Needles in Washing Machine! Help!

[malcolmpenney]

Hi Guys', not sure if this is the right category, as its not actually happened yet, but thought I'd run this passed you before I flood my flat or cause a fire!


Like a total idiot, I mangaged to accidently wash a packet of 30 needles in with my clothing.

How the hell it got mixed up with the washing i have absolutely no idea, but I went to take the stuff out and found the packet neatly jammed against the bottom, inside of the glass-door.

Of the 30, only three were left in the pack. I found another five or six lying in the bottom of the door seal, and about another two or three lodged in the clothing. (plus a sock neatly ripped in half!).

My guess is the rest are probably caught in the filter. The probem is i've a Hotpoint Aquirius 440, so the filter is a pain to get at (i believe its inside the outflow pipe at the bottom of the drum)

Now, the thing is, the machine completed its cycle Ok and there are no warning lights when I switch it on at the plug. Also I can't be certain if there were 30 in the pack in the first place, so there is a chance ive found all the needles.

I'm also completely broke so can't really afford a new machine or to call out an engineer.

What do you think i should do?

A) Risk it and carry on using it until it blows up! (I.E. what's the worst that can happen)

B) Never use it again, until I know it's free of needles


C) If B, how the hell do i get that filter out? Is it a good idea to try (i'm NO DIY expert)

Many thanks in advance,

Yours begining to pong a bit,

Malc

 

[Burnerman]

Often the filters are at the bottom of the machine, hidden behind the kick panel - but I doubt if the needles have got that far. More likely they have passed through the drum holes and are now lodging between the inner (the spinning one) and the outer drum.
John

 

[foxhole]

If it's not leaking then carry on using it, if it ever fails to pump out water then you will know needles have reached it and should be removable from filter area.

 

[TheVictorian]

As a precaution though I would only use it when you are in the house and awake.

 

[JohnD]

you seem not to know where the filter is or how to empty it.

Presumably the instructions have been lost, so go to the manufacturer's website and download them.

any remaining bits of needle might go rusty and cause staining.

 

[malcolmpenney]

Just a quick thank you to everyone for your prompt replies; you've put my mind at ease somewhat - and for not taking the mickey! It's one of the dumbest things i've ever done - just a couple of queries, though…

Burnerman - if the needles are lodged between the drums, what harm (if any) would this do?

JohnD - By staining I assume you mean rusty water could seep into the washing through the holes of the inner drum. Is that correct? I thoroughly checked the insides and didn’t find single needle, so either - as Burnerman said - they maybe between the drums or they’ve reached the filter.

Cheers in advance

malc

 

[Burnerman]

If the needles are between the two drums, they will probably sit there for ever and a day.....there's very little chance they will get near the filter.
Its one hell of a job to split the drums so if the machine was mine, I'd check the filter from time to time and forget all about it!
John

 

[Haggis61]

Hi mate, we all do daft things sometimes, don't fret about it.

I don't imagine that a few needles can do much harm to a washing machine. The forces in the drum are huge so it'll smash the needle to bits and probably flush the bits out through the drain.

To the best of my knowledge the only filter is on the inlet, not the outlet. If there were it would be constantly blocked with debris.

Just continue to be careful over the next washes and it's good advice not to be too far from it, just in case something does go wrong.

 

[JohnD]

all the washing machines I have used over the past 30 years have had a pump filter/debris trap.

It usually contains some fluff, some loose change, and some bits of bra wire.

 

[big-all]

you don't actually specify what size or type off needle you are talking about
dress makers pins
sewing needles
darning needles
but in general less than 2" long would be hard pushed to do any dangerous damage

 

[Haggis61]

Well just goes to show what I know. Of course washing machines have an outlet filter! Sorry!

Anyway, I'm still sure they couldn't do that much harm, but hey, what do I know

 

[malcolmpenney]

Yet again, many thanks for the great replies and your time! As for Bra-wire - blimey!- if a washing machine can survive that stuff, i'm sure it'll survive a few sewing needles


Cheers & merry chrimbo in advance.

Malc

 

[gigz]

Empty mine every month or so, missus insists on leaving cotton buds in her dressing gown pockets, also had the bra wire, loads of 5p and pennies, screws/plugs (my bad). Cotton buds have jammed the spinning fan in the filter. Get the instructions and empty the filter, you'll be surprised what gets in there. Failing that hopefully the needles rust away to nothing.

 

[Jackrae]

The last time I had to extract a bra wire I'd to cit it into bits to get it out. made out of the strongest steel available and surely capable of holding up a mountain, never mind a molehill

 

[Ron Gamma]

Assuming it has a stainless drum then you could get a magnet and stick it to the drum. it will then attract any loose needles over time. those stuck in the filter won't damge the washing but do warn any engineer who services it later on just in case they haven't kept their tetanus jabs up to date.