Hotpoint Washer Dryer - Can feel detergent on clothes after washing

[J250_E152]

Hello all, I have looked at the common problems page and not found a specific answer to my query. A few months ago, both me and my wife started to feel itchy so I started to look at what we used for washing clothes. When I iron clothes after washing or use a towel, I can feel a film on my hands. I have tried various things: Switched from gel pods to powder.

Halved the amount of powder used. Switched to non-biological. I got a set of towels washed at a dry cleaners and they came back feeling fine. New clothes feel fine until they are washed. The machine is four years old. My working cause is that I changed from powder to gel pods in the last year. We mostly do washes at 30c with towels at 60c. Gel pods and cooler washes have meant that over time, an unmoveable residue has built up?

I have done multiple hot washes with no clothes recently and started to use the Hotpoint WPRO cleaner. I have looked at water in the machine near the end and it is clear with no bubbles. So, there is no visible leftover washing detergent. We have stopped itching but I can still feel a film on my hands after handling clothes. Is there anything else I can do?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello there. Are you using any fabric softener? Fabric softeners are designed these days to deliberately leave their strong smell over the laundry, which is presumably done by leaving some sort of residue?

[J250_E152]

I use Fabric softener for everything except towels.

However, I can feel detergent on the towels as well.

I have tried different fabric softeners with no difference.

I have went from normal to non-biological to Ecover.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Carefully check all of the writing on the detergent packaging. Many modern detergents are designed to leave a perfumed fragrance even after the laundry has been rinsed. Apparently some people like it, but many people do not. Try to find a detergent that does not do this. I would start here Best washing detergent for sensitive skin.

This is assuming that the problem is due to deliberate residues left by modern detergents. Which is not necessarily the case. An alternative theory would be that the washing machine just isn't rinsing the laundry efficiently. Make sure you are not selecting any eco-cycles or eco-buttons which may use a lot less water but be less efficient at rinsing. Make sure you are using the exact amount of detergent as described on the detergent box for your level of soiling, and hardness of water. If you are unsure how hard or soft your water as you can usually check quite easily online.

Finally, make sure you are not overloading the washing machine which can trap detergent in folds and prevent efficient washing and rinsing. Hopefully some of that will help.

 

[andyr12345]

strange that - I was going to suggest fabric softener because that is the last liquid to go onto the clothes that are washing. There is normally no more rinses after it takes in the fabric softener , it just goes , fabric softener  - mixes with water in the drum  - empties - spins .. and then finishes so I would have suspected fabric conditioner but if you have tried changing that I am at a loss - sorry. 

You have tried cleaning pump filter out just in case theres blockage and water is pumping out of the drum OK?

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Yes Andy, a lot of modern detergents actually have softener built in to them, which is stupid, especially as towels don't need softener as it inhibits their drying ability (Save on fabric softener when tumble drying). We often our towels with a short spell in the tumble dryer if they've gone hard after drying outside

Also, Don’t use fabric softener on children’s sleepwear

[J250_E152]

I will try out the detergents listed in the link.

The machine is a Hotpoint WDPG8640 washer dryer.

I registered with Which to see if there is a review.

The review for the WDPG8640 states multiple times that this model is very poor at rinsing out detergent!

I wish I had consulted Which before buying it.

With my skin, I am not getting any rashes, it's just that I can feel something on my clothes.

I had two pairs of identical summer trousers that were washed last summer.

I washed one pair last week. Tried both on and I can feel a difference.

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

I wrote an article you may be interested in called Why can’t modern washing machines rinse properly?