# new washing machine not getting clothes clean **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148 "2016-05-19T04:44:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![issicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@issicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/issicus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/1 "2016-05-19T04:44:27Z")
It’s a samsung top loading model . this one I think [http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/washers-dryers/WA52J8060AW/A2](http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/washers-dryers/WA52J8060AW/A2) here are two shirts after a ‘heavy load’ and 2nd rinse . [http://imgur.com/a/za1Up](http://imgur.com/a/za1Up) it’s level and I did the calibration . what am i doing wrong? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/2 "2016-05-19T05:56:18Z")
Are those still wet straight from the washer, or after drying? Either way, you’re overfilling. Front loaders can be crammed so full you have to push the door shut with a hip. Top loaders need plenty of room to agitate. Stuff coming out that wrinkled can only be from being stuffed in there too tightly for the center agitator to work. Items have to be put in loosely without pushing anything down, and no higher than the center column. ---
**Author:** ![issicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@issicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/issicus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/3 "2016-05-19T06:48:58Z")
it has no center agitator , it is a swirl drum. It wasn’t half full. Those are wet clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/4 "2016-05-19T10:19:39Z")
What’s the white bits? Is it soap, paper? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/5 "2016-05-19T11:46:13Z")
($1000 for a washing machine? Colour me :eek: ) Where do you live? I’m curious as I’ve never seen a Samsung washer where I live. And only seen smaller machines such as this in Asia! (Sorry, no actual answers for you. Just more questions!) ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/6 "2016-05-19T12:28:28Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > ($1000 for a washing machine? Colour me :eek: ) > > Where do you live? I’m curious as I’ve never seen a Samsung washer where I live. And only seen smaller machines such as this in Asia! > > (Sorry, no actual answers for you. Just more questions!) That is not out of line for a washing machine, although on the high end. Also, Samsung is a big player in home appliances now, with varying degrees of success. Perhaps I should qualify that with a big player in North America, I would presume they have been big elsewhere. Anyhoo, Consumer Reports gives this model a very good to excellent rating. Although the three reviews left on the CR site are uniformly negative and mention leaking issues that occur very quickly. From the pictures it looks like soap that did not dissolve. Or perhaps lint from lighter colored clothing? If it is just lint I would think it would disappear on drying. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/7 "2016-05-19T12:42:31Z")
Do you have hard water? If I run a load when my water softener runs out of salt it leaves white residue on all the black items. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/8 "2016-05-19T12:45:53Z")
Is it plugged in? 😃 If it’s a water saver, it’ll use so much less water and spin so fast that the load will feel dry when you take it out. Takes some getting used to. If you use powder, make sure that you’re putting it in first and scattering it, or it won’t dissolve. Same as with liquid, but liquid won’t leave residue like yours seems to. Leave the center free to let the clothes move and get the most of what little water is being used. If you overfill, there’s not enough water to get everything wet (and therefore, clean). ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/9 "2016-05-19T12:48:28Z")
Lemme guess. Federally mandated water and electricity saving technology. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/10 "2016-05-19T13:20:44Z")
After browsing the owner’s manual (234 pages!, but the English runs out after only 72 pages), I am impressed! That is some kind of washer. But, for $1000 I think I’ll pass. I’ve got a used top-of-the-line Kenmore top-loader that I picked up off Craigslist for $150 and it is the best washer I’ve ever had. Anyway, the manual says you need to be using HE washing detergent. Other than that, I’d say you may have overloaded the machine, but my understanding is these HE machines are difficult to overload. The other question is what is it on the clothes? I doubt it is undissolved detergent, since these HE washers take over an hour to run a load, so is it light-colored lint or perhaps paper that was accidentally run though the washer? If so, it might come off in the dryer. The wrinkled appearance is from the HE washer cycle; because it gets the clothes so dry, they come out wrinkled. If you wanted to dry your clothes on a clothesline, I guess you might have a problem. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/11 "2016-05-19T14:29:39Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Lemme guess. Federally mandated water and electricity saving technology. Sure… but my GE top loader of a few years ago does a bad-ass job of getting clothes clean, as long as I don’t over fill it, nor use too much soap, and it’s very optimized for low power and water consumption. If you’re using some sort of solid soap- powder or tablets, and _too much of it_, that might explain the white spots on the shirts. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/12 "2016-05-19T15:08:22Z")
