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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 6, 2023 17:53:16 GMT
We just moved into our new house over the weekend—yay! Unpacking is going slow due to my broken wrist, but we have the basics unpacked. Thankfully I packed a box of kitchen basics so that I don’t have to unpack all 22 kitchen boxes to eat.
The washer and dryer came with the house. They are fairly new and seem to clean well. But (you knew there was a but!) the washer is so deep that I can’t reach the bottom to get all the clothes out. It’s a top load and I’m short. I tried a step stool but my arms just aren’t long enough to reach the bottom.
There must be a solution, but I don’t know what it is. I have a grabber thingy to reach things that are on a high shelf, but it’s not strong enough to pull the wet laundry from the tub of the machine.
Who has a solution?
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Post by workingclassdog on Sept 6, 2023 17:55:01 GMT
Ha I have a deep top loader and I have to step on my tippy toes to reach the bottom and I am TALL... I should see how my short 15 year old manages cause she does her own laundry. Never thought to ask her (or watch).. lol
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Post by littlemama on Sept 6, 2023 17:56:51 GMT
I have a grabber, but the one I have cant handle the weight. I have found if I keep my shoes on, I can reach a little better. And if I really cant get something, I make dh and ds come get it.
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Sept 6, 2023 18:11:33 GMT
I'm 4'11" and we have a really deep top load machine. Honestly, I hate trying to reach things at the bottom. DH does more of the laundry but when I have to reach in there, especially if small things are on the bottom, I pretty much have to jump up and lay over the top of the machine and reach as far as I can. Sometimes I just leave the remnants and start another load lol
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Post by leannec on Sept 6, 2023 18:13:59 GMT
My washer is deep and I am only 5'1" ...
I am able to reach things on the bottom using a plastic Rubbermaid step stool ... if a stool doesn't work for you then yours must be really deep!
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Post by gillyp on Sept 6, 2023 18:20:00 GMT
When I was a child we used washing tongs like these. They were mainly for getting wet clothes out of the tub but something similar would do for spun dry clothes, wouldn’t it? They would help you reach further?  |
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Post by giraffemom on Sept 6, 2023 18:24:57 GMT
Me too. I just have a pair of kitchen tongs that get the job done
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scrappinmama
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,883
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Sept 6, 2023 18:28:59 GMT
This is why I can't do top loaders.  You can try BBQ Tongs. The handles are long, so you will have a good reach. |
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Sept 6, 2023 18:32:08 GMT
A grabber is my solution. I have this grabber from Amazon. It's really sturdy. I like that the head will rotate for vertical or horizontal use. |
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The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,175
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Sept 6, 2023 18:33:27 GMT
I feel like I am practically upside down in my washer to get stuff out, especially socks!!! I am 5'3"
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Post by librarylady on Sept 6, 2023 19:05:10 GMT
I would use a grabber.
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Post by sabrinae on Sept 6, 2023 19:16:16 GMT
I'm 4'11" and we have a really deep top load machine. Honestly, I hate trying to reach things at the bottom. DH does more of the laundry but when I have to reach in there, especially if small things are on the bottom, I pretty much have to jump up and lay over the top of the machine and reach as far as I can. Sometimes I just leave the remnants and start another load lol This is my solution as well or I make someone taller come get the clothes out. Everyone else in the household is taller than me. |
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Post by Restless Spirit on Sept 6, 2023 21:40:42 GMT
And this is why I buy front load machines. (I’m 5’1”)
Just wait until you need to unload a wet king size comforter or a large load of heavy towels or jeans. Trying to lift heavy, wet things up and out and into the front load dryer is next to impossible for me. I am short, old and weak. Ha.
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Dani-Mani
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,706 
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Post by Dani-Mani on Sept 6, 2023 21:46:02 GMT
Five foot two. I hate front loaders and would never get one. We use just a grabber.
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Post by lucyg on Sept 6, 2023 21:56:28 GMT
I didn’t read the whole thread. But I bought a BBQ size (extra long) set of tongs. Over time I have gotten better at reaching the bottom, but for the occasional time I can’t, the tongs do the trick easily. (First I bought a step stool, but I felt like that just made my center of balance higher, and my arms higher up so I still couldn’t reach the bottom, and I’d just be more likely to fall in head first.)  |
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,437
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Sept 6, 2023 23:00:43 GMT
I'm 5'4", so not really short. I keep spinning the drum to the front to grab the last few clothes stuck around the bottom.
