washing machine eof

Today I learned that just above the clutch on your direct-drive washing machine, that little thing that just looks like a cap is actually the thrust bearing, and it needs to go on top of the thing that looks like a funny-shaped c-clip and is actually the support ring. If you screw that up, then your motor overheats when it tries to spin the basket.

Thus we learned that direct-drive washing machines are only hard to put back together if you gas yourselves with gear oil right around the time you take them apart. Fortunately, Appliance Parts Depot's website has a whole little book that covers everything except the transmission, which appears to be behaving itself nicely despite the fact the book implies that we're idiots for fiddling with it.

In other news, in an effort to find a tough fabric that didn't smell like canvas, I got some tan denim at WalMart for $2/yard, and in the process of decontaminating it, which involves washing it six or eight times, its smell transferred to my hands. Soap, Bon Ami, cooking oil, and alcohol haven't helped. Making a paste out of baking soda and scrubbing with that seems to help. I'm thinking about making a rule about only bringing home white denim after this, either that or one about wearing gloves.