Amana Home Laundry Automatic Washer User Manual
Use and Care Guide
Home Laundry Automatic Washer
D310IE3B
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. (If the washer changes
ownership, be sure this manual accompanies the washer.)
Part No. 38839R3
September 1998
Table of
Contents
Important Safety Instructions ................................................................ 2
Before Washing
Prepare Wash Load.............................................................................. 4
Sort ...................................................................................................... 4
Pretreat................................................................................................. 4
Loading the Washer
Load Articles ....................................................................................... 5
Load Sizes ........................................................................................... 5
Water Level ......................................................................................... 5
Water
Water Hardness ................................................................................... 6
Iron ...................................................................................................... 6
Wash Temperature............................................................................... 6
Laundry Tips .................. ..................................................... .................... 7
Washing Temperature Guide ............... ................................................. 8
Optional Features
Bleach Dispenser................................................................................. 9
Fabric Softener Dispenser ................................................................... 9
Agitator Cap ........................................................................................ 9
Special Care
Starching............................................................................................ 10
Knits .................................................................................................. 10
Permanent Press................................................................................. 10
Washing Special Items ............... ............................. .............................. 11
Washing Problems ................................................................................ 12
Stain Removal ........................................................................................ 13
Maintenance
Cold Weather Care ............................................................................ 16
Care Of Your Washer........................................................................ 16
Vacations and Extended Non-Use .................................................... 16
Reinstallation of Shipping Materials................................................. 16
Motor Overload Protector .................................................................... 16
Before You Call For Service ................................................................ 17
If Service Is Required ........................................................................... 18
Asure™ Extended Service Plan ........................................................... 18
Parts and Accessories ............................................................................ 18
Information For Handy Reference ................ ....................... Back Cover
WARNING
For your safety and to reduce the risk of fire or
an explosion, do not store or use gasoline or
other flammable vapors and liquids in the
vicinity of this or any other appliance.
38839
W022E
Reprinted by permission
of the publisher.
1
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
(SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS)
11. Do not repair or r eplace any part of the washer,
WARNING
To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock,
serious injury or death to persons when
using your washer, follow these basic
precautions:
W023E
1. Read all instructions before using the washer.
2. Refer to the GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS in
the INSTALLATION manual for the proper
grounding of the washer.
3. Do not wash articles that have been previously
cleaned in, washed in, soaked in, or spotted with
gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents, or other
flammable or explosive substances as they give
off vapors that could ignite or explode.
4. Do not add gasoline, dry-cleaning solvents, or
other flammable or explosive substances to the
wash water. These substances give off vapors
that could ignite or explode.
5. Under certain conditions, hydrogen gas may be
produced in a hot water system that has not
been used for two weeks or mor e. HYDROGEN
GAS IS EXPLOSIVE. If the hot water system
has not been used for such a period, before using
a washing machine or combination washerdryer, turn on all hot water faucets and let the
water flow from each for several minutes. This
will release any accumulated hydrogen gas.
THE GAS IS FLAMMABLE. DO NOT
SMOKE OR USE AN OPEN FLAME DURING
THIS TIME.
6. Do not allow children to play on or in the
washer. Close supervision of children is
necessary when the washer is used near
children. This is a safety rule for all appliances.
7. Before the washer is removed from service or
discarded, remove the lid to the washing
compartment.
8. Do not reach into the washer if the washtub or
agitator is moving.
or attempt any servicing unless specifically
recommended in the user-maintenance
instructions or in published user-repair
instructions that you understand and have the
skills to carry out.
12. To reduce the risk of an electric shock or fire,
DO NOT use an extension cord or an adapter to
connect the washer to the electrical power
source.
13. Use your washer only for its intended purpose,
washing clothes.
14. ALWA YS disconnect the washer from electrical
supply before attempting any service.
Disconnect the power cord by grasping the plug,
not the cord.
15. Install the washer according to the
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. All
connections for water, drain, electrical power
and grounding must comply with local codes
and be made by licensed personnel when
required. Do not do it y ourself unless you know
how!
16. To reduce the risk of fire, clothes which have
traces of any flammable substances such as
vegetable oil, cooking oil, machine oil,
flammable chemicals, thinner, etc. or anything
containing wax or chemicals such as in mops
and cleaning cloths, must not be put into the
washer . These flammable subst ances may cause
the fabric to catch on fire by itself.
