Black Bits in Washing Machine ?

[pgrahmm]

Possibly CM water issue related?

We're getting what looks like small bits of spongy black rubber on our clothes coming directly out of our washing maching.....But - if we shake the stuff off the clothes the bits on the ground seem to go away - which tells me it's not rubber....

It's a top loading Samsung that's about 4 years old.....

Anyone else run into this? I loosened the bolt at the bottom tub plate but the plate won't budge to access the hollow at the bottom of the tub....Running some cleaner with baking soda through now & will fight with prying the plate up later....The water inlet screen is not impacted so It's happening during the wash cycles.....

Anyone else experienced this? What did you do?

It is a cold wash only unit....

[masuk]

I had the same problems last week, but as our water at the condo is ground water, I'm not blaming the system. I washed a friend's work overalls, and possibly he had something in his pockets.

[NancyL]

We were having "issues" with our washing machine, so I did some work with Dr. Google and internet and decided to pour a bottle of household bleach into a tub of wash water and run the machine without any clothes. I happened to be standing over the machine to watch it in action during this procedure and then realized that while it was making noises like it was working, it wasn't agitating (turning) the tub.

Fortunately, the coin op laundry in our building uses the same brand of machines and the owner of those gave us the phone number of the service tech. A 450 baht service visit revealed that the clutch of machine was kaput, a new one would cost 3100 baht, all in, and the machine was 12 years old. Time for a trip to Power Buy.

No wonder the laundry had looked a little substandard for a few days. We'd just been soaking it!

[daveAustin]

Could be the water. Have had similar issues (albeit periodic) with a newish front loader where I know for sure it's the water. Perhaps disconnect the supply and run for a minute into a large clear container and examine. If the water, you could perhaps use an inline filter... the microfiber type they use for drinking water systems.

Bit like this:

Having said that, these do tend to lower the pressure, and if too low it may prevent the thing from filling up. Maybe a bay-type filter...

Edited July 14, 2016 by daveAustin

[cmsally]

There is a filter (I think most models) on the side of the drum where you put the clothes. You need to pull out the filter regularly and wash as it collects bits of fluff mixed up with soap and dirt. It will get full of black sludgy bits if you don't clean it.

Otherwise it could be incoming water, try and get a tap with fine mesh over the outlet to filter any bits.

[Oscar2]

we get the same black rubbery bits in our Samsung top load also. have no idea what it is.

[mania]

If you had a clear hose connecting the water feed pipe to the washer you would see what it is...

It collects inside the hose like a sort of moss

After some point of build up ....When you fill the washer chunks break free & go into wash

You can remove the fill line & blast it clean or change it & your problem will be gone....for awhile anyway

Edited July 14, 2016 by mania

[pgrahmm]

If you had a clear hose connecting the water feed pipe to the washer you would see what it is...

It collects inside the hose like a sort of moss

After some point of build up ....When you fill the washer chunks break free & go into wash

You can remove the fill line & blast it clean or change it & your problem will be gone....for awhile anyway

I checked the supply line & screen - clear.....Ran water through the line full bore & nothing but water came out....Unless it's microscopic and collects/grows in the wet sump....

[Oscar2]

If you had a clear hose connecting the water feed pipe to the washer you would see what it is...

It collects inside the hose like a sort of moss

After some point of build up ....When you fill the washer chunks break free & go into wash

You can remove the fill line & blast it clean or change it & your problem will be gone....for awhile anyway

I checked the supply line & screen - clear.....Ran water through the line full bore & nothing but water came out....Unless it's microscopic and collects/grows in the wet sump....

our supply line/screen are clear too. it comes from within the machine. not every time. in fact sometimes not for 2 weeks. then it comes back for a few loads. been going on for a year or more.

[FolkGuitar]

We also have a top loading Samsung that's about 3 years old..... and have noticed the same sort of black 'stuff.' At first I thought it was lint, but when we let it dry, it virtually turns to nothing! Wet, it acts almost like wet tissue paper but without the strength. Lint traps are cleaned regularly, there is no noise coming from the machine when it operates...

So we ran it empty. We let it fill with a cup of bleach and allowed it to sit for a few hours. Then we ran the wash cycle, again with it empty. I think we ran it three times that way. And that was about 3-4 months ago, and haven't noticed the little back bits again .... yet.

[pgrahmm]

We also have a top loading Samsung that's about 3 years old..... and have noticed the same sort of black 'stuff.' At first I thought it was lint, but when we let it dry, it virtually turns to nothing! Wet, it acts almost like wet tissue paper but without the strength. Lint traps are cleaned regularly, there is no noise coming from the machine when it operates...

So we ran it empty. We let it fill with a cup of bleach and allowed it to sit for a few hours. Then we ran the wash cycle, again with it empty. I think we ran it three times that way. And that was about 3-4 months ago, and haven't noticed the little back bits again .... yet.

