Lately washer leaving "stains" on clothing...what causes this?

Hi,

There can be several things that can cause this problem. The most common are:

1. Fabric softener - did you switch brands lately?

2. Chlorine bleach - if added at the wrong time

3. A mechanical problem with the washer, like a leaky transmission leaking oil.

4. Rust staining, sometimes caused by the water being used in the machine.

Here is a link to a site that discusses this issue more in depth:

http://www.stain-removal-101.com/washing-machine-stains.html

Hi Lynn, this is AP.

I understand you are seeing stains and lint on your clothes once removed from your top load washer, model FWS833A. There could be several culprits causing this to happen. To confirm, are the stains not being removed during cycle or do you believe the washer is the cause of the stains? If you believe the stains are being caused from the washer it could possibly be undiluted liquid fabric softener poured directly on fabric. Something more serious could be a broken transmission causing oil to leak in the tub.

There are some basic troubleshooting tips for lint to check such as undissolved detergent can leave residue on clothing. Separate clothing items which shed lint from items which attract lint. Permanent press, synthetic, knit and corduroy items will pick up lint from towels, rugs and chenille bedspreads. Make sure to Use correct amount of detergent, water temperature and water level.

There are some simple troubleshooting tips listed above and in your owner's manual, if you find they do not resolve your concern I would recommend contacting a local authorized technician to inspect the washer.

Thanks,

put less bleach in clean out soap dish

Stains on clothes from this model of washer are usually caused by the door boot or the tub bearing going out. I recommend cleaning off the surface of the door boot and if you still get stained clothes I recommend having the rear tub & basket checked. I am also sending you more troubleshooting tips in the image below.

The first place that I'd check would be the small metal screens inside the openings on the water inlet valve. They can get really rusted, epecially in areas with hard water, so I would recommend removing the water supply hoses and take a gander at the screens. They can sometimes release the iron oxide into the wash water and cause brown stains or blotches on clothing. Hope this helped and best wishes.

If this is a top load machine, you have a bad tub bearing. This will cause your clothes to have what looks like rust stains on them. It's actually grease form the bearing. It can be replaced and I would rate it a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the hardest.
Please rate solution

Since this happened from day 1, your water may be the problem. Do you have well water? If so, get a softener system. This will get rid of the iron, which is responsible for rust stains. I really doubt that a new machine would cause rust or grease.

Why didn't you do something five years ago when you first noticed this? It will be much more difficult to get a resolution from the manufacturer after5 years.

the dark stains are caused by mold build up on the boot of the washer, the e70 may be a pump error. you need to wet a cloth with bleach and then wipe of the mold builldup on the boot, this should solve that problem.

I have this problem on my front loading washer too, but only when washing white clothes. I have just read that perhaps the inlet hose is disintegrating from the hot water being too hot. The hose disintergration can cause black greasy stains on the clothes. I am going to check out the inlet hose when I get home. Hopefully this is the problem... I am sure a new inlet hose is a lot cheaper than a new transmission or new bearings. BTW, my washer in only 18 months old.

Black stains could only come from rubber part that is deteriorating. Need to check all hoses, rubber boot and at bearing seal.