Washer Dryer - white dusty flakes

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Hi folks

In the past couple months i've developed an issue with my washing coming out of my LG washer dryer. Regardless of whether I use the dryer function, the washing coming out will have white sand/flakes on the clothes that comes off when I shake/fold/move them. This only happens once dried (hung or in the dryer).
I've tried different detergent/fabric softener (ecover liquid in the drawer vs fairy non bio in the drum), i've been using calgon religiously in case it's limescale (i've had the unit 3 years and it's only developed this issue in the past 6 months). I've done multiple washes on 95 degrees and also 'tub clean' function on LG units, with combinations of vinegar/calgon/detergent.. to no avail.
I thought the perhaps the detergent wasn't being mixed properly but after monitoring a 2 hour 95 degree wash, the water does reach temperature after about 45mins and so should be fine (no idea if it normally takes that long)
I've opened up the machine myself and cleaned every part I can access to rule out build-up - the inlet water filter, pipes to the dispenser drawer, the funnel into the drum, the heating element at the top of the machine (not sure if this is for the water heating or dryer function) The only areas I haven't reached is under the drum and the pump for draining the machine.
The LG support seem to think the machine isn't 'cleaning' properly on the tub-clean function. I'm not so sure. Either way it's out of warranty and they want an excessive sum to diagnose and fix the issue. They won't comment on whether this is a fault that has been seen before. Has anyone had or heard anything like this? I can't be the only one!

Video example: https://vimeo.com/303984815
 
Soldato
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something going wrong with rinsing or washing fill levels leaving soap in the garments ? is water consumption 'correct' ?

I voted the other way I categorically never use liquids, only washing powders (conditioner excepted) since if you search many complaints about liquid residue remaining in internal conduits. etc etc.
 
Soldato
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May be a bit random but is there any paper / tissue stuck in the rubber seal / rim that goes round the inside of the door opening?

We have a washer dryer and sometimes if a bit of tissue gets caught, you don't notice it on a wash as it's too damp for it to move around too much but when it is dry and flaky, it finds it way onto all of the clothes.
 
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After ignoring this problem hoping it would go away, i'm back on the case. LG don't want to know (out of warranty). Call me crazy but the build-up of crap (limescale) in this video can't be right!? I've done countless hot washes/tub cleans with all sorts of chemicals but the exterior part of the drum still looks like this...

https://youtu.be/VwtFk5lEqEw

Any tips for nuking this stuff with some sort of chemical or I might be looking at a new washer!
 
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Is your water particularly hard? A couple of years ago I read up on various ways to deep clean a machine and eventually changed my routine: a good dose of water softener (soda crystals) in the initial water fill (detergent tray at top). And used to have concentrated vinegar instead of fabric softener, but changed that to laundry cleanser for my clothes' sake.

Machine seems to stay fresh at least, haven't seen any buildup at all. I'm in SE London so led to believe water is pretty rubbish here.
 
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Is your water particularly hard? A couple of years ago I read up on various ways to deep clean a machine and eventually changed my routine: a good dose of water softener (soda crystals) in the initial water fill (detergent tray at top). And used to have concentrated vinegar instead of fabric softener, but changed that to laundry cleanser for my clothes' sake.

Machine seems to stay fresh at least, haven't seen any buildup at all. I'm in SE London so led to believe water is pretty rubbish here.
Yep hard as nails - in south london so not far from you. The inside of the drum looks fine, but the exterior has got that odd coating on it.
Over the weekend I ran the longest (90min) and hottest (95 degree) wash 4 times. Once with citric acid (250g), once with Dr Beckmann Service-It deep clean powder, once with 500g soda crystals and 500ml white vinegar, and once with nothing (just to clean out any leftover residue). I then did a usual wash, cottons, 40degree with non-bio detergent liquid in drum, nothing else, and after air drying it all came out just as dusty as it was.
Popping open the front drain where the filter is and using the little hose to drain out water from the drum, it fills about a litre bowl and has the dusty white sand particles in that!
The washing machine is next to the sink, so I washed some clothes in the sink and let them air dry, to see if it is the water that has something in it.. but they were fine. I'm stumped
 
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Popping open the front drain where the filter is and using the little hose to drain out water from the drum, it fills about a litre bowl and has the dusty white sand particles in that!
The washing machine is next to the sink, so I washed some clothes in the sink and let them air dry, to see if it is the water that has something in it.. but they were fine. I'm stumped
Sounds like you need to clean out the filter, flush and repeat until there's no more sandy bits coming out
 
Soldato
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With no detergents or clothes in the machine, run a rinse cycle and empty the water from the drum using the hose in a clear bowl - if possible keep a glassful for reference.

Do the above again and keep another glass. Does the second glass seem any clearer or about the same? You might need to agitate the glasses, because any bits might have settled to the bottom of the glass.

Then run the machine empty one more time, but on a 95c wash. Then get yourself another glass and compare with the previous two.

My thinking is that you have something in the sump that needs taking apart and cleaning out. Or the heating of the water is somehow producing limescale flakes. Either way I don't envy you as it would annoy me quite a lot.
 
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I ran a 6min rinse cycle (no spin) and bowl one - pretty dusty/sandy:
https://imgur.com/1FKbN0F
I ran another 6min rinse cycle with no spin and bowl two - still quite dusty, harder to see in the pic but you can make out the bigger bits:
https://imgur.com/otoeZHp

Then i opened up the bottom and checked the sump. That was pretty spotless.. but looking at where the sump connects to the base of the drum, i can see the drum looks alright on the exterior but there is one side (door side) of the surrounding exterior that has a white coating on it:
https://imgur.com/drqukHu
https://imgur.com/TukB9Mc

then I ran a 95 degree and the bowl contents - still dusty as expected:
https://imgur.com/6Bm1cLG

Now i can only assume it's the odd white stuff on the plastic inside the drum that is causing the issue. I don't know how it got there and why it's not being flushed out by the machine hot/tub clean cycles. Am i looking at dismantling the drum to scrub this crap off?!
 
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