There’s nothing like a load of fresh, clean laundry.
Picture opening the washer doors, pulling out your favorite white shirt, and- oh no, are those brown stains? Those weren’t there before!
What happens when your dirty clothes come out even dirtier from the washer? It is possible that the washer is staining your clothes during its regular wash cycles.
In this article, we’ll deal with why this happens and what you can do to fix it!
What Causes Washer Stains and How to Fix Them
Your Samsung washer could leave stains on your clothes due to detergent and fabric softener buildup, an overloaded or dirty washer, or hard water.
These cause staining on your garments and can even damage your washer altogether.
In the table below, we go through the common causes of washer stains and the ways to fix them at home.
| Causes | Fix |
| Detergent and Fabric Softener Buildup | • Clean the detergent and fabric softener dispenser. • Fill a bucket or big mixing basin halfway with warm water, then add a capful of regular laundry detergent. • Fill the fabric softener dispenser halfway with the mixture. • Press the “warm rinse” option on the washing machine. • After draining the washer, use a moist rag to wipe off any muck or filth that has not been cleaned off. |
| Overloaded Washer | • Avoid overloading your washer by washing your laundry in smaller loads. • Sort garments by color, fabric, and dirt level. • Use the appropriate water level and amount of detergent for the load size. |
| Dirty Washer Drum | • Pour a quart of white vinegar into the wash drum with a cup of baking soda. • Use a stiff nylon brush and vinegar to scrub the interior of the wash drum. •Run a hot wash or heavy-duty wash cycle. •Drain the washer drum and wipe it dry with a clean towel. |
| Hard Water | • Consider doing a warmer wash cycle. • Sort your clothes according to garment type and load the washer in different batches. Start with the items of clothing that cannot stand hard water. |
Detergent and Fabric Softener Buildup
Detergent stains can take several forms, including blue or white splotches, a waxy finish, or a rough texture.
Detergent and fabric softener stains are caused by build-up in the washer’s soap dispenser. Luckily, all you have to do in this case is to clean the washer’s soap dispensers.
Solution: Clean the detergent and fabric softener dispenser.
- Step 1: Fill a bucket or big mixing basin halfway with warm water, then add a capful of regular laundry detergent.
- Step 2: Fill the fabric softener dispenser halfway with the mixture.
Pour the liquid into the dispensers gently, being careful not to spill any of the soap mix.
- Step 3: Press the “warm rinse” option on the washing machine.
If your washing machine does not have a “warm rinse” option but “cool rinse” you may press this instead.
- Step 4: Run at least three warm detergent rinses.
- Step 5: Between rinses, add hot, sudsy water into the fabric softener dispenser. This will help further break down any remaining detergent or fabric softener residue left inside the washer.
- Step 6: After draining the washer, use a moist rag to wipe off any muck or filth that has not been cleaned off.
| Quick Tip: Try using a mixture of vinegar and liquid dish soap to clean the dispenser. The acidity from the vinegar helps break down scum and residue left by detergent or fabric softeners. |
Overloaded Washer
A crowded washer prevents water and detergent from reaching every portion of the laundry load, which in turn causes dirt and soil particles.
Remember that your garments require space to move for water and detergent to disperse.
Solution: Avoid overloading your washer by washing your clothes in different cycles.
- Step 1: Sort garments by color, fabric, and dirt level.
- Step 2: Wash fewer things in a single load.
- Step 3: Use the appropriate water level and amount of detergent for the load size.
Dirty Washer Drum
The drum in your washer may have some oily residue collected from a recent wash load. This might stain the following load of laundry with grey or black oil.
Solution: To fix this, use a cup of white vinegar or bleach to clean the drum. Be sure the washer drum is empty.
- Step 1: Pour a quart of white vinegar into the wash drum with a cup of baking soda.
- Step 2: Use a stiff nylon brush and vinegar to scrub the interior of the wash drum.
- Step 3: Run a hot wash cycle with this cleaning solution. Select the heavy-duty wash cycle if available.
- Step 4: Drain the washer drum and wipe it dry with a clean towel.
Hard Water
Hard water, which contains dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium, is the cause of a wide range of typical laundry difficulties, and it is found in around 85% of U.S. households.
Higher amounts of minerals in your water can interfere with the cleansing power of your laundry detergent and leave behind buildup that won’t readily wash away.
Solution: Consider doing a warmer wash cycle.
- Step 1: Because hot water is more destructive to textiles, it may not be appropriate for each load. Before selecting a warm or hot cycle, carefully read the care label on your garments.
- Step 2: Sort your clothes according to garment type and load the washer in different batches. Start with the items of clothing that cannot stand hard water.
- Step 3: Increase the water temperature to increase the rate of chemical reactions. The hotter the water, the better the cleaning.
How to Prevent Washer Stains
To prevent washer stains from happening again, make it a habit to regularly clean the washer drum.
It is also essential that you do not overload your washer and choose the right detergent for every load.
The brand of detergent you want to use in your laundry load is up to you, but a Samsung washer requires you to use HE (High Efficiency) detergents.
| Quick Note: Regular detergent, organic detergent, or detergents with “natural” components like vinegar or baking soda should not be used for regular loads of laundry. Using them may damage your machine further. |
Fixing Stains from a Samsung Washer
There are two ways to fix washer stains, soaking and agitating the stain or using vinegar.
Soaking and Agitating the Stain
If you overload your washer, chances are the clothes did not have enough room to move around. This doesn’t allow the detergent to reach through the stains.
To agitate the stains left on your laundry from your Samsung washer:
- Step 1: Take the clothes out of the washer and place them in a basin with warm soapy water.
- Step 2: Leave these to soak for a few minutes.
- Step 3: Using your forearm, agitate the clothes by spinning them around the basin.
- Step 4: Target specific stains by taking the garment between your hands and using the balls of your palms to create friction and rub the stain.
Using Vinegar on the Stain
Vinegar is effective for cleaning, deodorizing, and removing stains left by a dirty washer. It may also dissolve soap and fabric softener residue.
Removing the stain using vinegar requires a separate basin and a soft-bristled brush.
- Step 1: Soak the cloth in undiluted white vinegar for at least 15 minutes (no more than 30 minutes) to remove the stains.
- Step 2: Gently rub the stain with a soft-bristled brush.
- Step 3: When the spots are gone, rinse the cloth under warm water.
- Step 4: To get rid of the smell, soak the fabric in liquid detergent and rinse it out after 15 minutes.
Doing laundry is a tedious task in itself, and worrying whether your clothes are gonna come out clean or even dirtier shouldn’t even be a concern.
We hope that these tips and tricks help you understand the problem with your Samsung washer.
