Thursday, January 22, 2009

Wash Day Blues

Guess what my dear, sweet son wore today?

I wish I had snapped a picture of it. He wore his very old jeans that are too short. Shin short. High-waters, as I used to call them. He didn't know what that meant. These jeans were meant to be thrown out because they have holes in them. Fortunately, they were hidden in his closet. We never did get to his room in the big clean-out.

Why?

My washer is only putting out ice-cold water. The ice-cold water is coming out in spurts, not normally. So laundry is on hold. Maybe we should go to the laundromat tomorrow with our school books. I bet that would get some looks.

My washer and dryer are about 20 years old, give or take a year. They were awesome machines, but their time has come. I could call a repairman to have the washer looked at. I fear that because of the cost. We had it repaired one or two years ago, and I think the bill was under $200. If I repair it, though, and it goes again, I'd hate to have wasted the money to repair it that I could have used on a new machine. I mean the thing is 20 years old, after all. We occasionally find rust chips in it, too.

So, this week I have been searching reviews for washers. My goodness, buying a washer is more difficult than buying a house or car. Every time I think I've figured out what I want, further searches lead me in the other direction.

The other night I went to Wal-mart, and I walked down the laundry aisle and there was no HE soap to be found. Hey, if I can't buy it at Wal-mart, it ain't gonna happen. (I hate the word ain't.)

That knocked out all the HE machines.

All the reviews and all the websites I visited just boggled my mind. What I did learn was that washers don't last 20 years anymore. Seven to ten years is the life expectancy for a machine purchased in the late 2000s.

After reading about all the mold, mildew and smell problems with front loaders, I marked them off my list. We live in a very humid place, and I battle mold and mildew in my bathrooms. I don't want to battle it in my washer. If we lived in western South Dakota or anywhere else I've ever lived, it wouldn't be a problem. Here, it is a huge problem.

Nonagitator top loaders were my next choice. They got knocked off my list because of repair records. Lots of people regret buying them. Plus, I don't like the fact that they don't spin the dirty water out, rather the dirty water drains through the clothes and out. That means dirt floating in the water can settle back in the clothes.

So, off to find an old-fashioned top loader. Oh, they don't have good records, either. They don't clean well anymore due to water limitations. I really wanted to go green, but it's not looking good for me.

So, what's my solution? A Speed Queen top loader. We'll drive to civilization this weekend and look at them. Bad in that I can't buy one locally. Bad in that if I need it serviced, they'll have to drive to our town.

They have the best warranty in the business, though. It is reported that they will last 15 years. They're well-built, solid machines. They have excellent reviews.

The good thing is that I can manually choose the water level, so I won't use too much. I can run each load through a second spin cycle so I'll have less dryer time. I'm justifying the fact that this uses a bit more water with the fact that I have finally found a dishwasher liquid that actually allows me to load the dishes without pre-washing them. That search took years.

Money, money, money. At least Bob was able to fix our broken garage-door opener today. Now, to get the power steering looked at in the van.

8 comments:

me said...

I so hear you on the washer blues. Ours is on it's last legs as is the dryer...and the couch and loveseat. We've managed to save all the money in the last year knowing this day was coming (our couch was already covered in a cheap throw so that you couldn't see the ripped seams that had been repaired several times already)

As much as I hate to sound like an "old timer"...they sure don't make things like they used to...

This, and our truck now has $8000 worth of body damage since DH hit two deer coming home from my father's last Sunday. Poor deer. Poor truck.

Poor bank account. (thank goodness for insurance)

Frankie said...

Ouch, Mama Cleaver. We hit a deer two years ago, luckily had no damage, but it's scary. It's amazing how much damage it can cause. I'm glad you have insurance for that!

I hope you find some good deals when you go looking!

Anonymous said...

Too bad you ruled out the front-loaders. I love mine and I don't use HE soap either. Well, rarely use it. To combat the mold I always leave the door open and I run an empty load using bleach instead of soap once a month. Mine is going on 3yrs old and oh my, did I ever do a happy dance when that old washer broke.

Enjoy your new washer!

Garden State Kate said...

I have a Maytag...15 years old.
I love it! lol
It's "old school", but it cleans well. I hope it is a while before
we have to get new...your news is disheartening. My appliance repair guy told me last time he was here
for another appliance, I asked
if I should buy new. He said"why,you miss me in between years?" LOL
They just don't make em like they used to.

Elisheva Hannah Levin said...

Oh, how I know those calculations. I am going through it with my computer. Several Geeks have told me not to put new memory in, etc. because it's so old. It works, but it is slow. But to have it wiped and reformatted will cost half of what a new one will cost. Is it worth it or will I be sorry I just didn't get a new one with the money?

And money? Well, the car needs new tires. We need some window repair. etc. etc. It just never ends. Oh, and I forgot about the orthodontics that have been recommended for the Boychick. We'll never be able to retire!

Unknown said...

I am sorry that your washer and dryer on are their last legs. I have been there. When my washer broke I spent 4 weeks going to the laundry mat. My kids loved it and I loved being able to get a mountain of laundry done in an hr.

I now have a GE washer and I love it. It can even fit my king size comforter in it. I was like a kid on Christmas morning when I picked it up. I was so happy!!

Unknown said...

Would you please send me an email when you get the chance?

Thanks.

dasluv at gmail dot com.

Unknown said...

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