Yeah, totally get what you mean about the eco options being less hassle once you’re in the groove. I do wonder, though—how do you make sure you’re actually getting the filter clean enough? I’ve had a couple times where I thought I rinsed mine well, but then the spin cycle still acted up. Maybe I’m being too cautious, but I always worry about little bits getting stuck and messing with the pump. Do you ever use anything besides water to rinse it out, or just stick to a quick scrub?
I always worry about little bits getting stuck and messing with the pump.
Same here. I usually give the filter a good rinse under hot water and use an old toothbrush to scrub out the gunk. If it’s really gross, I’ll soak it in vinegar for a bit—seems to help with buildup. Never had pump issues since I started doing that, but yeah, it’s easy to miss stuff if you’re in a rush.
Honestly, I used to just unplug and reset every time the spin cycle acted up, but after finding a sock jammed in the filter once, I’m way more diligent. Haven’t had to deal with a flooded laundry room since. I’m all about the vinegar soak too—works wonders and doesn’t leave that chemical smell behind. Sometimes I’ll use a bamboo skewer to poke out stubborn lint (probably not recommended, but it gets the job done). I get wanting to rush through it, but man, skipping a deep clean has bitten me before. It’s wild how much junk builds up in there, especially with kids in the house... random legos, hair ties, you name it.
I’m with you on the deep clean—learned that lesson after a mystery sock blocked my filter and the washer started making weird noises. Now I check the filter every couple weeks, just in case. I’m a little paranoid about poking around with anything sharp, though... I always worry I’ll break something or hit a wire. Vinegar soak is my go-to too. It’s wild how much gunk builds up, especially after a few loads of towels.
I hear you on the paranoia—one time I tried to fish out a coin with a butter knife and nearly took out a wire. Not my finest moment. Now I stick to plastic chopsticks or just my fingers, even if it means getting a little gross. The vinegar trick is gold, though. It’s wild how much lint and sludge can hide in there.
Curious—has anyone actually found something valuable in their filter? Closest I got was a Lego head and about $2 in change. Makes me wonder if I should be charging a “filter cleaning fee” for all the lost treasures I rescue...