17. Do not use fabric softeners or products to
eliminate static unless recommended by the
manufacturer of the fabric softener or product.
18. Keep your washer in good condition. Bumping
or dropping the washer can damage safety
features. If this occurs, have yo ur washer
checked by a qualified serviceman.
19. Replace worn power cords and/or loose plugs.
20. Be sur e water connections ha v e a shut-off v alv e
and that fill hose connections are tight. CLOSE
the shut-off valves at the end of each wash day.
9. Do not install or store the washer where it will
be exposed to water and/or weather.
10. Do not tamper with the controls.
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21. Loading door MUST BE CLOSED any time the
washer is to agitate or spin. DO NOT by-pass
the loading door switch by permitting the
washer to agitate or spin with the loading door
open. A brake will stop the washtub within
seconds if the loading door is opened during
spinning. If the washtub does not stop when the
loading door is opened, remove the washer from
use and call the serviceman.
22. Always read and follow manufacturer’s
instructions on packages of laundry and
cleaning aids. Heed all warnings or precautions.
To reduce the risk of poisoning or chemical
burns, keep them out of the reach of children at
all times (preferably in a locked cabinet).
23. Always follo w the fabric care instructions
supplied by the garment manufacturer.
24. Never operate the washer with any guards and/
or panels removed.
25. DO NOT operate the washer with missing or
broken parts.
26. DO NOT by-pass any safety devices.
NOTE: The WARNING and IMPORTANT
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS appearing in this
manual are not meant to cover all possible
conditions and situations that may occur. Common
sense, caution and care must be exercised when
installing, maintaining, or operating the washer.
Always contact your dealer, distributor, service agent
or the manufacturer about any problems or conditions
you do not understand.
27. Failure to install, maintain, and/or operate this
machine according to the manufacturer's
instructions may result in conditions which can
produce bodily injury and/or property damage.
38839
3
Before Washing . . .
Prepare Wash Load
Empty Pockets and Cuffs
Make sure all pockets are empty and turn them inside
out. One bobby pin, metal or plastic toy, nail or sharp
object in a load can catch laundry and cause tears.
Facial tissue left in a pocket will produce extreme
“lint”. A crayon or lipstick in a wash load may cause
stains that cannot be removed. Roll down cuffs and
shake out grass, sand, and gravel.
Mend Rips and Tears
Little holes can become bigger in the washer. Mend
holes and tears before placing garments in the washer.
Close Zipper and Fasten Hooks
These can catch on garments in a wash load and tear
them. Tie belts and sashes so they won’t wind around
clothes.
Remove Nonwashable Trim
Check for colorfastness by squeezing a portion of
garment in warm or hot sudsy w ater . If the color bleeds
or runs, wash the item separately in cold water.
2. Sort by Fabric and Construction
Cottons and
Linens
Synthetics,
Blends & Poly Knits
3. Sort by Care Label
Cold
Hot
Permanent
Delicates
Press
W309IE1B
Warm
Sort
Proper sorting is easy if you follow a few guidelines:
1. Sort by Color
Whites
Lights
Darks
Non-Colorfast
W308IE1A
W310IE1A
4. Sort By Type and Amount of Soil
Children’s play clothes, as well as work clothes,
will need extra treatment. Lightly soiled clothes
can become dingy if washed with heavily soiled
items.
5. Sort Lint “Shedders” From Lint “Receivers”
Some fabrics attract lint and should not be washed
with lint-shedding loads. Lint shedders are cottons,
terry towels, chenille bedspreads, rugs, and clothes
which have been heavily bleached.
Lint receivers are synthetics, permanent or durable
press, knits (including socks), corduroy, and other
smooth fabrics.
Pretreat
Pretreat shirt collars and cuffs with a pre-wash product
or liquid detergent when placing them in the washer.
Before washing, treat special stains with bar soap,
liquid detergent or a paste of water and granular
detergent. Use a pretreat soil and stain remover.
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Loading the Washer . . .
Load Articles
Load items by the amount of space they take up, not by
their weight. Mix large and small items in a load to get
the best washing results.
Drop items loosely into the
washtub. The bulk of the
clothes rather than the weight
will determine load size. Do
not pack items in or wrap them
around the agitator.
Overloading can cause poor
cleaning, excessive wrinkling,
and tears.
Items should move freely through the wash w a ter for
best cleaning results. Items should rollover, si nk and
then reappear.