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 6, 2023 23:08:03 GMT
A grabber is my solution. I have this grabber from Amazon. It's really sturdy. I like that the head will rotate for vertical or horizontal use. I had these in my cart, so I ordered them. I like that they pick up small things too. Thanks! The pair is almost brand new and was definitely expensive, so I want to keep them. We have our old washer and dryer, but they are 30 years old. Because of our time living overseas and rental houses that already had appliances, they’ve only been used for about 10 years, so we pass them on to someone who can use them. I really only need one grabber, but my parents are short too. After falling and breaking my wrist, I’m super paranoid about anyone falling. This would keep them off a step stool, so that’s good! Thank you to everyone! I hadn’t thought of tongs last night. DH was already asleep and I wanted to put clothes in the dryer before bed. Of course, I have no idea where the bbq tongs are… I still have my cast/brace and can’t use my right hand or arm yet, so I can’t hold myself on the edge of the washer and lean in to get the clothes. |
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Post by mikklynn on Sept 6, 2023 23:11:37 GMT
It also helps to rotate the drum to make those last socks near you vs. near the back!
I'm 5'-6" and my DD is sure I'm going to fall in, ha ha.
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 6, 2023 23:14:17 GMT
It also helps to rotate the drum to make those last socks near you vs. near the back! I'm 5'-6" and my DD is sure I'm going to fall in, ha ha. I can’t reach the bottom, even in the front! I’m 5’2” and have short legs. And the arm isn’t helping. But I thought laundry was the one thing that I could do , even though DH has to fold most of it. |
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,763
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Post by scrapngranny on Sept 6, 2023 23:53:38 GMT
I’m only 4’11” and I have to use a step stool to reach the smaller things on the bottom. The only thing that I don’t care about with mine is that it gets off center on the spin cycle quite often. I’ll go in the laundry room thinking the load is finished to find it stalled on the spin cycle.
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Post by stampnscrap1128 on Sept 7, 2023 1:15:31 GMT
I didn’t read the whole thread. But I bought a BBQ size (extra long) set of tongs. Over time I have gotten better at reaching the bottom, but for the occasional time I can’t, the tongs do the trick easily. (First I bought a step stool, but I felt like that just made my center of balance higher, and my arms higher up so I still couldn’t reach the bottom, and I’d just be more likely to fall in head first.)  I also use an extra long set of metal tongs. |
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Post by scrappinsportzmom on Sept 7, 2023 7:43:31 GMT
I am so sorry to hear that there are quite a few of you with the same problem!! I hate trying to get socks out of the bottom the washer. I am definitely going to track down some tongs to use!!
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Post by mollycoddle on Sept 7, 2023 8:30:28 GMT
I never knew that so many folks had to use implements to get things out of washers. I wonder how common this problem is; there seem to be quite a few of you who use tongs.
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Post by hop2 on Sept 7, 2023 11:21:53 GMT
We just moved into our new house over the weekend—yay! Unpacking is going slow due to my broken wrist, but we have the basics unpacked. Thankfully I packed a box of kitchen basics so that I don’t have to unpack all 22 kitchen boxes to eat. The washer and dryer came with the house. They are fairly new and seem to clean well. But (you knew there was a but!) the washer is so deep that I can’t reach the bottom to get all the clothes out. It’s a top load and I’m short. I tried a step stool but my arms just aren’t long enough to reach the bottom. There must be a solution, but I don’t know what it is. I have a grabber thingy to reach things that are on a high shelf, but it’s not strong enough to pull the wet laundry from the tub of the machine. Who has a solution? I had this at my apartment, I kept one of those things with a trigger and pinchers that they give to older people to pick things up in the room to grab those socks that seemed to always be on the bottom. ( yes very similar to the one Gypsy girl linked ) I’m not even very short, I’m 5’5” but that one machine I just couldn’t reach socks. The top load at this house I can reach stuff. |
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 7, 2023 15:37:43 GMT
I never knew that so many folks had to use implements to get things out of washers. I wonder how common this problem is; there seem to be quite a few of you who use tongs. I hate to say that the washer is too deep, but it seems a little ridiculous. But when I don’t have to pay to use a laundromat when I wash our summer quilt, I’ll be happy! I’ve had front load machines for the past 7-8 years. I like them, but they have their own set of issues. The ones in Belgium weren’t on pedestals and I always felt like I was standing on my head to get socks out of the back. We need self-ejecting ones—kind of like a concrete mixer!  |
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Post by ChicagoKTS on Sept 7, 2023 20:58:37 GMT
Dollar Tree kitchen tongs are my solution.
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Post by Patter on Sept 7, 2023 22:01:27 GMT
I'm 5'4", so not really short. I keep spinning the drum to the front to grab the last few clothes stuck around the bottom. That's what my girls do at 5' 1". I am now 4' 11 1/2" (shrinking), and I can't reach in their washers. |
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You can try BBQ Tongs. The handles are long, so you will have a good reach.
