Class-Action Suit Targets Moldy GE Washing Machines
Suit says company deceived customers by not revealing the problem
02/06/2012 | By Truman Lewis
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ConsumerAffairs.com
| Class Actions
Echoing a complaint that will be familiar to many readers, General Electric Co. is being sued by a consumer who says its front-loading washing machines have design defects that give a moldy and mildewy odor to clothes.
The complaint, filed in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, claims the washers fail to clean and rid themselves of byproducts of washing, fostering an atmosphere conducive to mold and mildew. The suit claims GE hid from consumers the need to run extra cycles of hot water or bleach to combat mold.
"I am unable to close the door of the washing machine, due to the overwhelming smell of mold that continues to increase," said Marcus of Dublin, Ohio, in a complaint to ConsumerAffairs.com. "The drain on the bottom is always full of water that has an awful odor. My wife is very allergic to mold and has had continued respiratory problems for the last several months. Our clothes and towels smell of mold and I am ready to put this washer out on the curb."
“Items washed in the washing machines smell foul due to the mold problems,” claims the lawsuit by Stanley Fishman of West Orange, New Jersey, seeking group, or class-action, status. “GE also fails to disclose the extraordinary maintenance and associated expenses that its washing machines require to combat the accumulation of mold, mildew and biofilm.”
Patti of Cedar Creek, Texas, described in detail the measures she used to try to rid her GE front-loaded of mold:
"I bleached it once a week to try to keep it from growing. By 8 months, the mold smell was horrible. I peeled back the gasket and there was mold all around. From then on, I alternated with bleach and vinegar," she told ConsumerAffairs.com. "I called the warranty company and they said they never heard of such a problem and to just keep spraying it with bleach. Fast forward 3 years and bottles of bleach and vinegar later, the laundry room smells of mold as well as all of our clothing."
The complaint claims GE violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, breached express and implied warranties, and unjustly enriched itself. It seeks unspecified compensatory damages.
Suzy Pfeiffer Mendenhall (Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:24:36 +0000): I have the identical problem with my Frigidaire front loader.
Rachael Fie (Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:19:39 +0000): I have a Frigidaire front loader also with the same problem!!!
Ted Kroll (Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:43:37 +0000): I have a Whirlpool Duet and also have had that problem. Now I leave the door open just a little after use and it seems to have helped, However, I wish I had bought a top loader. They will do soooo much more then a front loader. Ted
Teresa Thiele Carlson-Minks (Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:44:13 +0000): I have one and it does that too! I hate it! Mine is a Kenmore Elite, I got it at Sears (I got the warranty from Sears) The "repairman" came to "fix" it (DO NOT GET SEARS WARRANTIES!) after multiple trips, it still was broken (they charged me 35 every time even though they did not fix it!) So get this, Sears calls to "sell" me special "soap" to clean the washer (seriously....) Luckily I now have a hubby who can fix this stupid overpriced washing machine. He put a new mother board in and new water things that let the hot and cold water be regulated. It works fine now and most of the smell is gone. I have to always wipe inside down with bleach, never leave clothes in for more than 4 hours (they start to stink) every 5th load I do super hot towels with bleach, and randomly put white vinegar in a load to help. FRUSTRATING!
Dianne Mathews Dye (Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:55:38 +0000): Is there any front loader that doesn't have this problem. Guy at Big Box store LG was good, and they had built in drains so that this would not happen. Did it work -- or is this just a way to make a sale?
Brenda Hanes Minor (Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:58:33 +0000): I have a Maytag that does this.
Jeanne Hale (Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:55:25 +0000): The new machines are very quiet running compared to the old ones (I used to have Maytag front loader). I have the LG and have had problems with slight door leaks and the dryer will also leak on the steam fresh cycle. I do have them stacked and they really don't vibrate- very steady. I buy a washer cleaner powder from Home Depot to use in it that also works like a charm.
