u/Present-Nebula-4641

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Hello!

Obligatory disclaimer that English is not my first language.

Following advice from u/DoomPaDeeDee (who has been a huge help in resolving my predicament), here is an update on my parents (actually 5 years old!) washing machine.

Context: The washer (LG FH0J3TDNP) kept showing a water inlet error even though the diagnosis app didn't flag any problem. We cleaned the water entrance and its filter, but the pump filter was broken and stuck. I tried to start an auto-clean cycle with citric acid but it stopped halfway through. DoomPaDeeDee suggested that inlieu of a water inlet issue, it was probably a water outlet one, and they were right!

After my last post, I tried every day for a week to dislodge the broken pump filter with various tools and assistance. As the machine was out of order either way, I also soaked the detergent tray, which was honestly gross and had multiple years old detergent build-up all over it, in citric acid for a good 36 hours. The transformation was nothing short of magic! It is in much better shape right now (first photo). Big thanks to u/IHadTooMuch_ToDream who helped with cleaning the spot where the tray go too!

Unfortunately for me, the one day I got out of the house is when my father decided to call a technician to look at the filter (the betrayal!). I was told that he had no difficulty to open that damned filter but the reason why it did not want to budge (other than my noodle arms) is that it was encased in limescale. Please look at the second image for what has stopped the water flow for more than 6 months in my parents' washing machine.

With the opportunity to finally finish a washing cycle, I took on the task of eliminating any trace of scrud I could find in this machine.

I began by putting citric acid directly in the drum as told by this guide, but I found it cleaned better when put in the detergent tray.

My friends.

There was not a speck of scrud anywhere in this machine. Not. One.

Do you know what caused so much anguish? What lay in wait for years, building up in the shadows, till the day it could strike?

LIMESCALE.

SO. MUCH. LIMESCALE.

Some of it in the drum (third photo), some in the seal (fourth photo), probably more in the pump filter still.

After 14 cleaning cycle and 2 kilograms of citric acid, please gaze upon my pile of limescale debris, immortalized in my phone so that I never forget to do maintenance on any of my appliances ever again (fifth photo).

Thankfully all is right again, we should get the new pump filter sometime this week to definitely close this chapter, and I introduced my parents to the wonders of warm washing (40°C) and citric acid as softener.

Morale of the story: if you have hard water, citric acid is your best friend, and 10 min of maintenance a month will save your wallet and yourself a headache.

Hello!

Obligatory disclaimer that English is not my first language.

The washing machine at my parents has been having some problems working this past year, that didn't get solved even with multiple visits by a technician. So, after scouring this sub, I decided to tackle the problem heads on.

The principal problem was the water not getting –or at least not in a sufficient quantity– in the washing machine. First, I decided to follow the instructions on the manuel (cleaning both filters). The one for the water supply was pretty straightforward. Don't get me wrong, it was disgusting but soon enough got clean again (before & after in the first & second photo).

Then I ran into my first obstacle. The drain pump filter cannot be removed. When I try to unscrew it, only the cap turns (see the third image).

Okay well, it's not the most pressing of issues. Let's continue.

I then decided to clean the machine. I know that my parents have a somewhat heavy hand with detergent so I took some citric acid and decided to start the first cleaning cycle. I open the dispenser to put some and... Uhm. Well. I understand why they said that sometimes the washing machine leaked from it. I tried to scrap some of the build-up from it unsuccessfully (fourth image). The softener part needs descaling (fifth image) and the whole compartment where it fits needs cleaning too (sixth image).

Nevertheless, I put it back and poured 1/2 cup of citric acid in the drum (following advice from this post) and as I suspected, there is a lot of build-up. This is a photo (seventh image) of the ongoing cleaning cycle.

(EDIT: While I was writing this post, the cycle stopped because not enough water is getting in :( It stopped at the 28th minute from a countdown of 1h23.)

Now I need help to resolve two problems:

1. How do I take out –or at least soften– the plaque on the dispenser to scrub it out? Should I submerge it in a citric acid & water concoction for a day and try again? At what dosage?
2. How do I take out the drain pump filter? Should I take a pair of plyer and force it? I worry that I will damage it since it is made of plastic and not that solid.

The machine is a LG FH0J3TDNP if that helps. The water where my parents live is hard, although I don't know the exact mmeasurements.I ran a diagnostic with the Smart Diagnosis fonction and that's what it gave me (eighth image). It's in French and says that there is a delay in the supply of the water.

Any help would be welcomed.

Thank you.