Tons of soap in a front loading washer - Did I ruin it?

[dbsam]

My blind dog tipped over a gallon of CA Baby wash (I didn’t have the pump on tightly). I rushed to clean it up trying to avoid getting too much soap tracked through the house or oozed into the grout so I grabbed tons of bath towels and started scooping. Then I threw everything into the washing machine. A while later it hit me…I just filled my front loading machine with tons of non-HE soap…a whole lot of soap…maybe 40 ounces. The machine wasn’t sounding right and I couldn’t see anything. So I turned it off. It remained locked, probably thinking all the soap was a drum full of water. I let it sit for a while but the suds did not go down. I ran a one minute rinse with no spin, then the door unlocked. I took out all the towels and am now running a tub sanitary clean hoping it will remove all the suds. I am planning to hand rinse the towels and try again to wash them in the machine. I am afraid I will not get out enough soap…Can too much soap damage the machine? Maybe I should take the towels to a laundry place? Ugh…I dislike these new machines and miss my old washer and dryer; maybe I’m subconsciously trying to destroy them.

[ChristyMarie]

Yes, too much soap can damage it.

I would run a few cycles on empty - no soap, nothing. Just water. But wait a bit between each cycle for the suds to die down a bit.

I'd rinse the soapy towels in the sink until water runs clear.

Good luck!

[koofie]

Check if you have a tub clean cycle... Keep running it until there is no suds while washing.

[GoBecGo]

In general the damage soap causes in a front loader is that the suds fizz up, escape the drawer/tub (because they don't act like water, which is what the machine is expecting) and wet/short out the electrical bits of the machine, like the control panel. If that had happened you'd know about it, because the machine wouldn't work at all.

You can run a rinse cycle with the machine empty, but if it's stuffed with soap still it may well foam up again. You can also try a heavily soiled item (i use a towel i let DD drag about in the mud in the garden) because that will "use up" some of the soap.

Overall i wouldn't worry, the most dangerous bit is the first wash with all the soap, and your machine survived that bit!

[dbsam]

Thanks for all the replies.
GoBecGo - I'm glad to hear if there is damage it w/h/b immediate.

I hand rinsed the towels over and over but there was still so much soap. I probably s/h gotten rid of the towels but they are nice. I ended up washing them so many times to try and get out the soap I probably spent more in water than new towels w/h cost. I've run a few loads since and all is fine.

Today I accidentally sucked up one of my husband's socks in the central vac...Now I am worried I plugged the tubes somewhere in the house! I should stay away from everything mechanical for a few days.

[Jackies Ladybug]

run some vinegar through the washer to cut the suds, you can burn out your pump on the frontloader with too much soap.

you'll know if it burnt it out because the drum will drain really slowly.

if its brand new though, you may be able to get the pump replaced under warranty if you play the innocent card and keep your mouth shut about what happened

good luck, hope there isnt any permanant damage.

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by Jackies Ladybug

if its brand new though, you may be able to get the pump replaced under warranty if you play the innocent card and keep your mouth shut about what happened

good luck, hope there isnt any permanant damage.

It is less than one year old, but...I called their support line late last night to see if they had suggestions. So they know the whole story. I hope there isn't any damage either.

[GoBecGo]

If the pump is burned the washing will still be soaking after the spin part of the cycle, and/or the door won't release (depending on how the machine detects it's safe to unlock the door, some have a weight sensor, some have a water level sensor - older ones sometimes have neither which means you can open the door and flood your kitchen (but those are now 15+ years old!)) at the end of the cycle. I'm in the UK, front loaders are all i've ever used and i've been poor for years and thus done a TON of maintenance on those machines, generally you can tell right away if you broke it

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

If the pump is burned the washing will still be soaking after the spin part of the cycle, and/or the door won't release (depending on how the machine detects it's safe to unlock the door, some have a weight sensor, some have a water level sensor - older ones sometimes have neither which means you can open the door and flood your kitchen (but those are now 15+ years old!)) at the end of the cycle. I'm in the UK, front loaders are all i've ever used and i've been poor for years and thus done a TON of maintenance on those machines, generally you can tell right away if you broke it

Thank you for all the info.
I miss my simple Maytag top loader. My husband was able to fix it when there was a problem. I'm hoping he would be able to work in this one too if I did cause a problem.

[GoBecGo]

Honestly, you get used to them! I've never used a toploader, though i did have a childhood friend whose little brother managed to fall headfirst into a twin tub (top loader) and drown when he was 15 months - pretty grim! But she will be 30 this year and was 4 when he died, and that machine was ancient even then. It's been a long time since we all used them. I often long for one though, when i have a massive load of washing to do, but we looked at one when we moved house recently and were getting a new machine anyway and they're just not economical enough - plus most UK homes have them in the kitchen rather than in a basement or utility and my worktops run above the washers (laundry and dish) so i couldn't get my load into one anyway...ho hum.

I have done all sorts of stuff with my various washers (most of which were as old as me!) from changing a pump to fitting new brushes to, well, you name it! My rule was that if it cost less to get the part and fix it (and i could do it myself) than it'd cost to buy another reconditioned 2nd hand machine then i would do it myself. It's a steep and sometimes frustrating learning curve, but here i am, nearly 30 and not scared of broken machines I can also change drive belts in dryers, plumb in dish washers, rewire light sockets and a dozen other handy things you don't want to have to pay for unless you're forced.

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

Honestly, you get used to them! I've never used a toploader, though i did have a childhood friend whose little brother managed to fall headfirst into a twin tub (top loader) and drown when he was 15 months - pretty grim! But she will be 30 this year and was 4 when he died, and that machine was ancient even then. It's been a long time since we all used them. I often long for one though, when i have a massive load of washing to do, but we looked at one when we moved house recently and were getting a new machine anyway and they're just not economical enough - plus most UK homes have them in the kitchen rather than in a basement or utility and my worktops run above the washers (laundry and dish) so i couldn't get my load into one anyway...ho hum.

I have done all sorts of stuff with my various washers (most of which were as old as me!) from changing a pump to fitting new brushes to, well, you name it! My rule was that if it cost less to get the part and fix it (and i could do it myself) than it'd cost to buy another reconditioned 2nd hand machine then i would do it myself. It's a steep and sometimes frustrating learning curve, but here i am, nearly 30 and not scared of broken machines I can also change drive belts in dryers, plumb in dish washers, rewire light sockets and a dozen other handy things you don't want to have to pay for unless you're forced.

That is a horribly sad story about the washing machine.

You sound like my husband...he is willing to tackle any repair. With our last machine, the transmission went out and it wasn't worth purchasing the part. I really do not mind the front load washer as much as the dryer. Although I hang many of our loads; in the winter I dry about half of the loads and the sensors do not work on the machine so I feel I am always under/over drying. Plus towels do not come out soft or fluffy. The washer holds as much as our top loader but I can no longer use baking soda and needed to change the way I wash a little. (and I am very particular in my washing methods.) I do love the sanitary cycle for my household/kitchen rags.

Thanks again!