I received a pair of used Kenmore heavy duty washer and dryer machines from my parents when I moved into my first house. It works out great for me because it is a gas dryer. When doing laundry, I don’t separate colors, fabric. I do my weekly laundry all in one load – cold water, normal cycle; I just try to be green – saving water.
In the past couple years; I notice the top ½ of the agitator no longer spins. When I do a full load, I feel I need to do pre-soak, and wash the load twice to get my cloth cleaned. I am debating whether to fix or replace the washer, the new one isn't as durable as old Kenmore. New ones start to breakdown (within 3-4 years). I am happy to continue to use the 20 year-old washer until it’s dead, dead.
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As I figuring out over the past year, I changed the way I do my laundry so I get most (use the least) with this broken machine.
1. Separate the laundry by the size of cloth. ½ load of all shirts, socks, and underwear actually works out better than doing loads by color. Smaller garments have a chance really “roughing” with each other - doing real “agitating” .
2. Don’t over stuff heavy items –like big drying towels jeans or bed sheets. They soak up a lot of water; need a lot of space to “roughing and tumbling” in the washer.
3. Use dryer for underwear, light weight, smaller items & heavy items –like jeans and towels. Cloth don’t dry well when I place too many large items – there is no room to “fluff” – venting out moistures.
4. Hang dry shirts because they are easy to handle (to hang) the moistures evaporate quickly over night (12 hours or so). In an air conditioned room (hot summer day), or cold winter days – the humidity in a room is less than 50%. – maintain a decent air circulation, cloth dries quickly.
5. Use liquid fabric softener or fresheners if you plan to “hang dry”
6. In a hot summer day 95°F , sun dry towels, sheets & jeans.
