Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
jessvb7

My LG FL is pilling my clothes

jessvb7
12 years ago

I have looked up every resource I know to help me with this problem. I'm wondering is anyone has had the same problem. I have an LG wm3360HVAC Front Load washer. Previously I had an agitator washer. I've had clothes for 12 years that have always stayed looking pretty nice. One wash in the new FL and my clothes are pilling up so badly. I wondered if it was just old clothing, so I have washed clothes from brand new to very old, and different quality fabrics. I've tried different detergents in different amounts. I've tried different wash settings and temperatures. Also, my clothes feel terribly rough, even with fabric softener. So I read a tip to use vinegar instead. It seems to make them a little softer, but doesn't help the pilling. Has anyone else had this problem? I desperately need help, all of my clothes are being ruined!

Comments (88)

  • Laundry Mich
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    @sandy1616... try using the Permanent Press (LG) cycle over & over on the same load of clothes. They'll be permanently ruined in 2-3 runs.

    The "Cottons/Towels" is far, far too aggressive. With that said... "Normal" seems to offer similar agitation, and water levels, almost comparable to my Miele. But I so wouldn't use a LG Exclusively for laundry.

    At the end of the day, an LG will clean your clothes. It will achieve clean laundry. But I hate the dumbed down temperatures, and.. lack of care for clothing. But it's not the worst brand in the world either.


    If I was forced to use a *american* brand... I'd use a Whirlpool Duet machine.

  • sandy1616
    8 years ago

    I didn't like the clean out on the Duet. No matter how hard I inspect there's always grass, artificial turf and other crud. How I envy the parents and spouses of tennis players. There's a hoodie or fleece something in most every load. Most are washed on bulky due to the sheer stinky grossness.

    Mitch - comparing my LG to my Asko would be silly. It just isn't the same thing by features or price.

  • joseph849
    8 years ago

    I have a whirlpool front loader and also have a big problem with pilling. My kids absolutely hate it! (They have a lot of tees that pill terribly) machine isn't paid for so any ideas since we will be using it for a while!

  • mamapinky0
    8 years ago

    Ow long have you had it?

  • monica829
    8 years ago

    I just bought a Samsung FL three weeks ago after my LG FL broke down after 12 years. I loved my old machine but designs must have changed. All the nice t-shirts are looking pilly and a mess. Why spend $$ on nice clothes just to have them trashed? It has been three weeks and the thing is going back. My old machine was treated my clothes so well. RIP. I ran out of water salts so that might be a problem but when I ran out of salt before, this was never an issue. I have looked on Consumer Reports and "Gentleness on Clothes" is rated really "good" on most machines even the top rated ones, what?!?!?! Ummm, shouldn't that be number 1 or 2. Great on water, sorry about your blouse lady, did you get it in 1992 on account of the wear and tear? Note to manufacturers, fix the problem, ASAP!

  • shruti_81
    7 years ago

    Anybody found any solution to the pilling problem? We switched from Samsung FL to Bosch FL thinking only samsung has the issue. But pilling issue is still there even with Bosch. Desperately needs a solution.

  • shruti_81
    7 years ago

    One thing I have noticed, Reducing the detergent quantitiy helps a bit but it still pills even with plain water without any detergent.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    This will happen for different reasons, not sorting properly so rough fabric rubs against gentler fabrics expecially things that are a poly blend. Too many clothes in a load and too little water, so dry clothes rub against dry clothes. I know nothing about a FL'er so I can't advise you on cycles.

  • shruti_81
    7 years ago

    I never overload, generally it would be even less than half the load for my babys clothes been washed separately and all items of same type. So sorting and load is not an issue.

  • pensears
    7 years ago

    I am having the same problem and I have a top loader. So I don't think the front loader makes the problem worse. I am convinced it is the new high energy efficient washers, top or front. We just bought a new top loader HE and it has ruined most of my clothes. I thought I was losing my mind and it was the fabric of the clothes. I know now it is the washing machine and I believe it's due to little water being used to clean my clothes. When I take my clothes out, they are hardly wet.


  • pensears
    7 years ago

    I never overload, I turn my things inside out, I wash my clothes on the gentle cycle. Today my sweater was ruined.


  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    ARe you all sorting your clothes..not just by colors but fabric type? Using correct cycle and water temp?

