Handy Woman + Myth Buster

Around here, I'm sort of the handy woman.  Chris can fix a lot of things (like an exploding toilet, for example) but since I'm the one who's here all of the time, it makes sense for me to deal with some of the issues.  Since I'm so cheap, there's no WAY I'm calling somebody unless I've exhausted all possible resources to fix a problem myself.

Our Whirlpool Duet washer started giving an error code F21.  Fun times.  After some research online, I figured out it was a problem with the stupid thing was not draining.  We do a RIDICULOUS amount of laundry in this house, so an out of commission washer isn't an option, even for a few days.  We tried to just unplug it to reset it, as that did work last time we had an error code, but no luck this time.  There's a great site that houses a ton of user contributed fixes for things called FixYa.  I found some great advice there.

So here's the myth: your DRYER is eating your socks.  It's a myth.  I've always heard that the dryer eats socks, that's why you get less out than you put in.  We have an unimaginable number of socks in this house, so I never even notice when one or two go missing.  Maybe I should take some lessons from the OR and count all of my stuff going in and coming out.  The truth: your WASHER is eating your socks.  Yes, it's true.  Those socks never get a chance to get eaten by the dryer, because the washer drain catches them first.  I never knew there was a way socks could get sucked through the drum into the drain, but it's possible.

Here's the inside of my washer, and what came out, for the visual people and anybody who's trying to do this job yourself and searching for an image - it's super easy - unplug!, remove the three screws on the very bottom (you need that weird star shaped attachment for a screwdriver), pull off the panel, unscrew the drain filter, retrieve the NASTIEST socks you've ever seen in your life, put it all back.  10 minutes, tops.  Oh yeah, get your shop vac ready people, this job involves a copious amount of water.

The circle is the union of the drain where the water comes
down from the drum (black, thick tube behind) and then
out to the right through that white tube.  That's where the
socks get stuck!!!

Three nasty, slimy, gross kid socks, which appear to belong
to Isaac, all clumped up in that trap preventing water from
getting past, and the white drain filter that unscrews from
the circle.

Sorry if this grosses some of you out, I wanted Chris to see this and he's at work.  ha!  So use that awesome web site if something breaks, you can do it!  :)

Now I need a way to keep kid socks under control while they wash so I don't have to ever do this gross job again.  Ideas?  I think they sell some kind of mesh laundry type bags...I need to check.