Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

Straightup

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Apr 5, 2005
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317
Our wash machine is about 12 years old. We get a sticky lint that is really hard to remove. Can't even remove it with tape. It shows up really bad on dark clothes like sweatshirts. The wife has cleaned the tub over and over. Our softener area is real dirty, so she doesn't use it and just throws the softener in right with the soap at the beginning of the cycle.. I know, softener is for the rinse cycle and I've told her that... I don't know if that is part of our problem or what. I am a toolmaker and sometimes my clothes are pretty dirty. About once a month I wash my dirty aprons from work, but I soak them for a day 1st before washing. 1st thing I'm going to do is take my aprons to a Laundry mat and not do them at home. About the only way to get the lint off is to rewash the article of clothing. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

Tubingluvr

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
426
Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

The wife says it is probably the fabric softener but can also be caused by what articles are washed together.
Try doing a couple loads with no fabric softener.
She said they were talking about this at work the other day and some of these new fabric softeners are doing this.
 

i386

Captain
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
3,548
Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

Our washer isn't fancy enough to have a place for fabric softner. Our solution is to use a "Downy Ball". You pour the softner into the ball and the centrifugal of the spin cycle releases the softner at the proper time. I think you can still get them wherever you buy fabric softner from. That may not help your lint problem but may be useful nonetheless.
 

Straightup

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Apr 5, 2005
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Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

:D My wife says she likes Summer Fun's response :D

Seriously, I agree with the fabric softener being suspect. I talked to my local appliance place and they also mentioned the softener... They told me that the cup that holds the softener can come off the agitator and I did that and it is full of gunk under there. They said to soak it in hot water so I'll do that. The appliance place also said that Tide makes a washer cleaner solution that you run thru without any clothes in the washer. We're going to try that too.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
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30,454
Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

There is really not much you can do to prevent this from happening. The lint that is coming off the clothes in question is depositing itself on any and all surfaces on the inner drum and the wash drum and the only remedy is to not wash the offending clothes in your washer and not running another cycle or two with plain water to wash out the lint.

Washing it in a Laundromat is letting the next patron experience what are you getting at home and really isn't fair to the next person. Using a front load washing machine may help you since the water drains better because of how the tub is tilted.

I owned a few Laundromats so I know what you are seeing. had a lot of mechanics and horse people come in and wash greasy clothes and horse blankets.
 

dlindeblad

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jul 9, 2009
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Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

The problem like has been stated by others is the fabric softener. Personnaly I found that my wife was using too much of it. Not only was she doing the washer softener, but she has using sheets in the dryer. The lint would build up on the lint trap and not come off with a simple hand wipe. I would eventually have to soak the trap and wash it by hand. Needless to say if it is in the lint trap it is gunked in the exhaust exit too. Try using less softener in the wah cycle or change softener.
 

Straightup

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Apr 5, 2005
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Re: Wash Machine Sticky Lint question

I want to thank everyone for your responses. They are all very helpful.

We were able to take apart the softener cup on top of the agitator and it was FULL of old softener and gunk - very gross! We were able to soak the cup in VERY hot water and bleach. It is clean now. We also got washer cleaning tabs that you wash in the machine cycle with no clothes. We've done that twice. So later today we'll give it a shot with the washer cleaned up now.
 
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