Nu Fresh Washer Shock Treatment

OK

So I said on the Directions page that Nu Fresh is not a shock treatment.

Well, it isn't. This is really a special shock / sanitizing of the machine that we developed that is as good as or better than any other shock treatment. In some ways it is a combination of the best features of a few of them.

Then you use Nu Fresh to finish off the sanitizing and then to keep control.

The odor problem is always caused by the same thing:

Soap stuck on the plumbing lets nasties grow on it.

You need to get the soap and crud build-up off first.

Period.

Phase One:

Run a special, extra strong vinegar shock treatment first.

Add two tablespoonful of DISHWASHER detergent to the detergent dispenser.
You don't need much. It adds ions and helps the plumbing rinse sparkling clean ...

Add two tablespoonful of regular salt on top of the Dishwasher soap.
This adds extra ions to help lift off the scum.

Do not add Nu Fresh for the shock treatment. It doesn't work that way.

Add one or two gallons of cheap, white vinegar to the drum and run the hottest water setting.

If you have rags or old towels you can wash, a really large load will increase the amount of water used resulting in a higher water line in the drum and it will also increase the wash time.

This could result in better cleaning of the all wetted surfaces inside the machine. In other words, fill the tank to the top so you get at all the nasties.

Repeat 2 or 3 times in a row if you have a really tough problem.

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Remember, you are trying to dissolve the soap and scum off of the tank and plumbing.

If you have been using excessive amounts of detergent and softener,there will be a large build-up.

As this is removed, you will find that the smell could even be increasing.

The aerobic mildew/fungus is being removed along with some of the detergent film.

This exposes the anaerobic bacteria slime in the underlying detergent film.

It can start to smell like a dirty swimming pool or a fish aquarium that needs cleaning.

If the smell increases, this shows that you have been using way too much soap.

Do a chlorine shock (1 cup in hot water load, absolutely no vinegar) to knock out the fishy odor if it arises. Just like with a swimming pool.

You may also see flecks of black mold that has been loosened and is floating around the machine.

Some machines are really gross I have been told. Some actually have had the drain lines plug with thick black goo.

Keep running the flush until the odor is gone both from the rags and the machine.

Always run a load of rags with a few old towels in the first load after any flush.

This way you can tell if there is still a problem before you run a load of good laundry
and get the loosened gunk and increased smell on it.

OK, now you have minimized the amount of film on the plumbing

This is the level where Nu Fresh works best.

BTW: You can never get rid of all of the film because of the chemistry of the detergent

Curses! Foiled Again!

(Nerds Google: Surface Tension, Wetting Angle)

Phase One is basically a shock like the other shock methods explained on the Directions page.
Except it is a lot more aggressive and (in our opinion) more likely to work.

Phase Two and Three are to sanitize and control odor continuously with Nu Fresh.

Phase Two:

Add two capfuls (roughly) of Nu Fresh directly into the tub.

Do this for every load you wash for the next week or two until you feel confident the odor is really controlled.

During this time, rewash all of the clothes and other laundry that has been smelling.

Use a minimum of detergent and the hottest water the laundry can stand for this period of time.
It will accelerate the effect of Nu Fresh.

Phase Three:

After the odor has been controlled and the laundry re-washed to reduce recontamination,
you can move to the maintenance mode of using one capful (or less). Place the Nu Fresh on top of the detergent in the dispenser as your use pattern and experience dictate..

No matter which detergent you use, the Nu Fresh will mix with it and create a barrier to suppress the growth of the nasties.

From now on, only use one tablespoon of detergent or softener in any load. Or roughly enough to just cover the bottom of the measuring cap

Increase only if experience actually indicates you need more.

You will be supprissed how little you need.

Do not believe the recommended amount on the machine dispenser !

Do not fill up to the first mark of the detergent measuring cap !

Remember: The build up of the material is the source of the odor. Starve the nasties.

These machines concentrate the detergent/softener at the surface of the laundry so very little is actually required.

A real savings if you play it right ...

Tip: Pick an article of clothing that gets consistently dirty like t-shirts or kid's socks. Try to use the smallest amount of detergent that will still get these clean. If these are clean, then the rest of the laundry is probably clean too. If not increase the amount until the articles get clean. In the end, you will get an idea of how little you really need to use. Any reduction will help your problem. This experiment is pretty much required to find out how much your family needs to use in its machine. This is the maximum amount to use in the future to control the odor.

Tip: If you stop using liquid softener to help with the odor problem, the softener sheets used in the dryer will tend to put a thin coating on the "dryness" sensor. It is a pair of metal strips inside the drum just under the door opening. Wipe these down with a little rubbing alcohol every month or two to keep the sensor contact with the damp laundry working correctly.

Tip: If you have a machine that is smelling because it has been contaminated by washing clothes with gasoline, turpentine or any other oil based material on them you could use the above procedure to cut though the oil. You should increase the dishwasher detergent to a quarter cup.

This is also a good way to clean a machine that has fragrance oils contaminating it. This can be an issue with some people who are sensitive to fragrances and have difficulty getting their machine clean (because the fragrance oils are so tenacious).

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These directions seem to have worked for a lot of people over the years so they will probably work for you. However, there may be instances where the problem is so tough the machine must be disassembled and scrubbed to remove the build up. Thankfully this level seems to be very rare.