Have you seen the latest Kathy Bates commercial for Turbo Tax? Haunted by ghostly dead children, she wants to know if she can use them as a deduction. I can relate. I have a demon washing machine.
One morning, I sat at the kitchen counter and my washer beeped. It was an unusual sound. Persistent. Frantic. Nonstop. The machine had never warned me like that before. It seemed to be crying out for help.
“What the hell?” I ran to my laundry room. The door of the front loader hung wide open. How could it beep with the door open? As I stepped toward it, cold water seeped through my socks. My gaze dropped to the puddle on the floor.
“Are you kidding me?” I picked up one soaked foot.
The empty washer had filled with the door open…. by itself. But how? The machine had been turned off.
I set it to Drain. The washer obeyed while I wiped up the water. I dismissed it as a random washer failure.
Two days later, I walked into the laundry room with a basket of dirty clothes and towels. I stepped into yet another cold puddle of water.
Crap!
Setting the basket on the counter, I looked inside the empty washer. It had filled with the door open, AGAIN!
I wiped the floor and then made small piles to launder the following week. There would be a lot more after a weekend in the mountains. My washer works better with full loads, anyway.
This time I unplugged the machine. There was no way it could work without electricity. I smiled and packed up to leave.
Late Tuesday afternoon, I walked into the laundry room with more dirty clothes and stepped into water all over the floor. While hanging limp across the top of the washer, the plug gloated as if to say, “See? It wasn’t me.”
How did it fill?
I turned off both the hot and cold water taps. Righty tighty. It couldn’t possibly fill now. I shut the washing machine’s door, just in case. I usually kept it open to keep mildew from growing on the rubber gasket. Poor design, in my opinion.
For four days, piles of clothes and towels had soaked up tepid water. They stunk. Lifting the sodden mess into a laundry basket, I dragged it downstairs to my GE stackable. Starting with towels, I washed them with soap and they still smelled musty. I washed them again with vinegar and a third time with soap to get the vinegar smell out of them. What a process.
Filling the upper dryer with clean towels, I decided to go to bed.
The next morning, I walked to the stackable’s dryer, but the door was already open. What? The weight of the towels must have pushed on it during the night. They were still wet. I had to run them through the wash again. Such bad luck.
I felt like Kathy Bates. Was the ghost in my house a compulsive clothes washer? Had it used a rock to clean its unmentionables down by the river when it was alive? Surely I had fixed the water problem by turning it off.
With fingers crossed, I entered the possessed laundry room. Slowly, I opened my washer’s door. Water poured out. I slammed it shut. How? HOW????
It didn’t make any sense. My husband checked the water lines. Yep. They were shut off. The cord still dangled across the top of the machine. It taunted me. How could this be happening?
Danny shrugged. “Maybe you should call someone,” he said.
“Like an Priest or an exorcist?” I asked.
I called an appliance serviceman and said, “Yes, I have a demon washer,” and then explained what was going on.
The resident expert suggested disconnecting the hoses. That way I would know if the valves were broken. A new machine wouldn’t fix the problem if a valve needed replacement or repair. Danny disconnected them.
As I stared at the dangling plug and disconnected hoses, I wondered what I would do if the washer filled and spilled water onto the floor again. Was this the start of some new crazy haunting? We’ve had bangers and I’ve seen ghosts, but this one could be destructive. I imagined wading through a flooded home, Roxy dog-paddling beside me.
It’s been a few weeks and the faucets remained dry. No wet socks. No mysterious filling. No beeping in frenetic warning since that very first day. The washer was definitely the demon. My stackable has been doing all the work.
I asked Facebook friends what kind of washing machine I should buy. A friend replied, “One without a demon.” We’ll see. I plan on purchasing a new washer this week.
Stay tuned my friends. I hope I don’t say, “I’m going to have to move again,” like Kathy Bates. I’ll keep a lifejacket in my kitchen, just in case.
Have you ever experienced unexplainable events in your house? What kind of washing machine should I buy? My Frigidaire front loader was the worst.
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Well, you know Boulder: energy washes differently there.
