The question customers ask most often before deciding is why cleaning a front loader costs more than a top loader. The answer is not the size of the machine. It is the internal structure, which makes the places where residue builds up, and the way the machine is taken apart, completely different.
I will go through each type: where the residue builds up, which parts have to be removed, and how the time needed differs, so you can judge whether your machine at home is due for a clean.
Top loaders: the heaviest residue is under the wash plate
A top loader has its drum standing upright, with a wash plate spinning at the bottom. Under this plate is a narrow space where the swirling water does not reach with enough speed to wash residue away. Undissolved detergent is left there and builds up until it hardens, and it is completely out of sight until the wash plate is removed.
- Under the wash plate and around the drive shaft: the spot where residue sticks hardest in a top loader.
- The outside of the inner drum, a hidden gap between the drums where drum cleaner flows past but has no scrubbing force to remove firmly stuck grime.
- The rim of the drum opening and under the lid, where mould can be seen with the naked eye as black spots.
- The lint filter, which homeowners can remove and clean themselves regularly.
Front loaders: the heaviest residue is in the door seal and around the heater
A front loader has its drum lying horizontally, sealed by a rubber gasket around the door. The groove of this seal is a hollow where water is left standing after every wash, so it is where mould grows fastest in this type of machine, and it is the source of the smell many households cannot get rid of even after wiping the inside of the drum.
The other spot is the outer tub that holds the water, which has a heater fitted at the bottom. When the heater works with hard water, limescale builds up around the heating element clearly thicker than anywhere else in the tub.
Comparing the strip-down steps for the two types
- AspectDrum orientation
- Top loader
- Vertical
- Front loader
- Horizontal
- AspectWhere residue builds up most
- Top loader
- Under the wash plate and at the bottom of the drum
- Front loader
- The door seal groove and around the heater
- AspectParts that have to be removed
- Top loader
- The wash plate, then the inner drum is lifted out
- Front loader
- The front panel and door seal assembly, then the outer tub is lifted out
- AspectHow hard it is to take apart
- Top loader
- Can be taken apart directly from the top
- Front loader
- The front has to be dismantled before the drum can be reached
- AspectPoints needing special care
- Top loader
- Limescale and rust on the drive shaft
- Front loader
- The heating element and the condition of the door seal
- AspectPrice
- Top loader
- From 999 THB, depending on capacity
- Front loader
- From 1,299 THB
| Aspect | Top loader | Front loader |
|---|---|---|
| Drum orientation | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Where residue builds up most | Under the wash plate and at the bottom of the drum | The door seal groove and around the heater |
| Parts that have to be removed | The wash plate, then the inner drum is lifted out | The front panel and door seal assembly, then the outer tub is lifted out |
| How hard it is to take apart | Can be taken apart directly from the top | The front has to be dismantled before the drum can be reached |
| Points needing special care | Limescale and rust on the drive shaft | The heating element and the condition of the door seal |
| Price | From 999 THB, depending on capacity | From 1,299 THB |
Both types take about 3 hours per machine, and both carry the same 30-day warranty on the work. What makes the prices differ is the number of parts that have to be dismantled before the drum can be reached, not how long the cleaning takes.
Washing machine cleaning prices in Chiang Mai
- Machine typeTop loader, capacity up to 15 kg
- Price
- 999 THB
- Machine typeTop loader, capacity 15.1–19 kg
- Price
- 1,200 THB
- Machine typeTop loader, capacity over 19 kg
- Price
- 1,500 THB
- Machine typeFront loader
- Price
- From 1,299 THB
- Machine typeIf the machine has to be taken away to be cleaned off site
- Price
- Add 500 THB
| Machine type | Price |
|---|---|
| Top loader, capacity up to 15 kg | 999 THB |
| Top loader, capacity 15.1–19 kg | 1,200 THB |
| Top loader, capacity over 19 kg | 1,500 THB |
| Front loader | From 1,299 THB |
| If the machine has to be taken away to be cleaned off site | Add 500 THB |
The off-site charge applies when there is not enough space on site to take the parts off and hose them down, for example a condo unit where the machine stands on a narrow balcony. I assess this and tell you the price for it before starting.
Which type needs cleaning more often?
Front loaders tend to develop smell problems sooner, because water stands in the door seal groove after every wash. Top loaders drain better, but the residue under the wash plate builds up quietly, without giving off a smell until it is very thick.
- Front loaders: wipe the door seal groove dry after each wash and leave the door open to let moisture out.
- Top loaders: leave the lid open after washing, and remove and clean the lint filter regularly.
- Both types: use the amount of detergent stated. Adding more leaves more undissolved detergent behind.
- Households that wash every day or have baby clothes should have either type stripped down and cleaned once a year.
Not sure which type your machine is, or whether it is due for a clean? Send photos of the machine and the door seal groove to our washing machine cleaning LINE @794xvrnm.