Washing is no longer the preserve of the woman of the household, so I'm sure many of us load the front loader and press the button.
I use what is laughingly called the quick wash (well over an hour) on the cheapo Beko every time.
Does anyone use more than one of the many programmes?
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I have long campaigned for a washing machine / dish washer that has just a single ON button. Do away with the fault prone programmer/ switch arrangement, altho I must concede that 'modern' electronics are now more reliable - (albeit , like cars, expensive to fix IF failure occurs)).
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>> I have long campaigned for a washing machine / dish washer that has just a
>> single ON button. Do away with the fault prone programmer/ switch arrangement, altho I must
>> concede that 'modern' electronics are now more reliable - (albeit , like cars, expensive to
>> fix IF failure occurs)).
>>
>>
You can get one. We have this machine and all it has is an on/off button and a start button.
www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/beko-onetouch-dfn1000x-full-size-dishwasher-stainless-steel-03109973-pdt.html
TBH I liked the idea, but dont like not being able to chose a prewash, or intensive wash
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I guess you are one of those people who treat white goods like cars. You need to read the manual and understand how the thing works to get the best out of it. When did you last clean its detergent container or check its filter? Haa Thought not!
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...When did you last clean its detergent container or check its filter? Haa Thought not!...
I'll have you know the detergent container regularly gets the stiff brush treatment, I regularly run a damp cloth around the door seal, and always leave the door ajar.
But you have got me on the filter.
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I only ever use one programme on the washer and then I use it at a lower temperature.
>>When did you last clean its detergent container or check its filter? Haa Thought not!<<
Just last week CG:)
Dishwasher?..I think that's me.
Pat
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When I use the washing machine, I dutifully set it to 30 degrees, cos that's what the soap powder packet says.
Mrs C won't have it. She sets it to 50 or 60, depending on what she's washing. Faced with a direct question about it, she'll admit the instructions say 30 but she feels happier using a higher temperature, as obviously, it must be better.
We've been through the reasons it's 30, and that it uses more energy at a higher level, and costs more, and watched the tv programme where it's explained that 30 is the right temperature, and shown why, and read the article on the internet, and she accepts every last bit of it. And sets it to 50 or 60, depending on what she's washing.
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I washed my genes, sweatshirt and bb cap at 90 the other day as I'd been up chimney (don't ask!)
Didn't do em any arm.
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Chasing a pussy-cat up the chimney Dog ?
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>>Chasing a pussy-cat up the chimney Dog ?<<
Nay lad ... there is a sort-of baffle plate in my multifuel stove which stopped all the soot coming down when I had it swept (he should have used a vac!)
So I removed said plate after much use of Plusgas, cleared all the (much) soot, and tried to half get into the stove
(it wasn't alight) so I could have a gander up the flue (haha!)
I used a powerful torch & mirror in the end:)
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We use two, Hot or cool depending on what its made of, or how dirty it is.
It took me years to teach Nicole about "cool" after many years and hundreds of pounds worth of clothes that fitted me one day, and wouldn't fit a mouse the next.
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You know, this has made me find an old advert for Persil, of course. Goodness me, but ads were much more restrained in the old days, and I feel all relaxed now.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXZx2h3glmQ&feature=related
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...fitted me one day, and wouldn't fit a mouse the next...
Clothes that shrink - that takes me back a few years.
I remember jeans which you bought too large and were then supposed to wear them in the bath to make them shrink to fit.
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>>We've been through the reasons it's 30, and that it uses more energy at a higher level, and costs more,
and washes better. Mrs C knows better than you do, why bully her? Enzymes work best at 40 degrees. The other elements in soap powder work best at hotter temperatures, say 60 or 90 degrees - the hotter the better, depending on how the fabric will stand up to it.
Nothing gets whites whiter than a boil wash, you're kidding yourself if you think that's not true. 30 degrees does not get clothes clean and Mrs C doesn't want you going out dirty as it reflects on her. You're as stingy as they come so of course she humours you when you ask her to wash at 30, but she's no fool (unlike you).