(Samsung washers area all over the news here the past few months….pampering old washer until sure what to buy…but mounds of wet towels – ugh. At least here those can be dropped outside to dry in sun and heat ( already…double ugh)
Have you tried drawing a circle around it …bound to be some folk lore available for that….check with the Stanley?
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Ha! Good idea with the circle! I’m in the right place, for sure. I just checked again. Don’t you think that after all this time (weeks) the inside gasket would be dry? It’s creeping me out.
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Are you going to claim your washing machine as a tax deduction?
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Ha! I’ll have to call Turbo Tax. I mean it’s been using extra water and has been the worst house guest.
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So I’m laying in bed last night when your washer demon crossed my mind followed by the thought, “Scooby Doo, where are you?” I think it’s time to call in Mystery, Inc. Who benefits most from these mishaps? Proctor and Gamble? The local water company? If Scooby and the gang taught me anything it’s this: When you can answer that question you will have caught your culprit. One hint; It’s NOT Red Herring. Good luck!
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Ha! Good thinking, Bella! There was always a logical explanation. The service man was convinced it was the water taps, but they’re fine. I just checked. Without electricity and water taps turned off, it’s weird that it could overfill. It’s not like that much would just lay in the hoses. And it couldn’t come back up from the drain, since it’s not a tight seal. I’ll be really FREAKING OUT if our new washer does the same thing!
I’ll keep you posted.
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Please do! I am intrigued to know the outcome! Good luck.
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You need to call the Ghostbusters.
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Why didn’t I think of that??? Of course! I’m sure there are a few outfits in Boulder to choose from. 🙂
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When I was young we had a washing machine in the garage that electrocuted you if you touched it. I was pushing my bicycle past it one day, and got stuck to it. Dad didn’t believe us until he touched it one day…
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Oh, WOW! You’re lucky to be alive to tell the tale! It never occurred to me how walking in water with the possibility of an electrical problem could have been deadly. And then it flooded while unplugged and with the water shut off!
I plan let the appliance guy deal with it when we replace it. I’ll shut the door until then…
Thanks for stopping by!
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I don’t speak of it often, but… our house and the home we owned next door, my late father-in-law’s house are both haunted, Susie.
Seriously.
Fortunately, the ghosts in our home are benevolent.
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Good thing! Are they bangers, move things, or have you seen things?
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They make noises.
We’ve seen things briefly.
Chelsea the Shih Tzu has had the most contact with them – but she’s not talking.
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If dogs could talk!
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Welp . . . if you’re gonna have a ghost in the machine, it’s best to have a neat freak. I’m just saying . . .
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Right??? There’s a ghost in mine and I still need to replace it! Gah! I may have to burn some sage in my laundry room before I buy another…
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Wow, you’re going old school.
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I enjoyed the post. The case for possession seems questionable. I don’t consider a household appliance to be possessed with a demon (or lesser supernatural critter) until it growls or spews pea soup. These occurrences have all the earmarks of a gremlin, but that’s just my opinion. I hope your new washer resolves the issue!
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Hahahaha! I know. The only thing about Gremlins is they multiply with water. That could be really BAD!
I haven’t heard any growling or found any foul soup puddles…..yet.
Thanks for stopping by DO!
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Only you!!! 😀 … and Kathy, of course. That ad is a hoot!
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Right??? This stuff just keeps happening. You should have heard the exasperation in the voice of the appliance repairman. He pretty much thought I was crazy and the faucets leaked. Nope!
That ad really cracks me up! Love Kathy Bates.
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Do you know how to smudge your house with sage? If you’ve got any pesky spirits messing with you, this can usher them out. Check it out on YouTube if you don’t know about this. Anyone can do it. You don’t need someone to do it for you. The valves in my house (that bring water to the washing machine) can sometimes leak when minerals build up. I get water dripping into the washer and it can fill up in a number of days. To clear the stuff out, I turn the washer on and off very quickly and then do it a few more times. It shakes the pipes and valves when I do it quickly, shaking loose mineral buildup. I have an older top loader. Good luck with everything and enjoy having a new machine!
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Thanks so much, Susan! I missed your comment. Sheesh!
I will check out that video since our house has something… There is sage in our backyard, so I can make one to burn. I’ll let you know how it goes. We’ve had the hoses unhooked for weeks now with no drips. It’s so very strange!!!
