General Electric WSM2420DWW User Manual

Safety Instructions ....................3–5

Operating Instructions, Tips

Operating the Washer ...........................6–13

Agitator..........................................................7

Control Settings...........................................6

Cycle Descriptions......................................5

Cycle Times ..................................................7

Energy-Saving Tips .....................................7

Fabric and Cycle Settings .........................8

Lint Filter ................................................7, 18

Soak................................................................6

Washer Lid Latch ........................................6

Operating the Dryer.............................14–17

Air Fluff Drying ..........................................15

Automatic and Timed Drying................15

Control Settings........................................14

Energy-Saving Tips ..................................17

Fabric and Cycle Settings.......................16

Lint Filter..............................................14, 19

Loading .......................................................14

Sorting .................................................14, 17

Care and Cleaning ...............18, 19

Storage and Vacation Tips ........................18

User Maintenance Instructions................18

Problem Solver.......................20–24

Preparation

Detergents and Additives...................10, 11

Hard Water ....................................................10

Loading the Washer..................................7, 8

Sorting Clothes...........................................7, 9

Stains ..............................................................12

Stain Removal Guide...................................13

Consumer Services...................27

Appliance Registration..................................2

Important Phone Numbers........................27

Model and Serial Numbers ..........................2

Repair Service..................................................2

Warranty ........................................Back Cover

Use and Care G uide

Spacemaker™Laundry

GEAppliances.com

Models: WSM2420, WSM2480

HELP US HELP YOU…

Before using your Spacemaker™Laundry, read this book carefully.

It is intended to help you operate and maintain your new appliance properly.

Keep it handy for answers to your questions.

If you don’t understand something or need more help, write (include your phone number):

Consumer Affairs GE Appliances, Appliance Park Louisville, KY 40225

Save time and money.

Before you request service… check the Problem Solver section. It lists causes of minor operating problems that you can correct yourself.

If you received a damaged appliance…

Immediately contact the dealer (or builder) that sold you the appliance.

Write down the model and serial numbers.

You’ll find them on a label on the inside of the door or the rating plate on top of the dryer.

These numbers are also on the Consumer Product Ownership Registration Card that came with your appliance. Before sending in this card, please write these numbers here:

Model Number

Serial Number

Use these numbers in any correspondence or service calls concerning your appliance.

All washing and drying instruction terms in this book conform to the Care Labeling Rule established by the Federal Trade Commission, January 1984.

If You Need Service

To obtain service, see the Consumer Services page in the back of this book.

We’re proud of our service and want you to be pleased. If for some reason you are not happy with the service you receive, here are two steps to follow for further help.

First, contact the people who serviced your appliance. Explain why you are not pleased. In most cases, this will solve the problem.

NEXT, if you are still not pleased, write all the details—including your phone number—to:

Manager, Customer Relations GE Appliances, Appliance Park Louisville, KY 40225

—Do not store or use gasoline or other

flammable vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.

—WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS

• Do not try to light any appliance.

• Do not touch any electrical switch; do not use any phone in your building.

• Clear the room, building or area of all occupants.

• Immediately call your gas supplier from a neighbor’s phone. Follow the gas supplier’s instructions.

• If you cannot reach your gas supplier, call the fire department.

—Installation and service must be performed

by a qualified installer, service agency or the gas supplier.

WARNING: For your safety the information in this manual must be followed to

minimize the risk of fire or explosion or to prevent property damage, personal injury or loss of life.

Important Safety Instructions

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Read all instructions before using your appliance.

WARNING—To reduce the risk of

fire, electric shock, or injury to persons when using your appliance, follow basic precautions, including the following:

• Use this appliance only for its intended purpose as described in this Use and Care Book.

• This appliance must be properly installed and located in accordance with the Installation Instructions before it is

used. If you did not receive an Installation

Instructions sheet with your appliance, you can obtain one by calling, toll-free, the GE Answer Center®at 800.626.2002.

—Properly ground to conform with all governing

codes and ordinances. Follow details in Installation Instructions.