    Pensears...your clothes should not be very wet ..they went thru a spin didn't they?

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    If your washing mixed loads, towels, jeans, tee's & sheets together you will most likely have pilling.

  • Stacey Atkinson
    7 years ago

    I just bought a new GE he top load washer. It took 3 weeks to notice the pilling on our clothes. Everything is sorted well and I always use the deep fill and deep rinse option. I use the special he detergent and softener. Honestly, I hate the new machine. If our old one had been repairable we would have kept it.

  • Derrick L
    7 years ago

    HE top load washers are less than favorable. All the glitz sold you to buy it, get a front loader REALLY!

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    Stacey...return it. And get a FL. Did you buy from a box store?

  • Stacey Atkinson
    7 years ago

    A front load washer wasn't in our budget.

  • Stanly Hutchison
    7 years ago

    I guess I never learned to do laundry correctly - are you really supposed to go to so many lengths to sort your clothes?

    Of course I wash towels, undergarments, and regular clothes separately. But the lengths some of you describe I would never think of.

    IMHO you should not have to do that - you should just be able to dump your clothes in, walk away, and end up with clean clothes.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    Doubtful you will find many here that dump their clothes in and walk away. proper sorting of clothing is important, matter of fact I think every washing machine manual has at least one page dedicated to the importance of proper sorting.

  • Alex Chicago
    7 years ago

    I do not have enough laundry to sort down to the color or exact weight/material, but even with just the two of us I manage to always have the following "pure" sorts:

    • Sheets/pillowcases
    • Solid whites (tshirts, towels, socks)
    • Cotton/denim colored clothing
    • Kitchen linens
    • Cleaning rags
    • Cycling clothing (Lycra, spandex, synthetics

    These six categories never get mixed, but sometimes get broken down further if there is enough (such as breaking out the cotton clothing into like colors, or separate jeans loads, etc). I would never wash cycling clothing with a whites detergent or with FS, nor would I wash kitchen linens with undergarments or non-kitchen cleaning rags.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    Stanly, I went back and read this thread, I didn't find any great lengths of sorting described, just normal sorting.

    I have had no piling of anything so far with my Duet. course its summer so a lot of lightweight cottons...I'll have more knits in the winter, but suspect they will get washed on a cycle using more water and a gentlier tumble action along with lower spin speeds.

    Anything made with Poly or a Poly blend has a higher potential for pilling.. turn them inside out, wash with *like* fabrics and use enough detergent to lubercate. And as Sin says above *add more water* if needed.

    My Duet uses an acceptable amount of water IMHO, but some machines I understand just don't use enough water...if I had a washer that was skimped on water and I was having a pilling problem, you can bet your bottom dollar I'd be adding water. LOL.

  • joseph849
    7 years ago

    I have a top loader and have the pilling problem. Tried sorting etc still the same problem. It is a new Samsung. All this money and ruined clothes. Are the companies even listening?

  • lynntatz
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Finally I am getting confirmation of what I have told several service repairmen! Both assured me it couldn't be my Bosch front loader. It doesn't help to keep the clothes turned inside out, and liquid fabric softener doesn't seem to help. I use only the hand wash cycle and many clothes that I hang to dry are pulling, so it isn't the dryer that is the problem. I keep the load small, too! I also assumed, as some comments have suggested, that the water level is too low. I asked a repair person whether we can increase the water level, and he said we can't. The clothes seem to come out cleaner than they did in our old Maytag top loader, but they get ruined! I wonder if any brands of front loaders are less damaging?

  • beaglenc
    7 years ago

    @lynntatz, I too had pilling with my Bosch. I would add more water manually. I used the permanent press cycle for most everything and gentle spin speed. I would pause the cycle after it filled and tumbled a few times and add about 3 or four gallons of water. The detergent,ect. dispenser was on top of my washer and some times I would add it through there.

  • Laundry Mich
    7 years ago

    You know.. I'm curious, for those with issues, are you using an extended cycle? Are you using a cycle with more water? For some reason, I've found that when using an LG, cycles with more water tend to come out pilled. While cycles with *less* water look much better.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    I'm curious ...Bea. wasn't your Bosch a FL? How do you pause and add water to that..other than the dispenser? I am so glad I don't have pilling or water issues with my Duet, the two things I really worried about.

