Anyone experience this: blue splotches from washer?

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

We periodically get this when we have blue splotches over some or all of our clothes. We thought it might be the dryer, which still shows blue color from some project my son did with dying 12 years ago, but today noticed something with blue that hadn't gone into the dryer. I hate to spend the money to replace the washe, but last time it was all over our underwear, which at least we wear "under" our clothes. I don't want to wreck my clothes. It doesn't look like grease, as it is blue, and it is not dissolved and dying everything light blue, it is dark blue splotches. Please if anyone has any suggestions, help.
Liz

 

[Joyce]

Do you use Downy or something like it? If you do, and add it to the washer in a dispenser of some type, that might be the cause. Once in a while, you should clean the agitator bottom if you can safely pull it out. Good luck!!

 

[Kelsie]

Blue in Washer

Liz, I received a new front loading washer from Sears this year, when my 1 yr. old top load washer had cracked bleach and fabric softner dispensers (3 times they changed each one over a 9 mo. period). It ruined a lot of clothes, rugs, etc. I always dilute the fabric softner with warm water, but right now this won't solve your problem. My bet is you have the same problem I did.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

We don't use the bleach or softener dispenser, putting dry Amway SA8 and dry all fabric bleach directly into the washer. But I think we should check the dispenser, but what could it be dispensing?
Thanks,
Liz

 

[northwoodsgal]

Is anyone using acne medicines? It's ruined all of our kid's towels.

 

[Kelsie]

Blue spots on Wash

Hmmm-Liz, have you noticed the blue spots after washing new clothing items, ie. jeans, t-shirts etc. I have found a lot of clothes over the last 5 yrs. have come from Thiland, China and bleed into the washer. I stopped buying a lot of clothes from overseas, however a trick my mother told me 100 yrs. ago, wash these separately with 1/2 cup of white vinegar and it will not bleed. I found out from my dil who is a nurse 5 yrs. ago why I cough when I go to walmart (any walmart) it is the dye from the clothing from out of our country. I hope this helps.

 

[2hokies]

We had splotches on some of our clothes a while back. We buy those large liquid detergent bottles at SAM's Club. They have spigots that release the soap. We have it sitting on a shelf right above the washer. Turns out, one was leaking and it dripped exactly on the crack where the washer and washer lid came together (top loader), so it never left any drip on top of the washer. Then it would drip down on the clothes inside the washer. It was a real mystery but we finally figured it out.

 

[roadsister]

I don't know if this is your problem but I used to get blue splotches also.....someone told me it was because I put the detergent in, then clothes while water is running.....I now put the soap in (I use liquid), wait until I can spin the agitator a bit to mix the soap with water, THEN add my clothes...have not had a problem since.

 

[CSB]

I had this a while back and it was caused by old fabric softener that I used. I learned a lesson. My clothes had blue stains and the machine continued to leave the stains for many loads afterwards. Sometimes things really do have a shelf life!!

It does not seem like this is the problem but it may help to run an empty load with vinegar to clean out/dissolve anything that maybe in the machine.

 

[heretoday]

I'll watch this thread closely. We've had exactly the same experience in the past. We've never been able to figure out the cause. We do not use fabric softener in the washer. Don't have any leaking detergent (usually use powdered detergent, can't recall if its every happened with liquid detergent). I'm pretty consistent with putting the soap in first, making sure that enough water has washed all of the soap through the tub holes so that there's none left in the tub when I put the clothes in. Other family members dump in the clothes, add the soap and start filling. Doesn't seem to matter, have had the splotches with either scenario. Very infrequent, maybe averages once a year or less. I thought it may be associated with a heavy load (maybe coming from a mechanical lubricant on spin with an unevenly balanced load), but had it happen with a small load as well. Contacted the manufacturer/seller(Kenmore/Sears), but they had no explanation.

 

[Mimi39]

It happened at the Imperial of Waikiki laundry room, I guess the previous user must have put in something like too much fabric softener.

 

[Gadabout]

I know sometimes the Clorox II-type stuff (any brand, not just them) for colors can sometimes come off on clothing if it comes in contact with items and sits.

As in the case of you almost have a full load, but not quite, so you have the clothes in there, some might be wet, or the drum is wet, which gets the powder wet, and while you're hunting for the last few items, the "blueing" component of the powder is coloring your clothes.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Gadabout, so this would happen when we use the All Fabric Bleach, correct? I haven't paid enough attention and don't use the bleach very often to know if that is the case. I am also lazy and throw in the clothes and then the dry powder Amway soap and bleach. I guess I could try it the other way (then I might let the whole wash cycle go through with just soap and no clothes!) I haven't tried a vinegar cleansing wash, although I do use it on new clothes, but I may have put dark socks in that bled, even though they had been washed many times. It is interesting how many people are experiencing this wierd problem.
Liz

 

[Gadabout]

Gadabout, so this would happen when we use the All Fabric Bleach, correct? I haven't paid enough attention and don't use the bleach very often to know if that is the case. I am also lazy and throw in the clothes and then the dry powder Amway soap and bleach. I guess I could try it the other way (then I might let the whole wash cycle go through with just soap and no clothes!) I haven't tried a vinegar cleansing wash, although I do use it on new clothes, but I may have put dark socks in that bled, even though they had been washed many times. It is interesting how many people are experiencing this wierd problem.
Liz

Yes, exactly. I have a front-loader (older) and the directions always said to put the powders in the drum. I use Oxyclean now, instead of Clorox II (no extra smell to speak of with the Oxyclean), and even that has little tiny blueing (sp?) crystals now, though not as many as the Clorox II.

Another solution is to have an old plastic pitcher handy with an old wooden or serving spoon, and dissolve your powders in some water, then pour it in while the machine is filling. I remember the really old laundromat-type commercial washers used to have a 3" wide stream of water coming down when it filled, so the powders would have an additional chance to dissolve before/while adding the clothes if you are using a top-loader.

And I agree that the clothes from India have some kind of dye in them that bleeds every time you wash them, no matter how many times you wash them, even in cold water. I like the old twist skirts (the ones you twist and toss into your bag, though not with the tiers), but if they're made of cotton in India, wash and dry separately.

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

I'm going to make sure I get the dry bleach dissolved first and see if that solves the problem. thanks,
Liz

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Oh no, they're back! Not using dry bleach (or any bleach), Amway SA* detergent, no I'm not dissolving it first. Most loads are fine. Just went to put on a red t-shirt for work this morning and it was covered with blue splotches. Any more ideas?
Thanks,
Liz