When washing very large items, do not fill washtub as
full as with other loads.
W280IE0B
Load Sizes
Extra Large (OPTIONAL)
8-9 shirts and 5 pair polyester pants
OR
2 queen size sheets, 4 pillow cases,
2 nightgowns, 1 pair men’s pajamas
OR
1 queen size bedspread
Reset (OPTIONAL)
Use the RESET if agitation has started and more water
is needed for the load.
Water Level
Right
Wrong
Small
3-4 perm. press dress shirts
OR
1 twin sheet, 1 pillow case
OR
1-2 lightweight dresses
Medium
6-7 perm. press shirts
OR
2 twin sheets, 2 pillow cases
OR
8 standard bath towels, 6 wash cloths
Large
10-11 perm. press shirts
OR
2 full size sheets, 2 pillow cases, 2 pair men’s pajamas
OR
12 standard bath towels, 4 hand towels, 4 wash cloths
W281IE0C
The water level in your washer should fit the size of
your wash load. Small loads will use lower water
levels. There must be enough water in the washtub to
allow items to move and turn over freely.
Overloading the washtub can result in poor washing
and rinsing.
Overloading may also cause wrinkling and tearing of
items.
IMPORTANT: If in doubt always use a higher
water level. Most average loads will require water
setting of Large. Failure to hav e the correct volume
of water relative to the load will increase the
incidence of excessive lint.
W282IE0B
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5
Water . . .
Water Hardness
Soft Water
0 to 10 milligrams per liter
Moderately Hard Water
300 milligrams per liter
Hard Water
500 milligrams per liter
Very Hard Water
Over 500 milligrams per liter
W120IE1A
Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon
(G.P.G.) or parts per million (P.P.M.). To learn your
water hardness, call your Water Department or State
Extension Service. Hard water will not remove soil as
well as soft water and can result in g ray , d ingy laundry.
To get clothes clean in hard water, use a phosphate
detergent or use more detergent if using a nonphosphate detergent. Do not use soap.
Hard Water May Be Softened By:
1. A mechanical water softener installed in your
home.
2. The use of a packaged water conditioner.
Soft Water
Water should be soft enough to allow soaps and
detergents to remove soil effectively. Clothes will be
whiter and brighter when washed and rinsed in soft
water.
Iron
If iron is present in the water, the clothes may become
an all-over yellow or they may be stained with brown
or orange spots or streaks. Iron is not alw ays visible in
the water.
Solutions to Iron Problems
The installation of a water softener will remove small
amounts of iron from the water supply . The installation
of an iron filter may be necessary for more severe cases.
If the iron comes from the pipes, it may be sufficient
just to let the water run into the empty washer for about
one minute. This may help to clear the pipes. Spin this
water out of the washtub before starting the wash.
If iron comes from the water heater, drain the heater
occasionally to remove the rust.
If the Iron Condition Cannot Be Corrected
Prepare the wash water first by adding detergent (not
soap), then add the clothes to the washtub. Use a
phosphate detergent. The phosphate content of a
detergent is listed on the package side panel.
Add a nonprecipitating water conditioner to the
washtub just before the rinse water enters. Do not use
fabric softener in the rinse water if a packaged water
conditioner is used.
Iron With Chlorine Bleach
The use of chlorine bleach with water that contains iron
will make the rust discoloration worse. Use an “all
fabric” bleach.
Wash Temperature
Hot Water
Hot water will give the best results of cleaning and
sanitizing, but it is not suitable for all items. It is best
for sturdy whites and colorfast items, heavily soiled
items and diapers.
Warm Water
By using warm water, there is less chance of color loss
in items. Warm water also reduces wrinkling in
permanent press items. Use with light and moderate
soils, non-colorfast or dark colors, permanent press,
silks, woolens, nylon, and acrylic.
Cold Water
Cold water is less effectiv e in cleaning than hot or
warm water, but it does minimize wrinkling and color
fading. Use it for washing extra-sensitive clothes and
for the rinsing of all fabrics.
Energy
You can save energy when washing b y follo wing a few
guidelines:
1. Heating water accounts for the greatest energy
expense when washing.
Save on heating water by
using cold rinses.
2. Wash full loads, but do not
overload.
3. Use soak cycles for heavily
soiled items to reduce wash
times.
4. Select a shorter wash time
for lightly soiled items.
140ºF
100ºF
60ºF
HOT
WARM
COLD
W121IE0A
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