Ignore the "turn to 30" ads, they're just there to encourage you to buy that brand of soap powder because they tell you it's green. Not because it washes better at 30.
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Cor blimey, MM, you do like to say it like it is, or at least, as you like to think it is. I don't think I'm a fool, although I like to play it. I understand it's hard to tell the difference on the internet, so you're magnanimously forgiven your rudeness. If I thought you were a fool, or worse, I wouldn't say so, but hey, we're all different.
Well, Mrs C doesn't do my washing, or I hers, so we have our own temperature ranges to play with.
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>> If I thought you were a fool, or worse, I wouldn't say so, but hey, we're all different.
I didn't suggest you are a fool, merely I was trying to educate.
Anyway, I don't really care, one way or the other. You have, however described your wife as a fool in extraordinarily patronising terms which I consider utterly unacceptable - particularly when your own reasoning is scientifically incorrect. Somebody should stand up for her as you clearly won't.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Wed 24 Aug 11 at 16:27
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>>When did you last clean its detergent container or check its filter? Haa Thought not!
>>
If only I could escape cleaning the drawer!!!!
SWMO is not able to extract it. The softner section clogs up and the black stuff needs shifting.
I of course have to do the draining and filter check.
Last time the pipe TO the filter was blocked by one of those dye catching cloths - there is progress for you. The filter contained coins of the realm in a strange colour and various odds n ends. Lots of brownie point cos SWMBO thought it was a new machine coming.
Just to explain - our ancient AEG has the drawer on the right but all the current machines of all the brands I have seen have a LH drawer.
Is this another elf n safety thing or a Euro thing.
Wimmin! SWMBO llikes RH washing machine drawers !!!
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I certainly use the Small Load/Quick Wash a lot and the wool programme too.
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>>I washed my genes, sweatshirt and bb cap at 90 the other day<<
Is that 'ethnic cleansing'? ;-)
Dunno about the programmes thing. I'll ask her if I remember...
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>>I washed my genes, <<
Is that 'ethnic cleansing'? ;-)
Hehe! ... very good monsewer :)
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It's program 6 at 40'C for just about everything in ours, usually with the Quick Wash button pushed in. That roughly halves the time to about 45 min and works on all but the grubbiest stuff. I do occasionally use the 30'C 'silk' setting for synthetics, usually sports gear, but then it hardly gets a spin and comes out dripping wet, which is a pain.
A related question: do you use the recommended amount of detergent? We found years ago that one Persil tablet got everything just as clean as the recommended two - and that was before we moved to a house with a water softener. And we ran out of Comfort in 1999, realized we didn't miss it and haven't bought any since.
Yet another thing: dishwasher tablets. With the softened water, our machine had been struggling to rinse the glasses completely, so they came out smelling soapy. I started breaking Ecover tablets into two, then three, and I'm now running a normal load with a quarter of a tablet. The glasses smell better and the other stuff gets just as clean.
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Reminds me of my nephew (in university) phones mother and asks her. "I know you've told me to wash colours and whites separately, but what about blue stuff ?"....silence......."blue stuff ?" "Yes, I can see 'Whites' and 'Coloureds' on the machine but nothing for blue"
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Men washing machine experts, heard it all now, if your SWMBO's were still doggedly using twin tubs or a washboard, followed by a mangle i wager you wouldn't be showing them how to do it properly.
Give the little woman advice how to sew buttons on and put a new fly zip in your best trouser too..?, oh and spray starch my collars when you do the ironing there's a dear....
When she comes out and tells you how to change the oil remember this thread.
:-)
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My nomination for Best Invention Ever is the Colour Catcher, a little paper pad that goes in with the load and prevents one colour bleeding into another. It really works, and each sheet costs about 25p and can be used many times. I still wash the white things separately, but everything else just goes in together, so there's always enough for a full load.