Any chance there was some kind of paper label inside, that you may have missed? That got washed with your clothes? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/13 "2016-05-19T15:21:33Z")
I have the same washing machine and have the same problem. I have to run the ‘clean’ cycle at least once per week & you must use liquid HE detergent & never overfill. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/14 "2016-05-19T19:02:57Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Sure… but my GE top loader of a few years ago does a bad-ass job of getting clothes clean, as long as I don’t over fill it, nor use too much soap, and it’s very optimized for low power and water consumption. > > If you’re using some sort of solid soap- powder or tablets, and _too much of it_, that might explain the white spots on the shirts. Wait . . . “bad-ass” = “good”? Am I in the right decade with my comprehension guess-work? ---
**Author:** ![jacobsta811](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jacobsta811/32/2893_2.png) [@jacobsta811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacobsta811)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/15 "2016-05-19T19:20:52Z")
I have a similar samsung HE top load model (slightly less expensive I think). #1 thing is to make sure you load as if there were a center agitator - so you load with a giant hole in the center essentially. Even loaded properly, it does a crappy job with very large dirt particles (ie, muddy or sandy clothes, etc). For regular dirty laundry it does ok for me, but I had a front loader before that was much better - it both got the clothes cleaner and used less water. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/16 "2016-05-19T19:26:39Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Wait . . . “bad-ass” = “good”? Am I in the right decade with my comprehension guess-work? Yes, Gramps, bad-ass = good. ---
**Author:** ![issicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@issicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/issicus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/17 "2016-05-19T23:25:17Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > ($1000 for a washing machine? Colour me :eek: ) > > Where do you live? I’m curious as I’ve never seen a Samsung washer where I live. And only seen smaller machines such as this in Asia! I think it was more like 600. It’s probably not that exact one but it looks exactly the same. > [@](#): > > What’s the white bits? Is it soap, paper? both I guess. there are hairs and all kinds of shit on some cloths, those aren’t even the worst ones. > [@](#): > > Or perhaps lint from lighter colored clothing? If it is just lint I would think it would disappear on drying. there were no whites mixed in. it did not go away after drying . I can post more pictures if you guys want. > [@](#): > > If you’re using some sort of solid soap- powder or tablets, and too much of it, that might explain the white spots on the shirts. just borax . that probably is some of what it is but there is still a lot of other crap . > [@](#): > > Any chance there was some kind of paper label inside, that you may have missed? That got washed with your clothes? I’m sure there was a receipt or two in there but I still see this as a failure of the washing machine . I never had problems like this with my old washer. > [@](#): > > I have the same washing machine and have the same problem. I have to run the ‘clean’ cycle at least once per week & you must use liquid HE detergent & never overfill. okay. > [@](#): > > I have a similar samsung HE top load model (slightly less expensive I think). #1 thing is to make sure you load as if there were a center agitator - so you load with a giant hole in the center essentially. Even loaded properly, it does a crappy job with very large dirt particles (ie, muddy or sandy clothes, etc). For regular dirty laundry it does ok for me, but I had a front loader before that was much better - it both got the clothes cleaner and used less water. ill try it. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/18 "2016-05-19T23:41:24Z")
Take Extra care about those receipts in your pockets. I suspect this washer is pulverizing them in a way your old one did not. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/19 "2016-05-20T03:51:44Z")
My guess is that the powdered borax didn’t dissolve all the way, and that you washed it in cold water. Powder and cold water don’t mix well, even more so in a HE top loading washer. ---
**Author:** ![Breccia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Breccia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breccia)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148/20 "2016-05-20T06:30:09Z")
We purchased a similar Samsung model 2 months ago. As others have said: fill it as you would an agitator model. ALSO: use the recommended liquid detergent; HE (high efficiency) detergent is what’s recommended for ours. I wanted a front loading model but after reading endless negative reviews we purchased the top-loader. It’s only been perfect since (except for not allowing me to fill it as I sort the socks–the top must be closed.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-washing-machine-not-getting-clothes-clean/755148.md?page=2)