Non-motoring > Unblocking washer/dryer Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Lygonos Replies: 22
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New Fri 30 Mar 12 18:37 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Lygonos
Got an Aqualtis Washer/Dryer that's about 5 yrs old and last week was throwing up a "blocked" message - wasn't pumping out too well and so I drained the filter and pipe as best as I could (fair amount of sludgey gubbins came out) - still occasionally saying it's blocked but draining a bit better.

Anyhoo, is there some relatively simple way to clean the pipes other than stripping it to pieces, rebuilding it, and probably setting the house on fire?
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New Fri 30 Mar 12 18:48 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Zero
you can buy a washing machine degreaser to go in it, but by far the cheapest is to use white vinegar in the hottest wash cycle.
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New Fri 30 Mar 12 18:50 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Lygonos
I'll give that a bash - wasn't sure if a caustic or acid would be of any use - I assume a good litre or so of vinegar?
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New Fri 30 Mar 12 18:52 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Ian (Cape Town)
>> by far the
>> cheapest is to use white vinegar in the hottest wash cycle.
>>
OR run the cycle through, without any clothes in it (If it needs weight in it, a few old towels) with a couple of those blocks which you put into the dishwasher.

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New Fri 30 Mar 12 18:53 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Old Navy
If you (or the machine operator) normally only does a cool wash cycle, try an idle wash on maximum temperature. If that does not help get a bottle of washing machine cleaner and use that. Or even do both

tinyurl.com/c5gcc4d
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 30 Mar 12 at 18:54
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 10:10 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - L'escargot
Google for the make, model name and model number to get the instruction booklet which will no doubt tell you what to do.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 11:19 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Dave_
They're fairly simple to take to pieces and put back together actually, just make sure you switch the plug off with the door open and something (anything) showing on the display to avoid getting a shock from any capacitors.

I take it you've removed and emptied the fluff filter at the bottom? It would also be a good idea to take the flexi drain hose off the back and run a hosepipe (or tip a watering can) down it outdoors. What comes out of there will give you some idea of the state of the machine's innards.

Put a couple of old towels on the floor before you start as some spillage is inevitable. You can boil wash them afterwards - two birds one stone :) But physically scrape any gunk off them first, rather than put it straight back in the machine, obviously...
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 11:43 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Lygonos
Had already done the obvious: running a 90c wash with nothing in, flushed the flexi-hosing, cleared the fluff filter.

Seemed to be emptying a bit better again, but chucked in a litre of vinegar with some boiling water and spin/pump-out - very little gunk came out (flex hose in a 10 litre bucket) - put some proprietary cleaner through after (Dr Beckmann's or somesuch) and again very little gunk came out with the draining water.

Going to see if this has been sufficient with a few loads.

Fingers-crossed for no more 'blocked' alerts.

Scaling will be almost non-existent with soft water (10 yr old electric kettles here have zero scaling on element or body) - all the gunk was fairly evil smelling beige stuff with some fibres through it.

Annoyingly, to get a 10kg load, I presume the drum is so big the fluff filter drain is right at floor level - I had to put the machine on blocks to be able to drain into a shallow tin.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sat 31 Mar 12 at 11:46
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 14:24 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Ian (Cape Town)
A immediate inventory of shirts, making sure they have the requisite number of buttons.
Also, reconcile your budgets for the last six months - have you lost a small coin somewhere?

Obvious trick is to blow down the outlet pipe, and see what resistance you encounter.

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New Sat 31 Mar 12 14:31 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Zero

>> Also, reconcile your budgets for the last six months - have you lost a small
>> coin somewhere?

You have such tight accounting procedures you can reconcile the loss of a small coin?
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 14:34 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Ian (Cape Town)
Look after the pennies, and the pounds will look after themselves.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 14:48 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Zero
Was a valued statement when the penny, (or the pound come to that) was worth something.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 14:51 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Ian (Cape Town)
These days, in this neck of the woods, anything less than 50c isn't worth bending down to pick up.
Yet they still charge x.99 for certain items. And at the till, they never have 1 or 2c bits, so you get 5c back.
Shrapnel.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 18:39 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Roger.
We save £1 coins in a three litre bottle which contained Bacardi. £120 only just makes a small impression in it.
If we ever manage to fill it with dosh we will have the trip of a lifetime or buy a new car - we should live so long, already!
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New Sun 1 Apr 12 09:26 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - L'escargot
>> Look after the pennies, ........

These days a lot of people call them pees ~ or is it peas.
Look after the pees and the pounds will look after themselves just doesn't have the same charm.
Last edited by: L'escargot on Sun 1 Apr 12 at 09:28
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 20:42 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Dave_
>> A immediate inventory of shirts, making sure they have the requisite number of buttons

Apparently the number one cause of blockages is rogue underwires from ladies' delicates. They're just the right size to make their way down the pipework as far as the first bend :(
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Sat 31 Mar 12 at 20:45
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 22:22 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Fullchat
The waste pump is always a good bet. Simple to get at usually with an inlet and outlet pipe. Rogue socks particularly those light nylon things the ladies wear. Soap powder crud can also be an issue. Is it infact running?
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 23:39 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - bathtub tom
>>Apparently the number one cause of blockages is rogue underwires from ladies' delicates

Sorry, I have to disagree. Those things get stuck between the inner and outer drums and the only way to remove them is virtually dismantle the whole machine. I've been there several times. I did once manage to work one out through the holes in the inner drum.

I've told SWMBO that if it ever happens again, she can dismantle the machine and buying another machine is not an alternative.

She now makes sure the offending articles go in a net bag, pillow case or some such.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 23:40 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - Zero
All i can say your wives must all be going south. Nicole needs no underwiring.
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New Sat 31 Mar 12 23:46 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - bathtub tom
I'll tell SWMBO you said that, if you ever meet.

;>)
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New Sun 1 Apr 12 16:22 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - DeeW
Zed, it ain't the downward slope, (sorry Nicole) it is the cup size .... so better endowed ladies need wire ;-)
Surprised, though, that those delicates go in the washing machine unless they are all wearing M&S.
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New Mon 2 Apr 12 08:34 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - madf
All my underwired garments are washed in a net bag. Simples.

You lot live in the 20th century...
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New Mon 2 Apr 12 10:48 
 Unblocking washer/dryer - John H
>> All my underwired garments are washed in a net bag. Simples.
>>

Your underwired garments? What garments are those?

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