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>> My nomination for Best Invention Ever is the Colour Catcher, a little paper pad that
>> goes in with the load and prevents one colour bleeding into another. It really works,
>> and each sheet costs about 25p and can be used many times
>>
and that is exactly what blocked the pipe from drum to filter on our machine.
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Our programmer is faulty! - so our washing cycle is:-
run tap till water hot,
pour two watering cans of water into machine via soap dispenser,
15mins churn on no1 (the only setting it works on) and pump out,
leave off 5mins, give machine a damn good shaking, or else it wont spin,
spin-out, two more cans cold water for rinse, repeat above,
repeat twice more till no soap can b e seen, spin off, and empty!
only takes an hour!! - and i get to do it all!! ;-(
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>> only takes an hour!! - and i get to do it all!! ;-(
If that were me, my washing cycle would begin
www.comet.co.uk.
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devonite, I'll point SWMBO at your post. she wants a new dishwasher because if you don't give the programmer a wiggle the machine sticks on the pre-wash rinse cycle. That's apart from the red X I've marked on the side of the machine to indicate where it needs an occasional tap to dislodge a sticky float valve. ;>)
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This is for devonike ~ tinyurl.com/3mr2u3c (ebay)
:-D
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As if doing the washing isn`t enough! now you want me to put my sewing thimbles on and play a tune as well! ;-)
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>> The softener section clogs up
There is, literally, a solution to this :)
One capful conditioner, 2 capfuls water. Dilutes the gloopy concentrate stuff and stops it getting stuck in the drawer.
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Unless you are using the pre-wash programme there is no need to put the powder in the soap dispenser tray to clog up. Just put it straight in the drum with the clothes.
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I find the handwash programme with low temperature setting on our machine useful for items marked "handwash only".
I find it saves you handwashing things. By hand.
Last edited by: Alanović on Wed 24 Aug 11 at 16:26
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We always use liquid detergent in a dosing cap placed inside the drum.
Result - no powder clag.
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>> We always use liquid detergent in a dosing cap placed inside the drum.
>> Result - no powder clag.
>>
Look after your dosing cap as the makers have moved on and th ecaps are no longer on the bottles so SWMBO tells me :-(
It is the softner that gums up the little cap ( that acts as a weir) in the drawer.
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I can't believe this is being discussed on here!
Guys get a grip!! Beer, women, cars etc - remember??
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It's boring isn't it, Bobby?
I think it should be renamed househusbands.com.
Pat
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www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiAL1IA0bnM
I filmed my washing machine spinning earlier.
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and pat said washing machine are boring! what do girls know about stuff.
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I could live with RP's washing machine.
Pat
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Our new machine came today. Guess we probably only use the same 2 or 3 programes.
Went for a John Lewis own brand one. Got an offer of a free 5 year warranty, and the guy in the shop tell sme that they are rebadged AEG machines. Ours gets quite a hammering so if it lasts the warranty I will be happy
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On all the washing machines owned, I've used only two programmes.
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Changing the subject slightly we know you domesticated gods use the vacuum cleaner, the washing machine and the dishwasher, but how many of you actually clean the oven?
It's the job all women hate and we could do with some technical direction on just how we should be doing it from a man who can!
Don't tell me to roast my beef in a roasting pan with a lid on either, I like the crispy bits on the outside too much.
Pat
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... I like the crispy bits on the outside too much...
Roasting beef under a loose covering of foil will give crispy bits and a cleanish oven.
A step further is to wrap the joint in a loose foil parcel which means the pan will require very little washing up.
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There used to be things called self-cleaning ovens. I think what it meant was coloured dark mat brown so the stains never showed.
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...There used to be things called self-cleaning ovens...
There did, I think the regime involved running the oven flat out for half an hour.
I never grasped how an oven could clean itself.
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We tend not to get proper self cleaning ovens over here, they use a special cycle to heat up (450c+) above the normal temperature range of a UK oven, and they lock the door during the cycle.
The best we get is some "self cleaning" panels on the side, that act as a catalyst to reduce the fat to ash at higher temperatures.