Mindy Maloney Grissom (Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:47:53 +0000): DO NOT BUY A FRONT LOAD SYSTEM -I don't care what the other's post about this, but all of the systems will do this and it will take about a year before you see that the terrible smells and discoloration is occuring. Don't waste your money - get the top load system and spend the money you would have spent buying the front load piece of junk and get a higher end top load system. The manufacturer's won't warranty the problems and attempt to avert the issue by making it a consumer-use issue by saying you didn't do the three-hour a week require maintenance of bleach, wiping seal, etc.
smellywasher.com (Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:25:45 +0000): How you clean your washer is just as important as what is used. To remove persistent or returning odor you should fill the washer into a hot setting after adding your cleaner. A cleaning or soak cycle work best. After the washer stops filling you should add 2-5 gallons of hot water in order to also soak the "splash area" above the normal waterline where suds and soiled water splash up and don't get rinsed out. The buildup can get quite thick so repeated applications may be needed!
Other tips include:
Do your cleaning cycle with 3 older towels to cause the washer to add more water. The towels also cause a "wave effect" to splash the cleaner higher.
Using mainly cold water for washing is fine but makes preventive maintenance very important. A hot soak or wash as your last cycle on wash day will help dissolve and flush out odor-causing residue.
Leaving the door open does lessen odor by drying out the residue. However, it makes the residue much more difficult to clean and also leaves a base for more residue to collect on and odor returns.
If your washer smells with the door open or closed it's time to clean it!
To compare washing machine cleaner go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua6OJPn0-fU.
Stephanie Stout (Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:34:52 +0000): I believe this is a common issue with front loaders and has been for years. My Maytag Neptune set had this issue, and now my Whirlpool set has had this problem, but the Whirlpool has a cycle for use with a product called Affresh. Even if you don't have the Affresh cycle, you can probably run your washer under a heavy cycle with hot water and an Affresh tablet. Affresh works very well for me. Hopefully it can help some of you who have been tormented by your smelly washers.
Anna Lapenna (Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:08:32 +0000): My washer has a superhot sanitary cycle, which I use with white underwear and/or towels. It is a long cycle and has a preheater. Also, once in a while I run the sanitary cycle with a couple of towels AND liquid bleach. After each wash, use an old washcloth, peel back the rubber gasket and wipe it down removing any chunks or gunk. I also do NOT close the door (luckily I have a separate laundry room). I have had the machine for about three or four years - no problems. I love how dry the thing spins the clothes - have my old drier still and it works MUCH less than it used to with my old top loader.
This front loader needs more maintenance, but it is woth it.
Georgia Link (Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:45:52 +0000): We have a Maytag Neptune and have the same problem....mold, mold and more mold, machine must be dried out with every load...Dry inside the bin and around the gasket and in between the gasket.. I was using Tide cleaner once a month, but now I have found A=Fresh and it leaves a pleasant odor, Cleaning table needs to be use once a month, probably more frequently if you do more than a load a day. 6-7 a week.
Pam Newman-Ortega (Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:40:10 +0000): Really bad smell coming from my Maytag Bravos top loader... PLEASE HELP! Are there any class action suits going on for this currently? I have thrown away countless towels. It's to the point where I run the affresh after every 4 loads. I ALWAYS leave the door open. This is INSANE! We paid a lot of $$$ to have it ruin my clothes and the added stress is ridiculous. Please advise!
Carolyn Cotter (Fri, 25 May 2012 19:59:41 +0000): I have the same problem as everyone else, moldy odor. I have a Whirlpool Cabrio top load. I have tried the clean cycle with bleach, as suggested. I've tried vinegar and oxyclean but nothing worked. After reading the manual for the umpteenth time and stopping the washer during a wash, I found there wasn't enough water in the machine. Only the bottom layer of clothes were wet. Took out the mesh filter on hose attached to washer. More water comes into the machine before it goes into wash cycle. Have not had the problem since.........so far.