I think we need more information from you in order to help you find a solution to your problem. Such as:

1) How long have you had this machine?
2) Have you had problems from day one?
3) Have you changed locations/moved since purchasing said machine?
4) What is your water hardness?
5) What detergent do you use/How much?
6) Do you use fabric softener?
7) What cycles/water temps do you use?
8) Do you wipe door boot/leave door ajar between use?

It doesn't take much water to properly clean clothes. Most dissatisfaction with HE machines has to due with user error rather than machine malfunction.

Most dissatisfaction with HE machines has to "do" with user error rather than machine malfunction.

Damn autocorrect!

Here are my answers:
1) How long have you had this machine? Ages, I'd say about 8-10 years, whenever this model came out

2) Have you had problems from day one? Yes.

3) Have you changed locations/moved since purchasing said machine? No.

4) What is your water hardness? hard, about 120�"
130 milligrams per liter

5) What detergent do you use/How much? Persil, about 1-2 table spoons, less in the prewash

6) Do you use fabric softener? no

7) What cycles/water temps do you use? normal, extended and heavy soil

8) Do you wipe door boot/leave door ajar between use? yes

It doesn't take much water to properly clean clothes. Most dissatisfaction with HE machines has to due with user error rather than machine malfunction.

I am over 50 years old, I grew up overseas with Miele front loading washing machines and regularly visit the "old country", so I certainly know what to expect form a washing machine.

There's just not enough water in the machine, at most 1 inch --- unless I stand next to it during the prewash and main wash cycles and stop and start it.

Also, as I said, I can open the drum at any point during the wash cycles, except during the rinsing.

130 mg/liter is considered hard water. Like you, I use Persil. In my case it's "Universal" powder. I believe your dosage is far too low. My water fluctuates between moderately hard/hard. I use 1/2 cup. My clothes are clean, no smell and no residual detergent, although I always program an extra rinse.

Try increasing your dosage and see if that helps. If I was using the dosage you use, I'm afraid my clothes would not only not smell clean, they would not BE clean.

I should also add that I am also over fifty years old and have been doing laundry since I was sixteen. I have used a variety of machines, bought my first front loader in 1985, and have always had hard water. Never had unclean/smelly clothes, smelly washer or mold. I'm not afraid to use detergent and I always use the hottest water that's safe for the fabrics I'm washing. Don't use cold except for black sweaters once or twice yearly.

Hi
I know you say that you have had this al the time, but with that hard water the inwalve on the main water can become clogged up and so that you cant get the water u need but the machine stills thinks it has.
I bought a used miele washingmachine that were about your machines age and I had this problem, It even told me that it did not get the water it needed.
Only thing that maybe does not make it this problem is that you had it from new or the inlet walve has been broken the hole time.
Just a thought. I have had miele and other frontloaders al my life because I live in Sweden Europe and were I live we do have very hard water, the kitchen sink in stainless steel goes white if not dried off.
all the best!
//BR

Thanks for your help, but the issue isn't the detergent. Four heaped table spoons is a fair bit; I've also used more in each of the depositories, and it didn't make a difference, other than a lot of sudsing. My whole family are athletes with super sweaty clothes, so sometimes I also add Borax laundry booster.

How high does the water level rise in your machine? I have at most one inch, frequently only as high as the first joint of my finger. In my parent's washer, the water is visible in the front window, and they most certainly can't open the door during the cycle.

As my current machine is newer than yours, it uses even less water. The door can be opened anytime and the water level is only around 1/2 inch. Since I use Persil, I have virtually no sudsing at all.

I'm afraid the days of water rising past the door or forever over.

I also use Borax in towel loads and also with dog blankets. I use 1/3 cup.

Unfortunately, it's been like this from day one. Also, I can increase the water level by starting and stopping the machine. Each time, the laundry will settle in the machine, and then the water sensor allows it to add more water.
Just talked to Miele, and they told me that I should not be able to open my washing machine during the cycle.

All in all, I don't care as long as the athletic clothes would get clean and fresh, which they don't.

How can 1/2 inch of water rinse away enough of the bacteria and sweat, etc.? Sometimes when I wash sheets, I can see that they don't even get wet everywhere.

So, back to my initial question: How can I raise the water level? I have programmed it following the manual linked above, which helped a little (I think).

Barring that: How do you get athletic clothes clean?

In the PDF of the link you provided:

Enter programming mode via instructions provided on page 57.

Page 58: Water plus Water level / Additional rinse - Change until âÂÂP3â displayed

Page 61: Matching water intake to low water pressure - Change until âÂÂP1â displayed

Page 61: Program for allergy sufferers - Change until âÂÂP1â displayed

I had done p. 58 above already but will also try p. 61.

Fahrenheit, do you think " Matching water intake to low water pressure" will raise the water level? The way I understand it is that it merely extends the time the washer is "willing" to wait for the water to reach the proper level, before throwing a "No Fill" error code. Hm...

I'd definately suggest activating the Level III Rinse on top of page 60. This should raise the water level for the rinse cycle to the highest level the machine provides.

Stinky clothes usually come from bacteria left on them. That's the reason why body odor develops: bacteria on our skin digest sweat - simply spoken. Have you tried a higher-temperature cycle? Not sure about the W1113, but the current Miele washers do not heat on Normal - Miele even states this in its service literature.

Alex

Alex,

On one occasion when I had the Miele Tech over, he told me the ways to increase the water levels, and one was the low water pressure setting. You are correct in your stating that the water fill is based upon time, but the tech did not mention the possibility throwing a code by using it.

For several months I had this (along with all the others to raise water levels) and did not encounter a code error. I did however go back to all the defaults with the exception of the allergy setting (supposedly this runs more water on the rinse cycles) as I thought it was too much water.

Jim

I'll try it and will report back. Agree with bacteria, so more water during the rinse cycle should help.
I'm pretty sure that the Normal cycle does heat on that model.

I would try using the 'Wrinkle-free' program as it rinses with high water levels. And I would also try the Miele Sportswear detergent which contains an anti-bacterial agent to kill the sweat smells. I have used it on my gym gear and it works really well. You only need 1/2 cap.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miele Sportswear detergent

In my opinion, and based on my basic knowledge of Miele washers, I totally blame the Normal cycle for your lack of results. Miele's clean and do it right. However, American Miele washers do not heat in the Normal cycle, they have the lowest target fill temperatures, and they have the lowest water levels of any other cycle on this washer. This would be due to Energy standards in the US, and the fact that the vast majority of Americans just load the washer, and use the Normal cycle exclusively. Try other cycles. It might actually take several washes to remove any serious build ups. Lastly, heavy soil on this Miele is a prewash, if I am not mistaken. It's a cold prewash, with no heating. Then, when it comes time for Main wash fill, it is brief because there is residual water in the clothes and tub already. This short fill will barely purge the hot water out of the pipes before your washer reaches proper fill level. So, along with the barely 1 inch of water, it is also totally cold and unheated. Again, try other cycles, and keep away from Normal. I can pretty much guarantee you that results will improve.