I have always found self cleaning ovens to be a complete waste of time. as they never have a self cleaning bottom panel, and thats where most of the fat ends up.
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>> I never grasped how an oven could clean itself.
Our new kitchen has just been installed (IKEA since you didn't ask, great quality, teriffic installers, tremendous price), and the new oven is self cleaning. Or "Pyrolytic" to give it its gibberish name. There is a setting on the dial which you point the arrow to, then the oven heats up to a temperature far above cooking temperature, turning dirt and burnt on residues to a fine powder, which can then be swept out of the oven afterwards.
That's the theory, it hasn't got dirty enough yet to give it a whirl.
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...That's the theory, it hasn't got dirty enough yet to give it a whirl...
Thanks Zeddo and Alanovic - that it explains it nicely.
I don't tend to do hot splattery things to get the oven dirty.
And as I mentioned earlier, a bit of tin foil here and there is good for dirt control.
Alanovic, how about a pic or two of the new kitchen?
Last edited by: Iffy on Thu 25 Aug 11 at 10:21
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>> Alanovic, how about a pic or two of the new kitchen?
I'll do that when the splashback tiling, lighting and flooring has been finished. The units and appliances are lovely but the rest of the room is unfinished - won't be complete until mid-Sep. Need to have a new patio door installed, then the underfloor heating and tiling, splashbacks and spotlights need doing also. Nearly there..................
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Wow! Slow workmanship, no wonder it was cheap.
;)
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Smiley noted Z - the IKEA installers are not responsible for the flooring, tiling and window stuff. That's just me being disorganised!
The installers had the old kitchen out and the new one in place within a week. They managed to keep a sink plumbed in for us all week, replaced with new at the last minute, to minimise disruption. Really good installer, in fact it was one bloke plus one electrician (who had to do a fair bit of background stuff like a new consumer unit for the house).
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As I said in your previous kitchen thread, people knock IKEA, but they are extremely good at what they do.
Tesco is the same.
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I tend to use the Remoska Cooker (from Lakeland) to roast anything that might splatter or make a mess as they are soooo easy to clean.
I have to admit thought that our ovens might make an enviromental health officer raise an eyebrow if they were inspected at the moment - but they are on a "to do" list !
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>>I tend to use the Remoska Cooker<<
Mmm - interesting, I've never come across those before.
www.remoska.co.uk/
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good lord! over a hundred quid for what is not much more than a facny slow cooker!
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>>good lord! over a hundred quid for what is not much more than a facny slow cooker!<<
Well ... you could always pay by Czech.
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>>but how many of you actually clean the oven?<<
You can get geezers who'll come round and do that for thee ~
www.ovenclean.com/#1
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Just place an oven liner at the bottom of the oven.
Sorted
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>> Just place an oven liner at the bottom of the oven.
>> Sorted
My wife tells me that works well.
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Roasting bags work, too. keeps the meat moist and will also let it brown.
For cleaning a cooker, SWMBO uses and recommends "Oven Mate"@ around £7.50, which we get from Lakeland, although it is available elsewhere.
Does what it says on the bottle, although it is not much more than a caustic soda gel.
Last edited by: Roger on Thu 25 Aug 11 at 13:53
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Used one called oven pride to. you get a bottle of stuff and a bag to put the racks etc in. recall it did a good job, but needs doing again........
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>> Don't tell me to roast my beef in a roasting pan with a lid on either, I like the crispy bits on the outside too much.
Have you tried a roasting bag. Our local discount store has them for something like 80p for a pack of 10. Wilko's, Tesco and the like also sell them, but are dearer.
They really help to keep the oven clean, so my mum says.
edit - just found the ones that the discount store sell on Amazon, but slightly dearer - tinyurl.com/3zrxcng
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 25 Aug 11 at 21:45
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So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven himself:)
Watched the wife, even proferred advice but preventative measures seem to be the order of the day.
Is that because the inside of an oven has no twiddly bits, technology or financial saving if it's tuned to perfection?
