Washing detergent not dissolving in soap drawer
So I just got my first wash done in my new washing machine. I was told that it didn’t matter which detergent I used. But after the wash had finished, I opened the drawer and noticed that at least half of the surf powder was still there. When fitted, the washer was only connected to the cold water supply. From my previous experience, the detergent dissolved better in warm water. Would liquid detergent be a better choice? Tia.
Solution Summary
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This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Detergent left in drawer due to poor flush rather than poor dissolving
- The problem
- After the first wash on a new washing machine, around half of the powder detergent remained in the dispenser drawer. The machine had only been connected to the cold water supply, and the user wondered if cold water or powder detergent was the cause.
- Likely cause
- The accepted advice was that the detergent should be flushed from the drawer into the drum, not dissolved in the drawer. The strongest supported cause is insufficient incoming water pressure or flow to the dispenser. An out-of-level machine was also suggested as a possible contributing factor.
- What fixed it
- Check that the cold water supply is fully on and that the incoming water flow is adequate. Also check that the washing machine is level front-to-back and side-to-side. The user said they would check the cold inlet valve and try detergent pods, but no confirmed repair was posted.
- Checks to try
- Checked whether the cold water supply valve was fully open
- Advised to verify good water pressure/flow to the machine
- Advised to check the washing machine is level front-to-back and side-to-side
- Parts or tools mentioned
- Detergent pods
Safety: Further diagnosis should be carried out by a suitably qualified appliance engineer.
5 Answers
Yes, detergent does dissolve better in warm water, but the detergent isn't supposed to dissolve in the drawer. The detergent is just flushed down into the drum and dissolves in the wash water. So if detergent is left inside the drawer, then it's not a dissolving problem but a problem with the water pressure not being string enough to flush the detergent properly into the drum.
Another possibility is if the washing machine is sloping slightly forward or backward. Make sure that the washing machine is properly level from front to back as well as from side to side. Make sure the water supply to the washing machine is on fully.
I also do not rate liquid detergent - which is the best type of washing machine detergent?
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Ok Andy. Thanks for taking the time to reply. The machine was installed by know how c/o Currys so it was installed correctly. The switch on the cold water outlet broke whilst turning on due to the exceptional cold weather conditions we had at time off fitting. I’ll check and see if it’s fully on. Bought some pods and gonna give them a try.
Thanks for the update. To be perfectly honest if it was installed by people working for the retailer there's no guarantee that it was properly levelled up. Maybe if these guys work directly for Currys they will have done it properly but I've heard countless tales of people playing a retailer for installation and receiving very poor service. I even remember calling out to a few where they hadn't even taken out the transit packaging. A lot of retailers just use third-party companies and they don't pay them much. Many of the people installing and connecting up these appliances are just delivery men. Make sure you have good water pressure.
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Cheers Andy will do I’ll check the valve for the cold water intake is fully open.
To check properly you can’t assume there is a healthy water supply even if the tap is fully open. There could be a fault in the plumbing like the tap is faulty inside and not actually opening fully.
Disconnect the fill hose from the washing machine and point it into the sink or a bucket. Then turn the tap on fully and see if the water pressure is good enough.
This article looks in detail at low water pressure in washing machines
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