—Locate where the temperature is above

50°F (10°C) for satisfactory operation of the appliance control system. Do not install or store the appliance where it will be exposed to the weather.

—Connect to a properly rated, protected

and sized power supply circuit to avoid

electrical overload.

—Do not install against drapes or curtains.

Follow details in Installation Instructions.

—Exhausting to the outside is STRONGLY

RECOMMENDED to prevent large amounts

of moisture and lint from being blown into the room. Carefully follow the details in the Installation Instructions. If your appliance is not vented to the outside, see special instructions in Care and Cleaning section. If this appliance has a gas dryer, it must be exhausted outside.

• Do not repair or replace any

part of the appliance or attempt

any servicing unless specifically recommended in this Use and Care Book or in published user-repair instructions that you understand and have the skills to carry out.

• Turn off water faucets when the washer is not in use to relieve pressure on hoses and valves, and to minimize leakage if a hose or valve should break or rupture.

• When disconnecting this appliance, pull by the plug rather than the cord

to avoid damage to the cord or junction

of cord and plug. Make sure that the cord is located so that it will not be stepped on, tripped over or otherwise subjected to damage or stress.

To Minimize the Possibility of a Fire Hazard

• Exhaust Duct—See Installation Instructions. Use only metal duct inside for exhausting dryer to the outside. USE OF PLASTIC OR OTHER

COMBUSTIBLE DUCTWORK CAN CAUSE A FIRE. FOIL OR OTHER EASILY PUNCTURED DUCTWORK CAN CAUSE A FIRE IF IT COLLAPSES OR BECOMES OTHERWISE RESTRICTED IN USE OR DURING INSTALLATION.

•

Do not use heat to dry articles containing rubber, plastic, or similar materials (such as padded bras,

tennis shoes, galoshes, bath mats, rugs, bibs, baby pants or plastic bags) as these materials may melt or burn. Also, some rubber materials, when heated, can under certain circumstances produce fire by spontaneous combustion.

• Do not store items that may burn or melt (such as clothing, paper material, plastics or plastic containers) on top of the appliance during the operation.

• Garments labeled “Dry Away from Heat” (such as life jackets containing kapok) must not be put in your dryer.

• Any article on which you have used a cleaning

solvent, or which contains flammable materials (such as cleaning cloths, mops, or towels used in beauty salons, restaurants or barber shops) must not be placed in or near the dryer until all traces of these flammable liquids or solids and their fumes have been removed. There are many highly flammable items used in homes such as acetone, denatured alcohol, gasoline, kerosene, some household cleaners, some spot removers, turpentines, waxes, wax removers and products containing petroleum distillates.

(continued next page)

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

(continued)

CALIFORNIA SAFE DRINKING WATER AND TOXIC ENFORCEMENT ACT

This act requires the governor of California to publish a list of substances known to the state to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm and requires businesses to warn customers of potential exposure to such substances. Gas appliances can cause minor exposure to four of these substances, namely benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and soot, caused primarily by the incomplete combustion of natural gas or LP fuels. Properly adjusted dryers will minimize incomplete combustion. Exposure to these substances can be minimized further by properly venting the dryer to the outdoors.

• Clean the dryer lint filter before each load to prevent lint accumulation inside the dryer or in the room. DO NOT OPERATE THE DRYER

WITHOUT THE LINT FILTER IN PLACE.

• Keep the area around and underneath your appliances free from the accumulation of combustible materials, such as lint, paper, rags

or chemicals.

• The interior of the machine and the exhaust duct connection inside the dryer should be cleaned periodically by a qualified individual.

To Minimize the Possibility of Injury:

• Do not mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or acids

such as vinegar and/or rust remover. Mixing can produce a toxic gas which may cause death.

• Do not wash or dry articles that have been cleaned in, washed in, soaked in, or spotted with combustible or explosive substances (such as, paint, gasoline, degreasers, dry-cleaning solvents or kerosene) which may ignite or explode.

