Washing machine

…...please please please don’t touch the washing machine. Take anything else, but please not the washing machine. I still marvel that someone could think to produce a machine whereby you put dirty clothes in, then come back a bit later and they are not only clean but spun as well. Genius! Strangely I don’t credit that same thinking to any other appliance. I’ve only ever had an automatic wm, remember the trial of wash days with my Mum, what a laborious process and water seeming to get everywhere between rinsing in big tubs then feeding (sheets esp) through the wringer. Twin tubs made the job a bit easier. I think the person who invented the auto wm should get a Nobel prize!

I heartily agree denbylover!!

It is thought amongst sociologists that the domestic washing machine, was the single biggest advancement in women's lives. Must say we did not get one until after the birth of our second child, just eleven months after the first. For the firlst, nappies were soaked in Milton, and then washed in the kitchen sink each morning, as was all the baby clothes, etc. Hubbie and my washing was taken weekly to local launderette.
Washing machine put in our bathroom, where - to fill it had to put the hose on the taps in the bath, and drape the exit hose over the bath. It often went 'walkies' as it emptied and we would find the bathroom floor covered in water!!!

Prior to that - in the fifties, when my Mum went to work,she would send a weekly 'bagwash'. Dad, Mum and my clothes all filling a pillowslip. tanlecloths. sjeets etc semt tp nest wasj

Sorry, no edit button - last sentence should read ' tablecloths, sheets, etc sent to 'Best wash'.

On another point. Although many companies selling such things as washing machines, etc. etc. say it has a 12 or 24 months guarantee, it is totally immaterial.

Consumers Rights Act covers all new articles sold and can decide how long a new domestic machine should d work for. And that is likely to be several years.

Just up the hill from my flat is a launderette that does a collect/delivery service. I used it once when my washing machine broke. It was such a luxury having my laundry washed and neatly sorted, especially my knickers, which were all folded very carefully. 😁

My nan used to manage(?) a tiny little laundry, when I was small.

It seemed to be all crisp, white sheets and pillowcases, tied up with string, and stacked up, waiting for their owners to collect.

I can't remember washing being done in the shop, though.

I presume my nan sent it off elsewhere, and packed it up.

Sallywally1

Only had it for four months and it has broken and am waiting for repair person. I’ve been washing by hand for the past week and my thoughts go out to our grandmothers and great grandmothers for whom this was a daily chore. We are so lucky.

Hurry up washing machine repairman!

Years ago women only did the washing once a week and people didn’t change their clothes everyday. When I was growing up in the 60s I had two school blouses - one for 2 days and one for 3. We lived on a council estate and before we could afford a washing machine mum had a day when she could use the laundry. She used to take an enormous sack load of washing and do the hand washing while she waited for the machines to finish.

I always have always taken out the extra years guarantee when I buy an appliance and then insured it against breakdown and replacement. Over the years it's been worthwhile but the insurance company has changed recently and once an appliance is getting old the cost is just too high to be worthwhile. Really annoying to have paid into a policy for years and then when a machine is nearing the end of its life they make the price uneconomic. Effectively you used to be paying for a new machine over the years until it broke down, but I'll think twice about doing it in future.

4 months? never mind repair demand a new one not fit for purpose

Franbern
It is thought amongst sociologists that the domestic washing machine, was the single biggest advancement in women's lives. Must say we did not get one until after the birth of our second child, just eleven months after the first.
Definitely the biggest advancement in my life: I first knew that my boyfriend was serious about me when he bought me a lovely new AEG washing machine. Prior to that we'd had Sunday afternoons in the launderette. We've now been married nearly 50 years!

If it’s only 4 months old surely there is a warranty? If it’s broken down so quickly can’t you reject it and ask for a replacement?
I would contact trading standards.

Franbern

It is thought amongst sociologists that the domestic washing machine, was the single biggest advancement in women's lives. Must say we did not get one until after the birth of our second child, just eleven months after the first. For the firlst, nappies were soaked in Milton, and then washed in the kitchen sink each morning, as was all the baby clothes, etc. Hubbie and my washing was taken weekly to local launderette.
Washing machine put in our bathroom, where - to fill it had to put the hose on the taps in the bath, and drape the exit hose over the bath. It often went 'walkies' as it emptied and we would find the bathroom floor covered in water!!!

Prior to that - in the fifties, when my Mum went to work,she would send a weekly 'bagwash'. Dad, Mum and my clothes all filling a pillowslip. tanlecloths. sjeets etc semt tp nest wasj

I have long thought this. I remember my mother having a single tub and separate spin dryer when I was very young plus a Baby Burco boiler. A little later, it was a twin tub, which washed wonderfully. When there was enough money, she had an automatic washing machine and sold the twin tub to a couple who were about to get married. My grandmother had a twin tub until the late nineties. When I was a student and shared a house in the mid eighties, we bought a single tub and spin dryer from a local auction for about £10. It was at least twenty years old and we had to sit on the spin dryer to stop it from dancing all over the kitchen floor, but we saved a fortune at the launderette. When I met my future husband, he already had a house and let out rooms so he had a washing machine. When we got married in 1989, therefore, I inherited the washing machine. It was the only electrical appliance we had at the time apart from a cooker and fridge/freezer (we knew we were fortunate to have a fridge/freezer), but it was by far the best. Over the years, we acquired a microwave, tumble dryer and dishwasher, but it is still the washing machine that is the most valuable appliance we have and the one that is most missed if it goes wrong. I could live without the others, but the washing machine is essential.

my washer/dryer is waiting for a visit from the repair man. on monday i put it to finish tumble drying a couple of hand towels and face flannels and left it to do its job.
when i went out into the kitchen later i opened the door expecting to take the warm towels out ........ instead water flooded out all over my feet and the floor! the washer/dryer's display now shows a fault code.
fortunately it's insured so i've got a repairman coming tomorrow between 10.00 and 6.00 - can't come quick enough for me as i've now got the original towels to dry plus my small kitchen towels and two bath sheets to wash and dry!

