Can we salvage our tumble dryers?

[HelpNewToDIY]

We have a small downstairs toilet with the entrance room containing two tumble dryers next door (a spare one incase we have a huge amount of washing to do).

Last week we had a blockage in the toilet and the room was completely flooded. After cleaning the floor several times, it still smells but we had the idea of using a pressure washer to clean the underside of the tumble dryers.

Is it safe to do this and can we continue to use them or will the damage be too much and the smell get into anything we tumble in them?

 

[ricicle]

Personally I would use elbow grease and a suitable cleaner to do the underside as there is no guarantee that the pressurised water would not find it's way into the tumble drier components (especially electronic controls).
Remember to isolate first !

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Hi

I am not being funny because pressure washing electrical equipment not designed for outside use is a really bad idea (and even then you need to check it's IP rating). But why don't you just get the marigolds on and clean them by hand with a some cleaner. This would be much safer (power disconnected of course)

Martin

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Jinx

 

[HelpNewToDIY]

Thanks for your replies. My dad wanted to use the pressure washer and I wasn't sure it would clean it right and hadn't thought about damaging the electrical components.

How likely is it that sewage water could have got into the components and damaged them beyond repair and is it still ok to use even if we hand clean the underside?

 

[OwainDIYer]

For both electrical safety and hygiene, you need to remove the dryers from site, strip down and clean by hand, then test for electrical safety (including operation of overheat protective devices)

Sewage anywhere near anything warm is rapidly going to become very nasty. Blowing warm e-coli over your towels is not hygienic.

 

[Wontdothatagain]

As OwainDIYer says, remove the machine to the back garden, take the back panel off, take some pictures first so you can see where everything went and label the screws as they came out. There is probably a tray of some sorts on the bottom that is full of the smelly stuff, get the gloves on and hold your breath

 

[OwainDIYer]

Or just get new ones and claim on the insurance.

 

[mattylad]

How deep did it get?

 

[HelpNewToDIY]

Thanks for all the replies. The depth of the water was not very high (about a few inches) and we have got an electrical store to get them checked for us and they will fill in the form to the insurance company saying we need new ones. We just have to wait now for the insurance company to settle the claim and buy new ones. At least this did not happen in the middle of winter as we use our tumble dryers a lot as we only have storage heaters and not central heating.

 

[mattylad]

I just cannot understand what has damaged these beyond economical repair for reuse?

For heck sake, they just need a little cleaning at the bottom 2 inches, a place where there are no moving or electrical parts - just casing.

Isn't this really just a case of you want payment for new ones off the insurance, then you are going to keep the monies and reuse them?

ISTR that is fraud.

Or are you going to not claim for them?