Does anyone have any recommendations where I can buy a silk-fiber filled comforter? Years ago (either 2010, or 2013), I purchased one on eBay. Didn't keep track of the receipts, or brand. But I love it - even though there are some serious bunching in it. At that time it cost me $85. I washed it at home a couple times, and it seems to have some serious bunches (or maybe the sewing that held it stretched isn't there anymore). Recently, I started looking for another one. I am not seeing it or anything like it anywhere online. Costco has one. Description says it is mulberry silk. When it arrived, it feels more like a typical comforter - filled with foam instead of threads. Plus it has makes a papery rustling sound when I move around. This one was on sale for $140. I am hoping I can find one similar to the older one I purchased - at a reasonable price. Thank you, And Happy New Year.

I worked for a dry cleaner for several years in my (sort of) misspent youth. I worked in the alterations department and I also learned to press which meant I spent a lot of time "out back" with the dry cleaner and the spotter. I learned a TON about fabric care and when I no longer worked that job (and no longer received free dry cleaning!) I began learning how to properly launder things, by reading old sewing and Home Economics books I picked up at yard sales. "Dry clean only" is the safety net for manufacturers. If they slap that label on something they're protected from liability. Consider that both sheep and geese routinely get wet. ;) Cold water and a dilute solution of my favorite laundry detergent is how I wash things like comforters. I will take them to a laundromat to use the extractor to really get remaining water out of them and use their dryers (I don't have a dryer). I routinely wash our feather pillows by first soaking them with the garden hose (this keeps them from floating in the washer). I put them in the washing machine with a cup of ammonia and run the cycle. I rinse them twice. Ammonia cuts grease (and everyone's hair is oily and sometimes we sweat while we're in bed). I take them to the laundromat and "extract" them and then dry them, finishing with a full day in the sunshine on top of the car, turning every couple of hours. They look nearly brand new when I'm done. They're now nearly 15 yrs. old, too. I use ammonia a lot actually; esp. for woolens. I use it for hats, socks, mittens (I rinse carefully and add a capful of lanolin to the final rinse to add water repellency and promote elasticity in the wool fibres). I block and dry them flat or, in the case of socks, on stretchers.

elyash...Larsi is the expert on the Electrolux 60 & 70 series (I own the 70 set) but let me try to answer your questions. Washer 1. Hand Wash you may never need it but it's nice that it's there. The Hand Wash cycle has more "motion" (tumbling) if you will, than the Delicate cycle; where there are more longer pauses between direction changes. 2. Steam Prewash (I haven't used this yet) but makes sense for really filthy clothes best for oily type of stains to relax fibers before washing. 3. Wool (haven't used this either) uses very specific settings (warm wash, cool rinse, gentle tumbling, medium spin, normal soil level), you can't modify these settings. 4. Extended Spin (haven't used it) seems like overkill to me. The 60-70 series maximum spin speeds are 1300-1400 RPM and only at the very end of the spin cycle. The clothes are really almost dry at that point and a few more minutes won't do much more (unless you have some really heavy absorbent material). 5. Custom Options : Every cycle has a water temp, spin speed, soil level (time adjuster) and available options for that cycle. Depending on the cycle you may have the option to...Add Steam, Eco Friendly, Allergen, Extended Fresh, Shrink Guard, Add More Water, Stain Pretreat, Fresh Rinse, Extra Spin, PreWash, Warm Rinse, Delay Start. 6. 3 Favorites vs. 1. Say you wash the same thing using the same settings. Instead of turning the dial to the cycle you want and going through all the settings you want, you can do it once and save it. Then when you go to wash that same load again you just go into Favorites, select your saved cycle and press "Go". The 70 will store 3 of your "Favorites" vs. just 1 on the 60. 7. Most of the wash cycles are hidden under Specialty, you'll mostly use the main cycles on the big dial. Dryer 1. Different cycles have different options. I to use Medium Low (heat) on which ever cycle will allow me to use it. Some cycles will only allow "more dry or less dry or damp dry etc). It really doesn't matter too much what the dryer says the cycle is for (towels, casuals etc) the dryer has sensors to determine how far along the drying process is and adjusts accordingly. 2. I have used steam but not "Fast Steam". It's really just a fine mist sprayed into the drum. It's not true steam at all. No, you will need to iron. 3. The use of a drying rack is recommended for washable woolen items. Check the use/care label for proper fabric care. 4 I don't own anything woolen so I don't know if you would have to take some items to the dry cleaners. 5. Personal preference. 60 series most controls are laid out and have easy access, 70 series options are under the "options" section for each cycle. I hope that helps a little. You can view the manuals online for more info. Electrolux Website

Mold problem. I don;t think anyone has mentioned wash temps. playing a role in schmutz buildup in your washer outer tub. A constant use of cold water only washes with only liquid detergents and liquid fabric softener WILL cause a smelly moldy build up in the outer tub. Your front loader does not use much water so using hot and warm will not add much to your energy bills. Most modern fabrics can tolerate hotter temps. than the scaredy cat wash in cold labels imply. If a retailer is selling non pre-shrunk all cotton clothing without saying so then that is their problem, not ours. As others mentioned above first try a hot wash with bleach and then a couple citric acid hot cycles and see if that eliminates the problem, if your machine has a special cleaning cycle even better. If after this you still have to replace consider both the above Maytag as well as a Fisher Paykel wash plate top loader which unlike some washplate machines does have effective cleaning as well as Consumer Reports recommendation of frontload LG-get one with a built-in heater- which they say is very reliable for the time period they say is the cost-effective life of a modern washer, which of course is much shorter than your grandmother's 30 year old Maytag toploader. I don't know if a Miele meets your $1500 limit but they have special wool and delicate cycles and are considered by most of their owners to be the ultimate, should take everything except your king comforter. Good luck and let us know if cleaning cycles solve the smell issue.