Or could it be you just don't like getting your hands dirty!
Pat
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"So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven himself:)
Watched the wife, even proferred advice but preventative measures seem to be the order of the day.
Is that because the inside of an oven has no twiddly bits, technology or financial saving if it's tuned to perfection?
Or could it be you just don't like getting your hands dirty!
Pat"
You don't keep a dog and bark yourself ! :-)
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I'd rather buy a new cooker than clean the blimming thing, I (think) I cleaned one many, many years ago using some spray on stuff - what's the point though, it don't run any better, does it!
The ole woman cleaned the cooker before we left Truro - said it was filthy (looked alright to me, did'n tit)
The Canon cooker here (bought from prev owner) was filthy ... still is, works OK though :)
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>>I (think) I cleaned one many, many years ago
Me, too. It was in a rented flat when we first got together. The wretched thing hadn't been cleaned for a decade or more by the look of it. Took me a full day.
The wife tells me that they are much easier to clean now, though.
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There's very little satisfaction to be gained from cleaning a cooker.
It's a black hole when you start, and it's still a black hole when you've finished.
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>> There's very little satisfaction to be gained from cleaning a cooker.
>> It's a black hole when you start, and it's still a black hole when you've
>> finished.
But the chrome shelving looks a treat...
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>> So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven
>> himself:)
hands up! I do, I clean the oven. Its just something you dont admit to, let alone boast about.
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>> So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven
>> himself:)
In our house there are (usually) clearly defined responsibilities. I can't remember the last time my wife washed the car or mowed the lawns; she will be unable to remember the last time I cooked a meal or loaded the washing machine.
She will have a clean car for her trip to the supermarket tomorrow morning, and I will enjoy a hearty breakfast upon her return.
Works well for us.
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>> >>
>> I will enjoy a hearty breakfast upon her return.
>>
Not too hearty I hope, or she will be hastening the day when she has to learn to do all of your jobs too :)
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>>or she will be hastening the day when she has to learn to do all of your jobs too :)
That, of course, is the disadvantage of such an arrangement.
:)
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The oven gets cleaned here, just press the nuke button..
Amazing to find a tiny scattering of ash and all signs of previous burnt on stains gone.
However it's not a good idea to leave the chrome plated shelves in, that scattering of ash.....
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So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven...
If you're cleaning the oven with your male member... Or did I misread that?
Amazing to hear the Remoška mentioned; I thought Lakeland had made it up. Lakeland, for those who don't know, is an extraordinary retailer that sells some useful and unusual kitchen utensils and consumables, a lot of gimmicky nonsense, and various electricals at prices you'd pay only if you'd never been to Comet.
Most remarkably, they reward their customers for paying their sky-high prices by getting them to do their selling for them. The catalogue has a cosy, clubby letters page in which Marjorie Miggins of Melton Mowbray explains how the cat tray cleaner also makes a really useful toothbrush caddy. And the things people write about their Remoškas!
It's achieved cult status in our household, in a what-will-they-think-of-next sort of way. And there is some good stuff in there - just don't buy a kettle from them.
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...Lakeland, for those who don't know, is an extraordinary retailer that sells some useful and unusual kitchen utensils and consumables, a lot of gimmicky nonsense, and various electricals at prices you'd pay only if you'd never been to Comet...
Nicely put.
I enjoy a wander around their flagship store in Windermere when I'm over that way, but rarely buy anything - apart from a coffee and a naughty cake in the upstairs restaurant.
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We`ve got a 16lt Halogen jobby! - absolutely brill! never used the (dirty) one since! - just stick this one in the dishwasher!!
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>> So we can conclude that no male member of car4play has actually cleaned the oven
>> himself:)
>> could it be you just don't like getting your hands dirty!
If we could use a pressure hose, shot blaster, or power drill / angle grinder with wire brush attachment to clean it with, then I'm sure we would.
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Does anyone use washing machine programmes? - sherlock47
