Is there a Pause button on your washer? If so, you could hit Pause while the clothes were washing, then resume the cycle when you got home.

So what is the bad downside of soaking anything in the bath-tub?

One can stuff the down comforter, parka or whatever into the oversized green garbage bag to take to the washing machine when done to do the washing. The hosing down of the bath-tub shouldn't be "that bad"? If too heavy, can be mostly placed onto those fold-up hand trucks for moving from the bathtub to the washer.

Mara, that sounds like a simple enough solution. I wasn't sure if pause would hold that long, but I'll give it a shot.

Vintage, I never even considered the bathtub as an option. Brilliant idea!

Dragonesse, I've never had your model washer, but I've soaked clothes as I mentioned in every washer I've ever owned (including a couple of TL Kenmores), going back more than 30 years. I hope that works for you.

To me, this seems a 1000 times easier than soaking them in a bathtub, wringing them out by hand, then carrying them to the washer. JMHO

If your machine doesn't have a "pause" button, couldn't you just turn it off?

Then turn it back on when you wanted to end the "soak cyle" and set it to drain and spin?

That's what I've done.

I agree, turn it off. Resume washing when you are finished soaking.

Question: with the exception of the agitator TL, do the the new "HE" TL & FL soak cycle completely immerse the article(s) in water to be soaked?

Also need definition of "soak" regarding laundry; cannot think that any FL have enough water to soak a comforter.

vintage, my Maytag Bravos (HE TL) Soak cycle uses a good bit more water than any other cycle (except Bulky, IIRC); the laundry soaks in water.

I haven't just stood and watched it lately, lol, but I'll try to remember to do that the next time I soak laundry, and will post here re: the water level.

Soaking technically only requires that the clothing be saturated with detergent solution for a period of time, and by definition with minimal agitation action. The items do not need to be immersed in gallons of water. Frontloaders typically "soak" by filling and saturating the load, then sitting idle for a period of time except for an occasional 1/2 or other brief tumble to rotate the items for keeping them saturated.

The early Bravos and siblings have a recirculation pump for showering water over the load, which works effectively to keep the items saturated for a soak period if they don't otherwise fill enough to fully immerse them. If newer models such as Mara's don't have the recirculation pump, then perhaps they do the deed by filling higher ... with some occasional agitation to circulate the items.

My Calypso soaks via an extended period of recirculation with a couple very brief periods of agitation to mix-up the items.

My F&P agitator toploaders do fill to immerse the load, of course. They have a 1- or 2-hr soak option, which does 5 agitation strokes every minute or so for the duration.

*dadoes*, thanks for the info on "soaking".

I don't have a machine that has a soaking function so my best bet is to use the bathtub; it's not "that" messy as I don't need to wring out all the water since it will go into the washer; and the plastic bag is "waterproof". It's a matter how one loads the bag.

Will keep in mind about a soak setting when my 7 month old washer goes out.

Soaking in the bathtub in not a viable option for me. I can't carry heavy wet clothes up and down the stairs. My new washer will NOT do a deep water soak even if I open the lid. I tried. I did a Deep Water Wash, waited until it filled and then opened the lid to stop the cycle. The dang washer drained.

I do not like the new HE washers. They don't use enough water to get clothes clean. And not being able to soak is a problem. I've considered returning it but there isn't anything out there better unless I go buy an old washer from a Yard Sale.

ApplePansy, as BobA1 suggests, unplug the washer for an extended soak. It can't drain without power.

I have just started my machine running, then turned it off to soak. Then I turned it back on whenever I wanted it to finish. This worked well for me.

With the lid closed, depress the start/pause button; the machine will soak as long as you want. Just press the button to re-start.

@applepansy, I felt the same way about the HE machines and we now have a Speed Queen. Couldn't be happier, AND they have a soak cycle. Might want to check them out :)