit for us, though it would need to be ordered and would take a couple of weeks to arrive. It was less expensive than the German brand, but it did have plastic parts and likely would not last as long, and was not as gentle on your clothing. Best Buy could also get us this LG unit, but again, it had to be ordered. We went back to Friedman’s, where we could also order the LG, and they might be able to get it to us sooner, but still a wait. We decided that we wanted to spend the money and get the German machine, the one with the ventless heat pump dryer. I had said I didn’t want a unit with a touch panel, I wanted knobs. I wanted a top load machine, so I wouldn’t have to worry about the door and the mildew. And yet, here we are.
Meet our new washer and dryer, Ludmila (the brand is Miele, and Maya used to have a teacher named Ludmila). We do not yet have the four pronged outlet installed, so for now we can only run the washing machine or the dryer, but not both at the same time, due to the risk of tripping our circuit. I went a little crazy the other day and ran them both, and nothing bad happened, but I felt kind of scared and likely won’t do that again. We have an electrician coming next Friday to install the new outlet, and also to replace the 45 year old metal drip pan underneath, which has definitely seen better days. I washed Maya’s queen sized comforter in it the other day, and it fit just fine. I think they crammed a king sized one in there on the display model at the store. Am I still in love? Yes. I mean, as much as anyone can be with a washing machine. Kind of like Kate Bush up there.
28 Comments
Sarah
oooooh fancy!!! I can’t believe how little room they take up in that closet!!! That’s wild. I have started using much less detergent, and my clothes look way better! WHO KNEW?!
J
I KNOW! Apparently when you put in too much, not all of the extra rinses away, and your clothes get dingy from detergent. What???
Margaret
I’ve read in several places that we use WAY too much detergent. Guilty. I use the pods which can’t be customized and really should switch. I hated the mess of powder which I always managed to spill and liquid, ditto. I will soon be looking at the same decision you are since my washer and dryer are ancient. They are simple and easy to use though. Less to go wrong? I’m in love with many appliances; it’s why I can’t bear to part with my 30+ year old Krups coffee machine. Hope you enjoy the new set!
J
Thanks Margaret! SO MANY DECISIONS when it comes to things like this, right? I dread the day when the computer on one of these goes out. Please make that never happen.
Ernie
Wow. You sure learned a lot about washing machnes and dryers. I’m glad you got something that you love and I hope it lasts forEVAH. It looks lovely. When we moved our laundry room upstairs, they put the appliances in the room before they put the door back on the room during construction. I was probably begging them to get the machines up and running. Then when our washing machine died, we couldn’t get it out of the room and couldn’t get the new one into the room. The door was too small for the machines. Crazy. Coach had to remove the door and hack away at the drywall. This was a few days before Christmas, of course. Nothing is every simple.
J
Oh goodness, what a tale of woe! We have some furniture in our room that was assembled in here, so will not fit through the doors. This is one reason we still have old carpeting, because thinking about dealing with it is exhausting. Easier to deal with old carpet than a non-functioning washing machine, though!
nance
I learned from my appliance repairman long ago about not using more than a tablespoon of detergent for the average load. He also told me to stop using any kind of fabric softener or dryer sheet and to just put white vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. It’s astonishing how wonderfully it works. My clothes are soft and fluffy and do NOT smell of vinegar at all. It really makes the biggest difference to towels. They are so much softer and more absorbent. I use probably about 1/4 cup.
I’m so glad you got good machines that you love. I’m a firm believer in buying the best and buying local when you can. I’ve never been unhappy when I’ve done that.
J
Oh, the white vinegar hack! I just went to dinner with some friends last night, and one of them was telling me that she uses white vinegar. I did a little searching on the internets, and it looks like continued use can be bad for the rubber parts of your machine (like the gasket seal around the door), so doubt that I will make it a regular part of my laundry routine. Fabulous for you, though, with your beautiful top loader!
Maya
I like the clean look you’ve got going with your new appliances–long may they serve you!
