Occasional brown marks on clothes after washing

[bc88]

I have an issue with my Samsung WF1804WPU washing machine whereby sometimes after washing there are some brown marks on one or two garments, I have attached a picture of a recent example.

It does not happen every time and when it does happen it is normally a few spots on just one or two garments, not everything in the wash. I have no idea where it is coming from or what it is. The only thing I have found which can get it out is bleach (which obviously I can only do on white clothes, so if it is not white the garment is ruined). I thought it could be rust marks, however cleaning products designed to get rid of rust do not work and I am not sure bleach would be expected to get rid of rust. There is no obvious issue with the washing machine itself, no signs of rust in the barrel and no strange noises.

Has anyone got any ideas on what the marks are, what the cause may be and how to fix it! I have been tempted to get a new washing machine as it is costing us a fortune in new clothes, but I not sure that would fix it as not even sure if it the actual washing machine which is an issue.

Thanks in advance

[andyjawa]

Does look like rust to me too.The stain pattern does not follow the drum hole profiles = so we can at least discount a problem with slushy film under the drum, discount grease from failing bearing/s (in which case the drum bearings would be shot which would mean the drum would be noisy – and as you say this is not the case, no iffy noises at all). I think we can also discount the gap between the door seal and the front of the drum – where sludge can build up. The bearing spider is an aluminium alloy and they do not corrode like that deposit / stain.

Have you checked in the flange of the door seal at 6 o/clock position for any metal rusting objects? e.g. paper clips, key rings.

The only other thing I can think off is a rusty escapee bra wire underneath the drum that lies there but not causing any noise issues which they would normally be expected to do – not all bra wires are s/steel so they can rust but even so that is not common to cause staining but still remains a possibility.
Check within the door seal first as dismantling the tank is not for the faint hearted especially if you have never done it before – that would be your last resort and in most cases you would not do that as you move the heater to find and remove caught objects. It is equally possible that the problem has got nothing with the machine. Tumble dryer problem perhaps: if so and if a Zanussi/electrolux when old the front drum support felt produces brown marks on clothes though not necessarily as spots. Other brands are not immune to that too.

[kwatt]

This may help you:

https://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/help/stains-marks/washing-machine-stains/2677-washing-machine-rust-marks

K.

[bc88]

Thanks you both, appreciate your replies. I have checked the flange of the door, nothing in there… However, reading more into the properties of rust, I am less sure that it is rust now. The only thing we have found to get/ rid of it is bleach, but apparently bleach would not work on rust Why You Shouldn’t Use Bleach to Clean Rust Stains (lifehacker.com). I have no idea what else it might be though.

Also, we are not using a tumble dryer to dry the clothes. The stains are there straight after taking out of the washing machine, so it is definitely the washing machine causing it.

I am tempted to buy a new machine, although even then I am not certain it is the machine itself rather than any of the pipes coming into the machine, so no guarantee that would sort it…

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