CHOOSING A WASHING MACHINE

7 Apr

(With mould in mind)

Top or Front Loader? I will help you decide….

When a white good needs replacing several factors need to be taken into consideration; cost, size, function ability as so on.

The pros and cons lists can be made but at the end of the day only one product will be purchased so you hope to make the right choice while forking out considerable coin!

Here I am discussing washing machines as my 10 year old front loader has started to show signs of slowing down and potentially causing ill health affects. Not wanting to be without this necessary appliance I have started my research. But as soon as I think I am reaching my decision, another important fact is brought to my attention.

I will discuss my main points to try and help you find your dream machine!

Ask yourself, why am I buying a new machine? Broken part, wrong size, damaged, moving? For me personally finding brown mould in the rubber seal of my front loader which was dragging on to my clothes and especially linen when pulled out of the machine was enough to make me realise I hadn’t been vigilant enough with cleaning and drying it out to prevent the microbial growth. Frustrating as I don’t leave washing sitting in the machine after a wash, the door and draw are left open after each cycle, I run vinegar hot washes regularly, but clearly this was not enough. Having mould allergies, I knew that this needed to be removed asap.

The ‘Mould Anxiety’, as I call it was triggered. With each subsequent wash I was picturing mould spores in my clothes, towels and linen creeping over my already suffering skin. Once mould has taken over it is very difficult to remove it.

Once I started researching (through means of talking with white goods sales people, internet forums, asking family and friends, searching the internet) I realised there is NO perfect machine and that it ultimately comes down to your personal requirements. Things you may need to consider are: size, water source (tap/tank), cost of machine, cost of running (water and electricity), health, allergies, morals, installation/delivery etc.

My main points of consideration where: health, allergies and cost of appliance.

Sustainability

Front Loaders are often more eco-friendly due to the amount of water and electricity they use compared to a top loader.

Having a naturally sustainable disposition I weighed up what was more important to me, and the mould issue outweighed the more sustainable products. Having the moral debate with myself I decided to come up with other ways to save water to try and balance my decision; such as a water saving shower head and putting a tub in my kitchen sink/shower to collect water for the garden.

House Dust Mites (HDM)

House dust mites require a hot water wash to kill them. Having an allergy to the minuscule creatures this was second on my list of importance.

Front loaders are the best choice for HDM as they can heat the water to high temperatures in the drum, even with only a cold tap.

Here is where my debate started, mould versus HDM.

Good news on this that the putting washing out in the sun on a hot dry day or in the dryer for 15 minutes may kill HDM.

Extra measures can be taken to prevent HDM in the home, such as: keeping the space under the bed clear, decluttering, dusting with a damp microfiber cloth and drying with a tea towel, have hard floors rather than carpets, aim for relative humidity of 45-55% through cross ventilation, or a dehumidifier or air conditioner.

Delicates:

Silks, woollens, lace, etc. are generally taken better care of in a front loader. If you have a top loader, try hand-washing or the 'delicates' cycle.

Replace o Repair?

Deciding to repair your current machine may or may not help you save money.

The call out fee, replacement parts are not always guaranteed, there may be further unforeseen mechanical issues. In my case, I could replace the rubber seal, but I could not see within the entire machine to look for hidden mould and if ANY was left behind it could continue to produce with new moisture.

These were my main reasons:

·        The mould in my machine was not able to be completely cleaned out, it required the rubber seal to be replaced at around $300

·        The machine was 10 years old; I consider that pretty good for a machine that has been used almost daily

·        There was rust near the door of the machine that when I wasn’t careful stained whites

·        The limited laundry space made it difficult to remove washing from the front loader

The Final Decision

Mould was my main reason for replacing my machine therefore these facts helped me make my final decision;

Moisture left for 48 hours can produce mould – If I ever forgot to peg out a load and went away for 2 days the moisture from the washing machine would need major repair work or replacing.

 If a load was accidentally left in a front loader the chances of microbial growth is more than that of a top loader due to gravity, the water would fall down into the drum which is made of metal which after cooling is not a surface that mould can not thrive.

The hot water service was close to the laundry, therefore ensuring fast delivery (if it was far away or very slow to heat that could impact the overall temperature from 55 degrees which is required to kill house dust mite).

The opening of the top loader was wider than the front loaders I was looking at, making washing doonas and quilts easier to get in and out.

Overall I believe that front loaders are a better option for the average washer. They can offer a better clean, more delicate on clothing, better stain removal, more sustainable, heats in the tub,

For mould allergy suffers I believe that top loaders are better suited due to their ability to evaporate water more effectively (moisture rises up), water doesn’t pool in rubber seal, they can air much easier than a front loader.

A little side story: I ended up purchasing a 10kg LG top loader (with heating ability). When it was delivered it was so big it couldn’t fit through the laundry door, so my partner had to remove the door frame to move it in! At least it can’t be stolen!

Amy Stitt