  • cyndymn
    7 years ago

    FYI mamapinky0...You can pause a front loader at any time and open the door. The water does not fill high enough to cause any overflow. I know they have marketed a newer Samsung as having a special add option but that is just marketing. All of them can be paused at any time during the cycle.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    My Duet can only be paused the first minute or so during fill. A light comes on saying add a garment. After that I'd have to cancel the load. But it could be my waters too hot, than again my allergen and Heavy Duty cycles do fill higher than the bottom of the door.

  • cyndymn
    7 years ago

    Omg.. I had no idea. I stand corrected. Maybe I should look into a duet. I would LOVE to have that much water in my washer. Thanks for the info.

  • mamapinky0
    7 years ago

    My friends in the laundry forum here helped me find this washer, its a discontinued 95. Once I made my choice I had to find this Duet which wasn't easy. I found a great small town appliance dealer that tracked one down in NJ and had it shipped here, Pittsburgh area. I might also add that this washer is weird, my sanitize only gives me 111F temps but my Allergen gets above 154F (which I love)..and if I choose drain/spin extra rinse I can choose my rinse temp cold or hot.

    Yes my Duet acts weird to be sure, but I love it.

  • Cedric Owens
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Mama, though I live outside of Columbus, Ohio now, but, I'm originally from Pittsburgh. Moved in 97.

  • iquilt02
    6 years ago

    Mama and Cedric. Also Pittsburgh. I have a Samsung fl . From hh Gregg. It replaced a sears tl. My clothes are piling. They never did with the sears. I am so disappointed with this machine. My husband says I am stuck with it. I sort my clothes. Wash my 'special' clothes separately. I have no option to add water, only an extra rinse. The amount of water is dependent on weight of clothes. I can not tolerate the scents of detergent, I use tide free. Also Downey free. I tried bounce. I tried wool lite, Persil ( oh the strong smell of that)! Nothing changes. Soft, nice tee shirts are ruined. Towels have threads pulled out. Sometimes jeans have dry spots. HATE this machine. Two people said don't buy a fl, I wish I listened.

  • beaglenc
    6 years ago

    @iquilt02, I had a Bosch that pilled my clothes too. I would add water through the top, where the disspensors (sp?) are or I would pause and pour water in the machine. I had a gallon pitcher and would add several to each load. I have a speed queen tl now and still get some pills. Have you tried turning all your clothes inside out. that seems to help some.

  • iquilt02
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Hmmm.in the dispenser.. I can't add it to the machine. Once the door locks, I have to restart machine if I open door. I will try that! Thanks. I do turn clothes inside out. Wash jeans separately. ( anything with a zipper) Towels and sheets separate. Kitchen towels and tablecloths separate. I also separate mine and my husbands. I think my stuff is more fragile.. and not as stinky. Lol. I am at the point where I may hand wash a few of my tops, Harley Davidson, good cotton tees, etc. I hand wash bras, so I will do them also. I wonder if old fashioned wringer washers would work better? Clothes today probably wouldn't hold up.

  • dadoes
    6 years ago

    "iquilt02: Wash jeans separately. ( anything with a zipper)"

    Zippers and other fasteners on jeans, slacks, etc. should be zipped/closed for washing in a frontloader (and HE toploaders) to avoid friction damage from rubbing/rasping on other items.

  • iquilt02
    6 years ago

    I do wash them separately. Anything that has a zipper is washed independently from other clothing. Zippers are closed. Buttons are buttoned, no matter what washer I have.

  • cpartist
    6 years ago

    What is the material of the clothes that are pilling? I have an LG FL in Florida and have never had a problem with pilling.

  • phone8912
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I recently dealt with this issue as well and feel I found a solution, albeit a little late and my clothes had already taken a bit of a beating from my LG HE TL washer. I found using downy liquid fabric softener, free and clear, with "fabric protect" and woolite "gentle cycle" detergent, larger bottle than their smaller traditional detergents, made a world of difference. HE machines, without the center agitator, use the friction of the clothes against each other to wash, so the softer your clothes, the less damaging to themselves / each other they are. Note, the machines add softener during the final rinse, so it will take 2 washes to have effect on wash cycles Don't use softener on polyesters, as it affects the performance qualities, plus these fabrics are already soft (wash these items separate from cottons). Also, don't use on towels, as it affects their performance as well. I also don't use nearly as much as they advise on the bottle. I use less than the bottom line on large loads. If you use too much, it builds too much and will diminish cleaning of clothes / clean feeling of clothes. My other concern is the safety of skin exposure to these chemicals and environmental impact, so I may experiment with alternatives... I think I will try the Honest Company Free & Clear, which also has the QUATS compound, which seems to be a necessary evil with fabric softeners, but likely has much fewer other chemicals than downy. I can't find anywhere PG will tell you whats in downy.

