Clothing Not Clean - Front Load Washer

If you have any errors displaying on your washer, visit our Error Codes - Washing Machine article.

If your washer is not leveled properly, the unit's cleaning performance will be hindered. This is because an out of level washer will not fill properly, dispense correctly, or drain correctly.

For further asssistance, visit our Leveling - Front Load Washer article.

Do you see any marks or streaks on your clothing?

If marks or streaks are seen on the clothing, this is likely the result of mold or mildew residue that has re-deposited back onto the clothing. If this is the case, perform a TUB CLEAN and the regular maintenance to help resolve this issue.

For more information on maintenance, refer to LG Front Load Washer Maintenance.

Are you experienceing odors in the fabrics?

Items such as socks, towels, or fluffy type items are very absorbent. If the washer hasn't been regularly cleaned and maintained, or if too much detergent has led to a buildup of residue, the odor may be absorbed into the fabric of these types of items. If this appears to be the case, perform a TUB CLEAN cycle and the regular maintenance on the washer to clean the drum of the machine thoroughly.

To remedy the odor issue with the clothing items, run them through an entire wash cycle with no detergent or additives after the maintenance has been performed. This will usually rinse away the residue that's been absorbed into the items.

For more information on maintenance, refer to LG Front Load Washer Maintenance.

Inspect your detergent:

If too much detergent is used, or non-HE detergent is used, the machine will not clean effectively. This is because oversudsing of the detergent decreases tumbling action and does not rinse well. Furthermore, residue can build up in the washer which will deposit extra detergent on clothes and deposit soil back onto the clothing. Follow the manufacturer's recommended amount for detergent usage.

Understand your water supply:

Hard water is water that has high levels of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals. The higher the concentration of these minerals, the harder the water is. Approximately 85% of homes in the U.S. have hard water.

If there is no water softener being used, then most of the detergent used goes to soften the water rather than to clean the clothes. Depending on how hard the water is, the clothes can also come out with yellowish or graying stains on the clothes, stiff or harsh feeling fabrics, or white or gray streaks on dark fabrics.

HE Detergent must be used, and follow the recommended amounts for hard water. It may also be necessasry to use a water softener to the cycle, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Check the inlet hoses:

If the hot and cold water inlet hoses are reversed, the washer will not get the correct water temperature when needed, thus it will not wash and rinse properly.

Make sure that the hot and cold hoses are connected to the respective inlet valves on the back of the washer.

Note the size of the load:

If the washing machine is overloaded, the unit will not wash and rinse properly because the clothing is not able to tumble properly. There will also not be enough detergent to clean the clothing effectively.

If this is the case, remove a couple of items from the load and perform a RINSE and SPIN cycle. Do not fill the drum more than 3/4 of the way full, or no more than 22 lbs of dry linen.

It is also necessary that the settings on your washer be set properly for the load. Different fabric types require different wash/rinse temperatures, spin speeds, and wash times. Follow the instructions on the clothing fabric care labels. Also, be sure that the soil level is set properly for the load. The dirtier the items you are putting in the washer, the higher you will want to set the soil level.

If your unit is still experiencing dificulties, please refer to our LG Front Load Washer Maintenance article.

After maintenance, if you are still experiencing difficulties, your unit will require Repair Serice.