I had a problem with dark laundry having white lint on it. I got rid of my old dryer because I thought that was the problem. But the brand spanking new dryer still has the same problem. Any ideas what could be causing this?
Actually the problem started when I got a new washer a year ago. But I can't see what the washer could have to do with it.
Thank you, MKS

Yes your washer can be the culprit - lint comes off in both the washer and dryer.

We wash whites on hot, then run the machine empty on cold (to remove any oxyclean or bleach or bluing that may remain in the tub), then we do our dark clothes, then our sheets and then the towels (towels leave the most lint BTW) and then the animal sheets (which we use to cover the furniture) which has a great deal of animal hair - then we run the washer through a cold empty cycle.

Doing it that way we have reduced the amount of lint (and animal hair) in the darks and on the sheets.

Other things that play a roll on how much clothing you stuff into a wash load, how much clothing you stuff into a dryer, the kinds of material of the clothing (such as towels - the terricloth creates loads of lint which can be stuck inside th machine for the next load of clothing).

The Wash machine needs to be cleaned periodically too.

If you use the center part for fabric softner, fabric softner can be gunking up the water line area and above - Fabric softener is spread by the first spin cycle and doesn't get washed off the walls when the machine refills Washing and agitation of a load of clothing could cause linty water to lap up leaving lint onto the sticky residue.

These liquids and mineral deposits can reach up all the way under the lip of the machine (where you can't see it) and can get caked with lint, dust and what not which could drop back into the machine on the final cycle and get onto your clothing.

Does yor machine have lint traps? Older machines used to have this tray that sat on the agitator (the center pillar of the machine) where a ball of lint would collect as the water cycled through, newer machines place that else where different machines put them in different places.

http://www.friendlyplumber.com/plumbing101/how_tos/washing_machine_cleaning.html goes more indepth on cleaning a washing machine.

I hope some of this helps, I tried to cover all bases.

Excellent reply as always David.

I'm taking the unusual step of posting a message that I have tried to send a number of times, and from various e-mail addresses, to emkayess. It has been returned each time owing to emkayess' highly effective spam guard!

"Your mailbox is refusing to accept e-mails from AnswerPool and your daily e-mail digests are being returned to us. Please change the instructions to allow e-mails from AnswerPool.com to enable your requested messages to be delivered"

I hope you see this emkayess, as you must be wondering where your notifications are! Please acknowledge and I will then delete this very off topic post!

We now return you to your normal service.

Excellent answer Dave and I just want to add to your lint trap answer, that most washing machines have a lint filter. This may be one that you have to remove and clean after a couple of washes or cleans itself after each wash cycle.

The "Auto Clean" one cleans by back flushing during the emtying cycles. If something has happened to your machine that is keeping this unit from operating properly, then this lint will continue to stay in the wash.

In the water circuit on ours, there is a check valve that allows the water to flow through during wash cycle and closes off during a drain cycle forcing the water back through it and down the drain with the lint. If the valve should be open a little, it would allow some lint to remain in the system.

The worst thing that can happen did when Mrs. Wow decided to wash a old shag throw rug and it came apart PLUGGING this lint trap and would not allow the machine to drain.

So it really is my washer. I will have to re-read my manual to see where that lint filter could be located.
My old washer definitely did not have one and I never looked for one in the new washer(same manufacturer).
I just assumed(yeah, well) that the problem was with the dryer.
Come to think of it - I have started to take the throw rugs to the laundromat because of the lint.
DvdGStwrt and WOW, thank you for enlightering me.
Karrow:
I had problems with changing the email address in my profile. It would not let me change anything and I only got a 4" wide window. I tried several times - and then I forgot - sorry.
I have added a valid address now. I still got the narrow window but I could navigate and type.

I'm sorry you had problems changing your address emkayess. Did you use the scroll bar at the bottom of your profile to scroll to the right? I'm pleased to hear that you have managed to sort it now, but please do contact admin@answerpool if you have problems in the future.

MKS
Dave and I should have ask what make and model number washer is it? If it is a Kenmore, give us the WHOLE number xx-xxxxxx. The first to xx are the manufacture as Sears does not make anything.

Hi, thank you so much this has been extremely helpful.
My old washer was a Maytag A207 bought somewhere in the 70s - and it did have a lint filter - used to clean it all the time (I still have the old manual). The new one is a Maytag PAV2300 and the lintfilter is supposed to be automatic. Sad to admit: I have been so fixated on getting that new dryer I didn't realize the problem is the washer.
I visited the Maytag site and will check out the drainage hose and the waterpressure for the fill hoses. It also gives instruction for testing the drainage speed.
Thank you so much for your help!