Yep - that's the stuff......

Googling suggested a vinegar & baking soda mixture - didn't have any vinegar......

Another said car/truck washing liquid - did have.....Guessing the tar/bug removing helps in the cleaning....

Another indicated 2 liters of bleach - only had about a cup.....

Others said to use the hottest water settings which = cold for this machine....

Took the car wash liquid (3 USA detergent capfulls) + 2 tablespoons of baking soda & ran it full on the soak cycle = a couple of flakes of the stuff in the tub after - but really small.....

Then ran it on soak extra low level with my cup of bleach & either no flakes - or I turned them invisible.....

I'll run something through tomorrow & report back.....

Nancy - the turntable & other functions seem fine.....But I still may hit Power Buy because the bigger of our 2 Karaokes died & I'd forgotten they were even there.....

Edited July 14, 2016 by pgrahmm

[NancyL]

I was trying to do the hot water/bleach thing when I realized the clutch was broken on the washing machine. Ours was a cold water machine, too, but we filled it with hot water from the kitchen. At least the tub was clean when the old machine was hauled off.

[dcnx]

Just bought a top loading Samsung, no black bits yet, but now I know how to fix it when it happens.

[Oscar2]

Just bought a top loading Samsung, no black bits yet, but now I know how to fix it when it happens.

ours didn't start doing it until it was about 4 years old.

i wonder what it is? it seems everyone with a top loading Samsung who chimed in on the discussion has the problem.

at first we thought it was from a garment, elastic disintegrating or something. then it started to happen with a load of white t-shirts. that ruled out that theory. weird.

[SantiSuk]

we get the same black rubbery bits in our Samsung top load also. have no idea what it is.

Ditto.

Comes and goes but when at its worst it's quite annoying. Nothing to do with the water supply (I ran it for some time with a filter at the inlet and the black rubbery bits never accumulated there and nothing to do with the filter but god knows what it is. It's as though some rubberised pipework deep in its bowels is perishing so I'm expecting our 7 yo Samsung top loader to fail at any time!

Had thought about calling Samsung - I'm guessing they will know immediately what causes it.

Just seen the comment re some growth collecting in the pipes. Makes sense having seen what comes out of garden hoses.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

It seems to be more common in the public washers that have been frequently overloaded. I thought it was disintegrating bushings. You can carefully pick them off, sometimes even easier after they dry. ANd yes, it seems to be mostly a samsung problem. But, I also noticed that so few clean the filter before each use. The older the machines, the more bits there are...that is for certain.

[pgrahmm]

It seems to be more common in the public washers that have been frequently overloaded. I thought it was disintegrating bushings. You can carefully pick them off, sometimes even easier after they dry. ANd yes, it seems to be mostly a samsung problem. But, I also noticed that so few clean the filter before each use. The older the machines, the more bits there are...that is for certain.

Update for an inexact problem and uncertain solution.....

Ran a phantom wash today & still a few - 3 small bits....The wife ran a load & reported only a few bits, so something was cleared out....

Next step I'll get some bleach & fill it to extra low & about a liter of bleach and let it sit for a few hours then run through....

On Google some said they did a maintenance wash like this every 2 months to stem the problem - some with vinegar-baking soda/some with bleach.....Seems this happens a lot in Australia too....

[Aussie69]

Sounds like seals

[pgrahmm]

Sounds like seals

Naaah - ours is pretty quiet.....

[zoolander]

We have the same problem with Samsung. Will try the baking soda method

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Tapatalk

[bamboozled]

I have a top load Samsung at least 5 years old. I get the black bits…it's soap scum, so I have read. Run it empty with vinegar, that does the trick for me.

[Bill97]

Been running a Samsung top loader for 10+ years and no black stuff ever. I will call the service man tomorrow so he can come out and find out what is wrong. Maybe we leave the lid open too long to dry it out after use or are lucky about the water.

[JaseTheBass]

Had a similar problem with ours. The main bearing was disintegrating and the machine was slowly chipping itself to pieces.

Bought a new front loader and only had to replace the ECU after 9 months (under warranty). At least it washes properly, unlike a toploader.

Sent from my R2D2 using my C3P0 manservant

[masuk]

Could be the water. Have had similar issues (albeit periodic) with a newish front loader where I know for sure it's the water. Perhaps disconnect the supply and run for a minute into a large clear container and examine. If the water, you could perhaps use an inline filter... the microfiber type they use for drinking water systems.

Bit like this:

water filter17.jpg

Having said that, these do tend to lower the pressure, and if too low it may prevent the thing from filling up. Maybe a bay-type filter...

That looks a bit fine. I used one which kept out gravel and grit. Lasted for months.

[jonesyb]

This is interesting. I have been getting black bits in my washing but I just thought it was something out of my pockets