We had a twin of your washer-dryer combo 20 years ago in our New Jersey condo–seeing that picture really took me back to being young, extra broke, new parents, all of that…
J
That unit is condo living back then, right? All the vibes.
sustainablemum
I suspect your small machines are our standard size here in the UK. Top loaders are really rare here, few have room for them. Dryers are also rare. Miele are an amazing brand, we couldn’t afford one when we bought our last machine and settled for a Bosch although we do have a secondhand Miele dishwasher.
I have used white vinegar in a front loader for years without any problems. I also use a teaspoons worth of powder in each wash, much cheaper as well as being better for the machine.
I love Kate Bush and had never heard that song by her, thank you for sharing!
J
I’m glad to hear that the white vinegar hasn’t given you any issues! Do you use it in *every* load, or just towels, etc?
We looked at a Bosch, it was a little less than the Miele. But we were smitten. And yeah, huge machines are an American thing I think.
Ally Bean
Ludmilla looks like the perfect addition to your home. I know you’ll have many happy clean years together.
J
Thank you Ally!
NGS
When we moved in, we had front loaders and I hated hated hated that stupid thing. We never really could get it clean and it did have mildew AND it stained my husband’s dress shirts and it was such a frustrating appliance. May Ludmila never let you down!
J
Thankfully, our old washing machine NEVER stained anything, never smelled bad. Just knowing the mildew was in there, and I could NOT get it out, drove me nuts. I am going to be hyper vigilant with Ludmila, and keep her healthy!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
Top Loaders is not a thing in Germany. You did get the good brand. I have never owned a Miele one but we always discuss if we spend that extra money just because we want it. In the end we always end up with Bosch or Siemens.
Enjoy your new appliances and I hope they will last you forever
J
Thank you Tobia! Yes, we splurged for sure. I heard that they used to be even MORE expensive, and brought the prices down some. I can’t imagine.
Lisa’s Yarns
Wow! 1 t of detergent! That is wild! We do use maybe half a cup of powder tide so we use less than what is recommended but it sounds like we should use even less. I love that you named your new washer and dryer! And of course the Germans make a far better product. That does not surprise me in the least!!
J
I KNOW! 1 tsp! Crazy. I will admit that I’ve been using a heaping tsp because I can’t quite believe it myself, but the clothes are clean. I’ve read lots of places that 1 TBLSP is plenty, this is the first place I’ve heard tsp.
Allison McCaskill
Thank you for reminding me how mightily it sucked having to go down 25 floors to do laundry (or haul all my laundry two blocks away) so I won’t whine about having to go downstairs when it’s before bed and I’m tired.
We have a Miele dishwasher and I ADORE it. We went through three crappy cheap ones before this, and now we’ve had this one for years and it works like a dream (knock on wood). I hope you have a long and happy relationship with these machines.
J
25 floors down? I’m assuming there was an elevator. BUT STILL, what a pain in the ass.
Everyone who had had a Miele appliance has seemed really happy with them. Maybe we’ll shell out when our dishwasher inevitibly dies (though it’s pretty new, so we hopefully have some years left there.)
Jenny
WHO KNEW this could be so complicated??? I have heard that about the detergent- you can use way less than the recommended amount. I’m glad you ended up with something you love! I hope they last a LONG TIME.
J
Jenny, I KNOW! So complicated! Living in a small place with no garage definitely makes things like playing Tetris sometimes. Dishwashers, refrigerators, washers and dryers…there is only so much room. So far the ‘less detergent’ has been working great for us.
AC
We are also in a townie, but there is a small laundry room that manages to fit washer and dryer side by side. Sue also uses vinegar a lot, but I can’t remember what for right now. Obviously, she does the laundry. I do have notes on how to do what, but I don’t think she trusts me a whole lot. Wise woman.
J
I think the vinegar helps with odors, as well as working as a fabric softener. I’m using it occasionally at this point, not all of the time.
Daria
Ludmila! That’s my mom’s name!
Congrats and enjoy these beauties!
J
Thanks Daria!