Too Many Bubbles
I have a Meile Prestige Plus, it's nearly 2 years old, but this problem has occurred since it was new. On a cotton cycle, all temperatures, there are excess bubbles. Sometimes the excess light comes on but sometimes the lather is just coming out of the detergent drawer! The amount used is carefully measured and amounts strictly adhere to the manufacturers recommendations. The drum is not full and I really can't see what I am doing wrong. I would be grateful for any advice, I contacted the manufacturers when it was new but they were not able to she'd any light on it.
Thank you
Solution Summary
AI-generated from this discussion
This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.
Miele Prestige Plus excessive foaming on cotton washes
- The problem
- A Miele Prestige Plus washing machine had excessive suds on cotton cycles from new, at all temperatures. Sometimes the excess-foam light came on and at other times lather came out of the detergent drawer. The owner stated the drum was not overfilled, detergent was carefully measured to the manufacturer’s guidance, there was no water softener fitted, and the property was in an extremely hard water area.
- Likely cause
- The discussion supports detergent-related over-foaming as the most likely cause rather than a machine fault. Suggestions included trying a different detergent brand and noting that both too much detergent and, less obviously, too little detergent can contribute to excess suds. No specific mechanical fault was identified or confirmed.
- What fixed it
- The accepted line of diagnosis was to rule out water softener use and water softness, which the owner did. Forum advice then pointed to detergent choice or dosing as the probable issue, and suggested trying different detergent brands and ensuring the dosage is correct for the instructions. A temporary tip given was to add a capful of fabric conditioner to the rinse-compartment to suppress foam during an over-foaming wash. No exact repair was confirmed.
- Checks to try
- Confirmed no water softener was fitted
- Confirmed the owner lived in an extremely hard water area
- Owner reported detergent was measured to the manufacturer’s recommendations
- Owner reported the drum was not full
- Advised to try different detergent brands
5 Answers
Do you have a water softener system or device fitted to your water supply by any chance? Are you in a hard or soft water area?
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
No, I don't have a water softener and live in an extremely hard water area too.
Excessive foaming is usually caused by too much detergent, it's not normally a fault on the washing machine. I've heard of people having problems like this before which appear to be a mystery. The washing machine can't really cause the detergent to foam up so badly it comes out of the dispenser drawer unless it was agitating constantly maybe and even then, with normal detergent in and normal amounts for the harness or softness of the water water it's hard imagine it being so bad.
Have you tried different brands of detergent? Also, is it possible that something is getting onto the laundry that could somehow be reacting with the detergent? That last one is a bit of a long shot but it's difficult to diagnose such excess foaming if the washing machine appears to be washing normally and the detergent is at the correct levels. Foaming is normally a fault with the detergent itself unless the washer has gone mad and is stuck for hours just whipping it up.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Another point is that contrary to logic, not using enough detergent can also cause over sudsing or excessive foam because detergent itself contains an ingredient to suppress foaming. This is because foam is actually bad for washing and cushions the clothes from rubbing against each other. Therefore if there isn't enough detergent in the washing machine it can cause excessive foaming due to lack of this suppressing ingredient. So the important thing is to use the right amount of detergent according to the instructions.
To get rid of excessive foaming during a wash try pouring a cap full of fabric conditioner into the dispenser drawer, the side which takes in water for rinses (usually on the left) and this should react with the foam and help suppress it. This shouldn't really be something you need to do on each wash though, it's just a tip to respond to excess foam that may happen on a wash.
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
I've now written a new article especially covering this topic, which hopefully covers everything - Too much foam in washing machine?
Need Professional Help or Spare Parts?
Your Answer
Sign in to share your expertise and post an answer.
Related Questions
Samsung Ecobubble wd80j5410aw misterious problem
1 answer • 7 replies
Beko - WMI71641 - Detergent Housing
1 answer • 2 replies
Samsung Ecobubble not draining
1 answer • 4 replies
Samsung ecobubble keeps blowing the heating element.
1 answer • 26 replies
Samsung Ecobuble Washing Machine stops mid cycle
1 answer • 9 replies
Samsung EcoBubble (WW80J5555FX) - AC error and power issue
1 answer • 1 reply
Samsung eco bubble?
1 answer • 1 reply
Samsung 7kg Ecobubble just stops at random timer in the wash and does no more.
1 answer • 3 replies
Samsung Ecobubble - cold water filling up drum on drying cycle
1 answer • 20 replies
Detergent to use with Maytag Top loading washing machine.
1 answer • 4 replies