  • mamapinky0
    5 years ago

    Last one I have

  • mamapinky0
    5 years ago

  • mamapinky0
    5 years ago

    Phone, are you adding fabric softener to the wash cycle with detergent?

  • Rolando Z
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Clothes pill mostly because of cheap, low-quality fabric. In the Late-2000's a lot of clothing brands started moving towards "Fast Fashion"... that is not designed to last. Seriously, do a Google Search on Fast Fashion, it's quite interesting.


    While I'll admit... that certain washers are much more aggressive to textiles, it's quite evident that the fabrics we use every day aren't what they once were. It's not you, it's not your detergent, and it's not the warm/hot water. It's the fabric itself.


    I do feel like Fabric Softner may improve fibre integrity, and is worth a shot.

  • HU-441216259
    4 years ago


    Listening to all these comments I just want to scream. We have a Whirlpool Cabrio top loader which is fairly new. I noticed the water levels stay pretty low and the spin cycle did not always work at first since we moved in here and just got in this unit.. Sometimes I would put it on a second rinse to get the water out. The washer has corrected itself now and releases all the water however, it appears that everything I wash is pilling no matter what fabric whether it be towels shirts pants socks underwear or separately or together everything is pilling. Zippers and buttons are not any obstacles they have never caused a problem before and they aren't now. Nothing is snagging it.

    At this rate I will be losing all of my clothing if it keeps on. Most of these clothes I have had for a few years and they always wash up nice they never pill some of these clothes are brand new and pill after just a few Washings..

    So my opinion is that these washing machines that supposed to be so modernized are ruining our clothes with the different Cycles in the process that the machine uses to wash the clothes I absolutely hate it. And we the customer, are suffering by buying an item that is useless and ruining our clothes.. in my opinion the general public should not have to go through this crazy task of trying to figure out what is causing this issue I feel it is a manufacturer problem something to do with the way these machines operate and we are stuck with it I'm ready to go buy an old fashioned washer that I know it's going to clean my clothes and not put me through such stress.

    Any repairman out there or anybody that has figured this out please help!!!! This machine worked in the beginning. I don't think it has to do with detergents, softeners, load limits, water level..... I truly believe it's poor quality workmanship in these machines that triggers this.




  • Kelly Levasseur
    3 years ago

    I just recently bou an LG top loader and am having the same problem

  • carolina924
    3 years ago

    I have a Samsung FL and have tried literally everything, pills just get worse

  • Joanne Ramsden
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I posted before on this subject. I found a video on YouTube how to change the water level in the washer as mine doesn’t Have that option. It does help with my clothes coming out fully wet and not dry spots. I also added a new product from Downey called defy that I add to certain loads hoping to slow the damage. This didn’t happen with wringer washers🤔

    but I do think clothes were made better, just like everything else.

  • Donna Gueterman
    2 years ago

    The same thing is happening to me, my clothes are a mess, right on down to my socks, they are disgusting when they finish washing, filled with lint & piling. I'm ready to throw this pos machine on the

  • iquilt02
    2 years ago

    I got rid of it. got a top loading cabrio. love love love it. my clothes are clean, wet, stains go away, no pilling. junk it. seriously. wasting time, water, energy, soap.

  • Donna Gueterman
    2 years ago

    Yes, I just got a new GE washer & it is destroying my clothes, old & new. I paid $900 a year ago, I'm ready to throw it on the curb for garbage. My old GE washer was 20 years old & never destroyed my clothes. HELP!!!!!

  • Donna Gueterman
    2 years ago

    Omg, I have the exact problem, but I have a GE, that replaced a 20 year old GE, my clothes always washed beautiful, never had pilling, my clothes always looked great. I'm extremely FUSSY about my laundry & take extra care with everything I wash. I hate doing laundry in this machine, it is destroying my clothes, it is only 2 years old & I'm ready to get rid of it. Don't know what to do. Anyone else having this problem??