Do not add these substances to the wash water and do not use or store these substances on/or around your washer and dryer during operation.

WARNING—HYDROGEN GAS is

produced by the chemical action within your water heater and the gas can accumulate in the water heater and/or water pipes if hot water has not been used for a period of two weeks or longer. HYDROGEN GAS CAN BE EXPLOSIVE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. So to prevent the possibility of damage or injury, if you have not used hot water for two weeks or more, or move into a residence in which the hot water system may not have been used for some time, turn on all hot water faucets and allow them to run for several minutes before using any electrical appliance which is connected to the hot water system. This will allow any hydrogen gas to escape. Since the gas is flammable, do not smoke or use an open flame or appliance during this process.

• Never reach into washer while it is moving. Before loading, unloading or adding clothes, push the Cycle Selector knob in, then wait until the machine has completely stopped before opening the lid.

• Never reach into the dryer while the drum is moving. Before loading, unloading or adding

clothes, wait until the drum has completely stopped.

• Do not wash or dry fiberglass articles in your appliance. Skin irritation could result from the

remaining glass particles that may be picked up by clothing during subsequent appliance uses.

• The laundry process can reduce the flame retardancy of fabrics. To avoid such a result,

the garment manufacturer’s care instructions should be followed very carefully.

WARNING—Fire and

Spontaneous Combustion Hazard

Do not wash or dry items that are soiled with vegetable or cooking oil. These items may contain some oil after laundering. Due to the remaining oil, the fabric may smoke or catch fire by itself causing fire or a spontaneous combustion hazard.

TIPS TO HELP YOU SELECT WASHER SETTINGS

Important Safety Instructions Cycle Descriptions

Regular Cycle— Permanent Press Cycle— Delicates Cycle—

For most cottons, linens, work and play clothes. Longer wash times plus an extra deep rinse, spray rinse and spin provide thorough washing and detergent removal.

For loads of synthetic and/or delicate fabrics. A cool-down spray helps prevent set-in wrinkles in permanent press shirts, blouses, dresses and similar apparel.

For lingerie and gently used fabrics, this cycle has a gentle wash and a slow spin.

• Close supervision is necessary if this appliance is used by or near children. Do not allow children to play inside, on or with this appliance or any discarded appliance. Dispose of discarded appliances and shipping or packing materials properly. Before discarding an appliance, or removing from service, remove the lid and door.

• Keep all laundry aids (such as detergents, bleaches or fabric softeners) out of the reach of

children, preferably in a locked cabinet. Always

read and follow instructions on packages of detergent and laundry aids. Observe all warnings on container labels to avoid personal injury.

• Keep the floor around your appliance clean and dry to reduce the possibility of slipping.

• To minimize the possibility of electric shock, unplug this appliance from the

power supply before attempting any

maintenance or cleaning (except the removal and cleaning of the lint filter).

NOTE: Pushing the washer cycle selector knob in or turning the dryer cycle selector to OFF does NOT disconnect the appliance from the power supply.

• Do not tamper with the controls.

• Do not operate this appliance if it is damaged, malfunctioning, partially disassembled, or has missing or broken parts, including a damaged cord or plug.

• Never climb on or stand on the dryer top.

For Washer Operation

• Do not leave washer lid up during cycle. This will stop the spin action and prevent completion of the cycle.

Dryer-Applied Fabric Softeners or Antistatic Conditioners

You may wish to soften your laundered fabrics or reduce the static electricity in them.

We recommend you use either a fabric softener in the wash cycle, according to the manufacturer’s instructions for those products, or try a dryer-added product for which the manufacturer gives written assurance on the package that their product can be safely used in your dryer.

