Annette and Featherbee. I don't even know where to start. But I want to thank you for confirming what I knew for decades. Appliances like cars are being made ON PURPOSE to break prematurely and restrict performance that we all used to enjoy. Built in obsolescence and the wacko leftists EPA that needs to be moth balled as a Dept. I just had another personal experience with quality last week. My mother had a toaster made by GE in 1961 and it finally broke last year. She did NOT tell me she threw it out and bought a new one until it was too late. I might have been able to repair it. YES it had asbestos insulating plates inside, BUT they were not cracking or falling apart. They were perfectly intact. Asbestos is only harmful when crushed into powder and inhaled. Anyway the new toaster just crapped out a little over a year of use. Tell me how is it possible that a GE from 1961 lasted 50 years and could have lasted more with new toasters lasting just a year? What I suggest you do Annette is either of these suggestions: Buy a new washer that is ANALOG and simple. Just basic controls and NO DIGITAL display! OR try to find a USED appliance store. You might be able to purchase a working old machine from the 90's and prior. I would never buy any appliance made after the 90's. I prefer the 80's and prior. I am going to try and buy my mother a toaster from the 70's or 60's. If more people do this, it will SAVE the old appliances from the scrap yard and give superior service, besides sending a message to the big corps. to MAKE PRODUCTS that WORK & LAST ! America must start saving our history again in the form of machines because as time goes on, I fear there will be no more buy it once for a lifetime. Just disposable junk that works for a month.

I have not obsessed over this, I've gone sometimes for months with out thinking about it. Sporadically I tried alcohol and vinegar and ammonia and bleach and hot alcohol and hot vinegar and hot ammonia and hot bleach but recently cleaning the machine I noticed it and went after it with tools and a flashlight. There was a little place where one could insert a tool and then twist and lift the top and three parts of the softener dispenser could be removed. I soaked the parts in hot water and then hosed them off with pressure and finally removed the gooed up material. I am really surprised that persons actually use that stuff (What is softener anyway?) but what I am sharing here is this: if you find five year old liquid softener when you move, toss it.

False alarm... gas line was shut off. At least it made me look behind there and realize we should probably re-configure the vent line. The laundry machine being moved from right to left side moves it closer to exterior vent and it is in some funky S curve configuration. You know that will make a problem eventually!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep the 19 year old...repair the 19 year old....hug the 19 year old every night before you go to bed. I had no idea how they (the government) messed up washing machines until I had to buy one last year. There are new water restrictions which manufactures must meet, which means new machines do not use enough water. Now, because of how front loaders work, they do better with less water, but I would never trade an old fashioned washing machine for a new front loader.