| Identifying Common Stains
Here's a list of common stains and tips for identifying them.
Fabric Softener Stains
A colored, blotchy stain with a greasy feel may be caused by rinse-added fabric softener. The color of this stain will vary depending on the color of the fabric softener. In addition, the stain may turn a "dingy" gray color and feel greasy if it attracts soils from the load.
Dryer-added fabric softener sheets may also stain clothes. These generally appear as streaky, translucent, oily stains. Both rinse-and dryer-added softener stains can be removed by rubbing the dampened stain with a bar soap (Lux*, Ivory*) and relaundering.
Rust Stains
Yellow, orange or red stains may be caused by iron or manganese in the water supply or from rusty water heaters and pipes.
Rust stains are not removed by chlorine bleach, instead they are made darker. A rust remover such as RoVer Rust Remover* or Whink* should be used.
Mildew Stains
Mildew creates a spattering pattern of gray/ black "pinprick" stains. These are often found on children's garments, outdoor cushions, camping gear, shower curtains, etc.
To remove mildew, pretreat the stains and launder in the hottest water appropriate for the item. Use chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric. If the stains remain, sponge with hydrogen peroxide, rinse and relaunder. More stubborn stains may be permanent.
You can also identify stains by noticing certain patterns. More clues in identifying mystery stains:
Location of the Stain(s)
Stains appearing predominantly on the front, neckline, seat, knees, cuffs, socks, etc. usually means they occurred while the garment was being worn or used. For example, stains around the neckline and shoulders are often due to hair care products. Although visual analysis may not allow identification of the exact source of these stains, the pattern indicates the staining occurred prior to laundering.
Number of Garments Stained
If only one or two item(s) in the load were stained, it generally means the staining occurred before laundering. In the rare event a washer or dryer was to stain garments, the stains would appear throughout the load. A washer or dryer cannot "select" one item to stain while leaving others unaffected.
Bunched Stains
These stains appear scattered throughout a small area as if the item was wadded or bunched up when it came in contact with a staining substance. They often have a "tie-dyed" appearance to them. Bunched stains can occur when the item is lying in a pile on the floor, in a hamper or laundry basket or in the washtub before laundering.
Pinched Stains
Pinched stains are often gray or black in color and appear as though the item was caught or pinched. If the stains show up at the end of a wash cycle, the items may be getting caught between the tub and tub cover. While it is unusual for this to happen, it is more likely to occur if the washer is being overloaded. As a guideline, dry unfolded clothes should be placed loosely into the washer up to the top row of holes in the tub for a maximum load.
If the stains appear only after dryer drying, it may be a misaligned dryer tumbler or an extremely overloaded dryer. In this situation, items may be catching between the dryer tumbler and front or rear bulkhead. If this seems the logical source the dryer should be checked by a service technician or smaller loads should be dried.
Colored Stains
If the stain is blue, green, purple, pink, red, etc., it usually means dye from another garment washed in the same load transferred to this item since none of these colors are used in the manufacture of Maytag appliances.
Dye transfer generally occurs when unstable dyes are used in fabric. Color bleeding from one section/item to another, damp items left lying in the washer after the cycle or in a pile prior to laundering can also cause dye transfer. The manufacturer of the garment is ultimately responsible for selecting and testing appropriate dyes, as well as providing accurate care labels.
Soil Transfer
If the stain or garment feels greasy and has a dingy appearance, it is an indication of overall poor cleaning. Low water temperature, improper sorting and under use of detergent can result in unremoved stains or soil transfer from one garment to another.
Go to Washer Repair Help
Go to Appliance Repair Help
Go to FAQ
|