Service or performance problems caused by the use of these products are the responsibility of the manufacturers of those products and are not covered under the warranty of this appliance.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

Spacemaker Laundry

WARM

COLD

WASH RINSE

HOT

COLD

COLD COLD

Temp

SMALL

MED

LARGE

Load Size Start

PUSH TO

START DRYER

Auto-

Perm Press

Auto Regular

NORMAL

Air Fluff Timed

50 MIN

OFF

10 MIN

OFF

NORMAL

COOL

DOWN

OFF

DE-WRINKLE

LESS DRY

DRY

LESS DRY

NORMAL

ENERGY PREFERRED AUTOMATIC SETTING

= RINSE

= SPIN

PULL KNOB TO START PUSH TO STOP

Permanent

Press

Regular

NORMAL - 10

LIGHT SOIL - 8

OFF

COOL DOWN

RINSE

HEAVY - 12 MIN

Delicates

10 MIN

OFF

6 MIN

Use the Suggested Fabric and Cycle Settings guide to help you make the proper selections.

Select Water Level.

SMALL: Washer is less than 1/3 full of clothes.

MEDIUM: Between 1/3 and 2/3 full.

LARGE: Over 2/3 full.

For best cleaning results, the load must be able to move freely in the water. Too big a load or too little water can cause wear or tear of load items.

Select Wash/Rinse Temperature.

Push Cycle Selector knob in and turn clockwise

to your selected wash setting.

Pull Cycle Selector knob out to start the washer. If

you wish to change a setting after the washer has started, push in the Cycle Selector knob to stop the washer and reset to the new position. Setting can be changed at any time.

STOP

START

WARNING

—To reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, or injury to persons when using

your appliance, read the IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS before operating this appliance.

HOW TO OPERATE YOUR WASHER

Features and appearances may vary slightly.

Setting the Controls

How to Soak in Your Washer

Allow the washer to fill and agitate for a few minutes to dissolve the soaking agent. Then push in the Cycle Selector knob to stop the washer (keep lid closed) and allow to soak for as long as desired.

After desired soak period, pull out Cycle Selector knob to complete cycle.

Washer Lid Latch To Add Items After Washer Has Started

For easier loading convenience, use the washer lid latch. To hold the washer lid up, lift the lid until it snaps past the latch under the control panel.

To release the lid, push the lid latch up.

• Turn off the washer.

• Latch the washer lid.

• Add any additional articles by submerging them

next to the agitator.

NOTE: When washing stockings, panty hose and other easily tangled items, always handle separately. To minimize tangling, we recommend the use of a net laundry bag.

LID LATCH

See How to Operate Your Dryer section for the above Dryer controls

7

Sorting and Loading

• Sort clothes carefully by fabric type, weight, color and amount of soil, according to instructions in How to Sort Clothes section.

• Add measured amount of detergent. See Detergents section for information on detergents and other laundry additives.

• Load clothes into wash basket, being careful not to overload. See How to Load Your Washer section.

• For information on how to use bleaches and fabric softeners, see Other Laundry Products section.

• Close the lid. Washer will fill but not spin with the lid open.

Manual-Clean Lint Filter

Clean the filter at the bottom of the agitator after every load for the best filtering results.

NOTE: The load type will vary the amount of lint buildup.

To clean:

1. Lift off the agitator barrel.

2. Wash or wipe the filter

clean in the bottom of the agitator barrel. The filter is not removable.

3. Replace the agitator barrel

and snap it in to place.

Cycle Times — Total Cycle Times (Approximate Minutes)

NOTES:

• Total time includes pauses between each phase of the cycle.

• Total time does not include water fill times. Fill times vary

depending on household water pressure and your selected water level.

Permanent Press Delicates Regular

16 12 16

ENERGY-SAVING TIPS FOR YOUR WASHER

If your clothes and household items don’t look clean and fresh after washing, you will probably rewash them…and that means you’ll waste energy. Remember to sort your clothes carefully, load them properly, select correct cycles, use enough detergent and choose a water temperature warm enough to

release and get rid of soil.

• Try to wash less often. Save articles of the same

type of fabric until you have a full load.

• If you must wash smaller loads, adjust the amount

of water. Small loads should have lower water levels.

• Always rinse in cold water. The temperature of the rinse does not affect cleaning.

• Wash in off-peak utility hours. Your local utility can tell you which are the off-peak hours.

