I have a Sear's high efficiency washer, about 5 years old.

[hedgehog]

My husband is replacing the main bearing, but that's not the problem. The bearing comes mounted in an outer drum that the inside drum nests in. When he took things apart, the outer drum is coated with a tan slime and the inside drum (the perforated drum) has a tan scale build up on the side away from the clothes. Is this normal, or is this because I have been using laundry soap/washing soda/borax in the machine? Do I need to use a detergent to keep the scale from building up?

[eleny]

1. Sounds like it

I have a front loading washing machine that's about 10 years old and (fingers crossed) it's still going strong. I use very little detergent for washing and white vinegar for the rinse. Maybe white vinegar would help clear out the soap scum.