Warning: Don't use third-party dryers on Whirlpool front-loaders from 2022

Had a customer call me last Thursday crying about a burning smell. Her Whirlpool front-loader was only 4 months old. She used some cheap detergent pods from the dollar store and it gummed up the drum bearings. Took me 2 hours to scrape out the residue. The repair cost her $180. Has anyone else seen this with those pods yet?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_lisa4d ago

My neighbor had the exact same thing happen with those cheap pods in her 2022 Whirlpool last month. The goo from the pods just baked onto the drum and made this horrible burnt plastic smell. She ended up having to replace the whole rubber seal which cost her over $200.

lane.drew4d ago

Wow, that really stinks. I had a similar mess with a front-loader a couple years back and it was a nightmare to clean up. What finally worked for me was running an empty cycle with a full cup of white vinegar and a half cup of baking soda thrown right into the drum, then doing a second hot cycle to rinse it all out. I also started using the liquid detergent in the dispenser drawer instead of pods, and I haven't had that burnt smell or gummy residue since. It's a shame those pods cause so much trouble because they sure are convenient.