Franbern -
It is thought amongst sociologists that the domestic washing machine, was the single biggest advancement in women's lives.

Surely running water was the biggest advancement.

We had a Burco for laundry (including nappies).

I should have added - when we married.
Before that it was all washed by hand - though my parents (and his) had an automatic washing machine.

Had manyBosch appliances. Alwayslastedwell.We moved two years ago and left dishwasher behind. It was20 years old and going well.
Just got new dishwasher here . Bosch of course. Replacing the one we inherited with house.

dragonfly46

Even when I had my first baby I didn't have a washing machine. My mum bought me a spin dryer so I used to wash everything by hand (having soaked the nappies in a bucket) and spin it in the dryer.
Ironically when we let the house to go to Holland the letting agent made us put a washing machine in.

Neither did I.
We first lived in a flat. 1975 and one baby. No washing machine or fridge.
My mum gave me a single spinner. She used to wash our sheets for us.
I had to wash by hand everything else. Nappies soaked in a bucket of Napisan then rinsed and washed by hand.
Milk bottles in a bucket of cold water.
We moved into a house in the summer of 1977 and had a Hotpoint washing machine out of my mum's friends catalogue and her husband plumbed it in.
It lasted for 13 years if not more.
Would you believe my sister and I sat and watched the whole first wash from start to finish. Never seen one before as my mum had a twin tub.
My nan gave us her fridge with small freezer at the top that she was getting rid off.
I couldn't be without either now.

Our dishwasher broke down at the beginning of Covid. John Lewis said they were only able to leave a new one outside the front door, and as we live on the first floor, that was no good. But as we weren't having people to supper or anything during lockdown, it was just us and honestly, the washing up wasn't anything much at all.
I have got a new machine, but it's just me now and I hardly use it unless I have guests.

Sallywally1

Only had it for four months and it has broken and am waiting for repair person. I’ve been washing by hand for the past week and my thoughts go out to our grandmothers and great grandmothers for whom this was a daily chore. We are so lucky.

Hurry up washing machine repairman!

Why are you waiting for a repair man? Surely, your washing machine has two years'giarantee, or is the UK different?

Your supplier should be replacing it at once, not sending a repair man, surely?

And no, our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did not wash daily, once their children were out of nappies.

They washed clothes once a week, once a fortnight, or once a month, depending on the size of the linen chest, and unless they were very poor, had a washerwife in to help or to do the entire laundry. My widowed grandmother was a school-teacher - the only things she washed herself were her stockings - the washerwife did the rest.

Even my mother who had a washing-machine, sent table linen, bed linen and my father's shirts to the laundry, and washed the rest once a week or ten days.

I'm in the same boat my oven isn't working properly and I suspect the bottom element has gone again. Need to ring the insurers tomorrow.
It's never worked properly since we bought it 5 years ago. Supposed to have a self cleaning program that never cleans the oven door just leaves it with black streaks, and black patches still in places inside.
Last time they fixed it (6 months ago) the bottom element was still in new condition so had never worked, which is why things took so long to cook. Was OK for 3 months then everything taking longer and longer to cook.
Really wanted a self cleaning oven after I worked as a PA and the house owner's oven cleaning program was brilliant. It came out spotless.
I've just taken 3 hours to roast a joint of pork! At least it was tender lol.
OH bought a laser thermometer and it's showing 210C on the oven dial, but 160C when he opened the oven quickly and took a reading.
Hoping they will replace it but I doubt it. It's Hotpoint and I won't buy that make again.

Things went in an enamel bucket on the stove!

I remember the excitement of buying my first washing machine in 1969 when my first child was about 6 months old. It was a twin tub. I remember lifting the wet washing from one tub to the other with a pair of wooden tongs. It seemed like the height of luxury at the time. Prior to that I had boiled up nappies in a large copper pan on top of the cooker after soaking them overnight in a bucket of Napisan. Tomorrow I'm off to look for a new washing machine having just come home from holiday with lots of dirty washing only to discover that my John Lewis machine has packed up after 14 years of good use. Not sure what to buy but it will have to be a quick choice and quick delivery before too much more washing piles up.

cc

I always have always taken out the extra years guarantee when I buy an appliance and then insured it against breakdown and replacement. Over the years it's been worthwhile but the insurance company has changed recently and once an appliance is getting old the cost is just too high to be worthwhile. Really annoying to have paid into a policy for years and then when a machine is nearing the end of its life they make the price uneconomic. Effectively you used to be paying for a new machine over the years until it broke down, but I'll think twice about doing it in future.

I was a demonstrator for Hoover some years ago. Not one employee bought one of those guarantees: why? because we knew the lifespan of the products.
Plus the fact that nearly all appliances go wrong in the first year ( if they’re going to)
It’s a real money maker, but not from me.

I haven't washed or ironed anything for about 8 years. I take it all to my local laundry (not launderette, a proper laundry) where they wash and iron everything. I collect it all neatly folded or on coat hangers. There's only the 2 of us and quite frankly it isn't that expensive. I don't feel remotely guilty.