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I’d recommend a washboard and hand wringer…then go wash your clothes DOWN BY THE RIVER: https://youtu.be/3nhgfjrKi0o
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I don’t even have to look. Chris Farley went to my high school!
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Which was DOWN BY THE RIVER? Did you know him? Nice.
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He was in my sister’s class. I remember him goofing around in the hallways. 🙂
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Scary! Get a loved one to do the washing? (Actually forget the last point if I let my loved one do the washing it would be like a horror movie)
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Hahaha! That is so true. Every time my husband helps, something goes wrong. It is a weird phenomena. I hope my new one works!
Thanks for swinging by, Lucy! Always great to “see” you!
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🙋🏼
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Hope it was the washing machine that was haunted, not the laundry room! Good luck with your new washer.
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Oh, my God, I didn’t think of that! Oh, I hope my new one doesn’t act up…. I’ll let you know.
Thanks for reading!
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Yikes that’s scary! Only an exorcism will save you! 😉
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I know! My husband has been gone a lot this month, which doesn’t help. OOoooooOOooooOOOooo!
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Someone’s trying to make contact! But who? 🙂 Maybe you need to perform a seance and see who the spirit is. 🙂 Do you watch Ghost hunters by chance?
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No, because it’s all happened to me and you can’t call them like they do on the show. Ouija boards are nothing to fool around with though…
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Really? That sounds ominous. Have you called spirits with one before?
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Other than what happened at the Stanley, they had their own timetable. Ha!
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I’m sure they did. Why do you think Ouija boards shouldn’t be fooled around with. Now I’m curious!
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Because they work!
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Oh my gosh. I’ve got to try one sometime. Now, I’m very curious. 🙂
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I’m sensing an untapped market – a plumbexorcist!
We’ve had all manner of spooky happenings in our homes over the years, but never with a washing machine! Sending good, demon-be-gone thoughts your way!
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Thanks so much, Traci!
It has been one thing after another. I don’t think it’s the house. I think I attract them! Our banger was gone and now it’s back too. I just hope when we buy a new washer, that it doesn’t act up too! Then I will sound like Kathy Bates, “I’m going to have to move again.” Ha!
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I don’t know if Fisher and Paykel smart drive washers are available in the US but they are pretty good. Used to be a NZ company, very innovative. Their washing machines have precisely 2 moving parts: the direct-drive washing tub and the lid lock. It’s possible the warranty covers exorcisms. That said, the computer on my 2 year old one blew up. As in exploded with a bang I heard from the other side of the house. They came to my house to fix it, which took 20 mins and involved swapping out the main circuit board. The tech said he hadn’t seen that fault often and couldn’t explain it. Hmmn…
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That is crazy for your computer to BLOW UP! What did you say to it? Ha! I hope it was backed up, which reminds me… I’ll do that tonight. You never know!
We don’t have those brands, but I’m staying away from Samsung since it appears they burn up like their cell phones. Don’t need that!
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Yes, washing machine fires are definitely a downer when it comes to washing machines – we’ve had the Samsung burn-up problem here in NZ. I wouldn’t buy one. The F&P brand was NZ’s top – and a local invention – but the company sold out to international owners. I was a bit ambiguous in the comment – the detonating computer was in the washing machine – it was the controller. The machine totally didn’t work after that although it had no mechanical fault. Typical Kiwi ingenuity – “let’s put a computer into the washing machine to run everything and take out all the moving parts that did it before”. Works a treat until something goes bang.
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I hope your washing machine didn’t do any scheming with other appliances. LOL
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Ohhhhhhh! That would be terrible!
I spoke with a contractor and he can’t understand what’s happening either. One friend suggested a water surge, but it isn’t. I’m still using my stackable and hope my new one isn’t infected! Talk about the Ghost and the Machine. Ha!
Thanks for you comment, Kathy!
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I’ll cross my fingers that your troubles disappear 🙂
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Good luck with your new machine. I had a Samsung that was recalled. I never had any problems but sent it back to be safe. It was replaced with a Samsung. So, keeping my fingers crossed. So much if a headache for a washing machine!
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