AATCC Recommended Washers and Dryers – Good Installation and Maintenance is Key to longer life of the machines.

 Across the Globe several textile and textile product manufacturers , test labs and many others involved in the selling textile products to USA ,  use AATCC recommended washers and Dryers of different brands .

These machines are used to conduct certain AATCC test methods that require the sample to undergo one or several cycles of laundering as per the AATCC Home Laundering monogram.

AATCC tries to identify and recommend machines that comply to AATCC Home laundering monogram, and this is an uncompensated service. It is provided by AATCC with no liability and more importantly, AATCC does not approve these machines. Any machine that complies to the AATCC Home Laundering monogram may be used.

The myth that several people believe is that

AATCC approves these machines,

No! that’s not correct. 

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These are Domestic Machines , not designed for continuous use !

Washers and Dryers that are recommended by AATCC are primarily designed for Domestic use and not for industrial use . Which means , these machines are expected to work well when used for one or 2 launderings per day.

In a factory or a Lab these washers and dryers run continuously , for 3 shifts , almost non stop. I have personally seen machines operating at ambient temperatures of 46 and 47 Deg C .  ( 115 to 116 Def F)

This leads to high levels of break downs. The biggest bottle neck in testing is dimensional stability is a known fact , given the time taken to condition, run 3 cycles  Wash Dry – condition , Check- ( Fail stop ), Pass – Wash , Wash , Dry, condition re-measure.

If a washer or dryer brakes down , then everyone is running helter skelter.  Not one mill thinks of having a stand by, its all then back to the traditional management methods – Crisis Management , or  some would prefer to call it risk management which is ship without testing. Philosophizing life has been a part of man right from the time we started painting in caves.

Experience says that the part that suffers the most in a washer  is the Rubber drive coupler. The key reason is unlevel machine, and the Drive belt in a Dryer. In South Asia, another major problem is quality of power supply, intermittent power outages and shift from main line to Generators, change in phase and neutral also take a toll on the Solenoid Valves, motors, timers etc.

Some of the damages that occur to the machines need parts , which costs almost 3/4 the price of a new machine. I advice many people who run their machines very often,  to change the whole machine once every 18months. Then not one listens to good advise,  anyway….

I give Below some tips on maintaining these machines , so that they give better service and life.

Maintenance of AATCC Recommended Washers and Dryers

Your washer and dryer are among your most frequently used appliances, so keep them in top shape.

Time Taken                     : 1 hour

Difficulty                          : Easy

Expertise                         : None

Frequency                      : Once a week for machines used every day , this may be changed to once a fortnight or once  a month  depending upon frequency of usage .

Overview

Using your washer and dryer every week means that many cycles of dirt, detergent, water and heat pass through it — not to mention a lot of wear and tear. Here's how to make your washer and dryer cleaner, safer and more efficient.

Cleaning Your Washer
Cleaning the exterior

Use a soft, damp cloth or sponge to wipe up any spills such as detergent or bleach. Occasionally wipe the outside of your washer to keep it looking new.

Cleaning the interior

Clean your washer interior by mixing 1 cup (250 mL) of chlorine bleach and 2 cups (500 mL) of detergent. Pour this into your washer and run it through a complete cycle using hot water. Repeat this process if necessary.
NOTE: Remove any hard water deposits using only cleaners labeled as washer safe.
Cleaning the liquid fabric softener dispenser Flush dispenser periodically with warm water. Remove the dispenser by grasping the top of the dispenser with both hands and squeezing and pushing upwards with thumbs. Clean the dispenser by rinsing it under a water faucet. Replace it after cleaning.
NOTE: Do not wash clothes with this dispenser removed. Do not add detergent or bleach to this dispenser; it is for liquid fabric
softener use only.

DRYER CARE
Cleaning the Lint Screen
Clean the lint screen before each load. A screen blocked by lint can increase drying time.
IMPORTANT:
Do not run the dryer with the lint screen loose, damaged, blocked, or missing. Doing so can cause overheating and damage to both the dryer and fabrics.
If lint falls off the screen into the dryer during removal, check the exhaust hood and remove the lint.

Every Load Cleaning

Style 1: Lint Screen on Top of the Machine
1. The lint screen is located on top of the dryer. Pull the lint screen toward you. Roll lint off the screen with your fingers.
Do not rinse or wash screen to remove lint. Wet lint is hard to remove.
2. Push the lint screen firmly back into place.

Style 2: Lint Screen in the Door of the Machine
1. The lint screen is located in the door of the dryer. Pull the lint screen straight up. Roll lint off the screen with your fingers. Do
not rinse or wash screen to remove lint. Wet lint is hard to remove.
2. Push the lint screen firmly back into place.
As Needed Cleaning
1. Wet both sides of lint screen with hot water.
2. Wet a nylon brush with hot water and liquid detergent. Scrub lint screen with the brush to remove residue buildup.
3. Rinse screen with hot water.
4. Thoroughly dry lint screen with a clean towel. Replace screen in dryer.

Cleaning the Dryer Interior

1. Apply a non-flammable household cleaner to the stained area of the drum and rub with a soft cloth until stain is removed.
2. Wipe drum thoroughly with a damp cloth.
3. Tumble a load of clean cloths or towels to dry the drum.
NOTE: Garments which contain unstable dyes, such as denim blue jeans or brightly colored cotton items, may discolor the dryer interior. These stains are not harmful to your dryer and will not stain future loads of clothes. Dry unstable dye items inside-out to prevent dye transfer

Further Steps to employ for stubborn stains or if maintenance is being done after a long time of use

1. Clean your washer. First, remove germs and detergent buildup by running an empty load with hot water and two cups of chlorine bleach or white vinegar (Use cooking grade White Vinegar as the dilution is perfect, do not use Acetic acid) .
2. In the middle of the wash cycle, add 1/2 cup of detergent. Let the load run the full cycle.
3. Remove any stains on the washer drum with a soft abrasive cleanser and a sponge.
4. Clean your dryer vent hose — doing so regularly helps prevent fires. Just unhook the clamps, dryer vent hose or ductwork from the back of the machine and the wall vent. Vacuum out both ends and inside the hose, then reattach the hose firmly to the machine and the wall vent. Use aluminum tape to reattach the ductwork joints.
5. Check the interior dryer drum for stains:
   • To remove gum, let the dryer tumble on the hot setting for 10 minutes. When it stops, soak a dryer sheet in a clothing stain remover and wipe the gum with the dryer sheet.
   • To get out crayon, ink or fabric-dye stains, spray inside the dryer drum with a non-flammable household cleaner. Dampen a clean rag with water and wipe the inside of the drum. Throw clean old towels in the dryer and run in Air Dry for 10 minutes to remove residue.

Tips & warnings

• Turn off water faucets after finishing the laundry to prevent leaks.
• Never vent a dryer inside. It is a health risk and can cause moisture damage.
• Clean the dryer lint trap after each load.
• Don't use flammable cleaners in your dryer or dry any fabric that’s been exposed to flammable liquids.
• Use a metal dryer vent hose, not plastic. Plastic hoses break easily and trap lint that can cause fires. If your dryer vent hose is difficult to clean, consider replacing it, or hire a pro to clean it

For more details information on complex maintenance and service procedures as well as How to calibrate / Verify  these machines ? -  contact me direct and I will send the protocol to you to ,email me at textileqa@gmail.com .

Right to refuse to give details is reserved.

Dryer                                                                                                   Washer

Parts and Features shown in the pictures may vary from model to model .