• Use your washer’s Normal Spin. This will remove more water during spin, which will shorten the drying cycle to save more energy.

AGITATOR BARREL

MANUAL-CLEAN LINT FILTER

Operating Instructions Lint Filter Energy-Saving Tips

HOW TO LOAD YOUR WASHER

This illustration, with clothes just reaching the Clothes Retaining Ring, shows a proper load. Clothes have ample room to move because they are not packed down, nor wrapped around the agitator. Clothes are loaded dry since wet items are likely to pack down which encourages overloading. This size load requires a full water fill.

What is the best size load of clothes—large, medium or small? Save time, energy and detergent by avoiding extra use of

the washer. Try to wash a full load of clothes. If you can, it is better to save clothes until you have a full load. If you must wash smaller loads, save water, energy and detergent by adjusting the water level for the size of the load. See Operating the Washer.

• Load clothes dry.

• Take a properly sorted group of clothes and drop them loosely in the wash basket in this order:

Large items—like sheets. Do not wrap around the agitator.

Small items—like washcloths.

Medium size items—like towels.

DO NOT OVERLOAD YOUR WASHER.

• Try to mix large and small items in each machine load for better washing action.

• Wash large items (blankets, bed spreads, mattress pads, etc.) separately.

• If machine is overloaded, you may experience oversudsing or out-of-balance conditions.

SUGGESTED FABRIC AND CYCLE SETTINGS

FOR YOUR WASHER

Cycle Suggested For Clothes Load/Fabrics such as:

Permanent Press and Knits • Synthetics

• Permanent press, treated cottons, blends with cottons

• Down-filled garments, if machine

washing is recommended*

Delicates • Baby clothes (delicate)

• Lingerie

Regular • Cottons and linens

• Denims

• Baby clothes (sturdy)

Special Instructions

*Down-Filled Garments

Wash frequently to fluff up the down and retain the garment’s warmth. WASH SEPARATELY. Wet down gives off an odor which may be absorbed by other garments. Odor disappears when garment is dry. Treat heavily soiled areas with liquid detergent or a paste made of water and powdered detergent. Close zippers. Wash 2 or 3 garments at a time or add towels to balance. GARMENT MUST BE TUMBLE-DRIED.

It pays to check and prepare clothes for washing.

• Empty pockets, brush out cuffs,

zip zippers, and fasten snaps, hooks and buttons.

• Do any necessary mending—rips,

hems, tears.

• Check all items for areas of heavy

soil or stain.

• Remove stains. See Stain

Removal Guide.

• Turn poly knits inside out to

minimize fabric surface damage.

EXTRA CLEANING

(See Tips to Help You Select Washer Settings section for instructions.)

See Stain Removal Guide.

See

Fabric and Cycle Settings guide.

See the Problem Solver section.

Soaking and Pretreating—a good way to loosen deep soils and stains.

A thorough soaking with detergent or special soaking agent is another way to remove heavy soils, embedded dirt and even some stains.

Soaking can be either a completely separate washing step or a prelim inary step to a complete wash cycle. For detailed information on how to soak in your washer, see How to Soak in Your Washer.

FOR INFORMATION ON SOAKING AGENTS, see Other Laundry Products guide.

• Pretreat heavy soil by rubbing

in a small amount of liquid detergent or a paste made of water and powdered detergent or soap. For best results, wait 1/2 hour before washing.

Sort by Surface Texture

Separate

LINT PRODUCERS—such as terry toweling and chenille—give up lint.

LINT COLLECTORS—such as manmade fibers and napped fabrics like velveteen and corduroy—attract lint. These must be washed separately.

For more information on lint control, see the Problem Solver section.

Separate

In addition to sorting to reduce lint collection, it is recommended that fabrics of similar construction be washed together whenever possible.

Separate

For instructions on different fabrics and loads, see the Fabric and Cycle Settings guide.

Sort by Fabric

Sort by Soil

Sort by Color

HOW TO SORT CLOTHES

Washer—Suggested Fabric and Cycle Settings Sorting

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