Front loader washing machine

[spotty_dog]

Huh. I never knew that you should leave the door open. We've had ours for over 5 years and we always shut the door. We haven't had any smell issues. We do bleach rinses though - every time I wash diapers (cloth) I do a rinse with bleach.

Guess that's my "learn something new" for today!

Yeah, the theory I read when considering a FL is that if you regularly use hot water or bleach or oxygen bleach, you'll notice smells a lot less than if you use a lot of cold/warm washes and no bleach. But it's still a good idea in the long run to use a clean washer cycle if you have one (it fills the tub further than a regular cycle) and prop the door a little to let it air between cycles. Eyew musty washer.

[Phoebe]

Thanks for the recommendations! Spent all day researching and shopping. Our new Samsung will be delivered tomorrow. I have been mildly obsessed with laundry during my pregnancy, but I would much rather use the money to paint over the handprints on the walls.

[fluffhead]

We're on our second kenmore front loader. the first one lasted about 7 years, then started to get wobbly - supposedly the bearings went. The new one has that clean with bleach cycle, which we do every few months.
The old one also developed nasty black schmutz on the seal which would streak our clothes every so often - it was impossible to get out! By the time we figured out what it was, we'd ruined 2 white tablecloths and a bunch of clothes.
So it's worthwhile to take a cloth and really get in the folds of that seal every so often to prevent mold buildup.