GE GFW350 (01) PDF Document

Step 1: Load clothes into your GE GFW350 washer and close the door.

Step 2: If the screen is dark, press the Power pad or turn the knob to “wake up” the display.

Step 3: Turn the knob to select the desired cycle for your GE GFW350 washer.

Step 4: Open the dispenser and add detergent, bleach and fabric softener, as desired. Models with SmartDispense™ only require that you select the SmartDispense pad once the tank has been filled on your GE GFW350 washer.

Step 5: Press Start to begin the wash cycle on your GE GFW350 washer. The machine will weigh your clothes and add the proper amount of water. When the wash cycle is finished, the door will unlock.

Step 6 (on some models): After the wash cycle is completed and the clothes unloaded, select ULTRAFRESH VENT™ on your GE GFW350 washer to help eliminate the excess moisture in your washer so you can close the door.

Press to “wake up” the display. If the display is active, press to put the GE GFW350 washer into standby “OFF” mode. NOTE: Pressing Power does not disconnect the appliance from the power supply.

Press to start a wash cycle on the GE GFW350 washer. If the washer is running, pressing it once will pause the washer and unlock the door, allowing Add Garment (should be done early in the wash cycle) or removal of a garment. It will take a few seconds for the door to unlock after pressing Start/Pause. After adding or removing garments, press again to restart the wash cycle.

NOTE: If washer is paused and cycle is not restarted within 15 minutes, the current wash cycle will be cancelled.

NOTE: The GE GFW350 washer performs automatic system checks after pressing the Start pad. Water will flow in 45 seconds or less. You may hear the door lock and unlock and the pump activate before water flows.

The cycles are optimized for specific types of loads. The chart below will help you match the items to be laundered with the best cycle settings for the GE GFW350 washer.

Cycle: Normal. Recommended Items: Cycle for normal, regular, or typical use for washing up to a full load of normally soiled cotton clothing.

Cycle: Delicates. Recommended Items: Lingerie and special care fabrics with light soil.

Cycle: Towels. Recommended Items: Towels, sheets, pillowcases and dish rags.

Cycle: Bulky Bedding. Recommended Items: Comforters, large coats, bed spreads, mattress covers, sleeping bags, and similar large bulky items.

Cycle: Sanitize+ Allergen*. Recommended Items: Heavily soiled colorfast items with the need for sanitization.

Cycle: Sanitize With Oxi*. Recommended Items: Heavily soiled colorfast items with the need for sanitization.

Cycle: Active Wear. Recommended Items: Medium to lightly soiled athletic wear items of technical or synthetic fabrics.

Cycle: Quick Wash. Recommended Items: Small loads of lightly soiled items that are needed in a hurry.

Cycle: Whites. Recommended Items: Whites and household linens.

Cycle: Rinse and Spin. Recommended Items: For items that need only to be rinsed and not washed. Rinse & Spin, or Drain & Spin (Extra Rinse deselected). A spin is always performed unless you select No Spin.

Cycle: Cold Wash. Recommended Items: Cycle for normal, regular, or typical use for washing up to a full load of normally soiled cotton clothing using only cold water while delivering equivalent performance to Normal Warm wash.

Cycle: Downloaded. Recommended Items: Use the SmartHQ App to download a specialty cycle for your washer.

Cycle: Power Clean. Recommended Items: For heavily soiled items which require extra cleaning power.

Cycle: Heavy Duty*. Recommended Items: For washing heavily soiled, sturdy colorfast items using extended wash motions and rinses to deliver extra cleaning.

Cycle: Jeans. Recommended Items: Jeans with medium to light soil.

Cycle: Swim Wear. Recommended Items: Swim wear with medium to light soil.

Cycle: Self Clean. Recommended Items: Cleaning the basket of residue and odor. No clothes are to be washed using this cycle.

*Some cycles and options may not be available on some models.

The GE GFW350 washer has specific factory default settings for its available cycles. The following table shows the available settings (•) and the factory default settings (the one marked with a dot in the center of the circle) for the available wash cycles on the GE GFW350 washer.

* Some cycles and options may not be available on some models.

**Available from Downloaded cycles.

Changing the Soil level increases or decreases the wash time to remove different amounts of soil on your GE GFW350 washer. To change the Soil level, press the Soil level pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between Extra Light, Light, Normal, Heavy or Extra Heavy soil levels on most cycles.

Adjust the Temp setting to select the proper water temperature for the wash cycle on your GE GFW350 washer. The AutoSoak and PreWash rinse water is always cold to help reduce energy usage and reduce setting of stains and wrinkles. Follow the fabric manufacturer’s care label when selecting the wash temperature. To change the wash temperature, press the Temp pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between Tap Cold, Cold, Warm, Hot or Extra Hot on most cycles. By design, to protect fabrics, not all wash temperatures are available for certain wash cycles. Extra Hot temperatures are enabled by the internal heater on models equipped with Steam capabilities. NOTE: The first 10 seconds of the wash fill is always cold. This feature assists in conditioning the fabric and preventing stains from setting on garments.

Adjusting the Spin speed changes the final spin speed of the cycles on your GE GFW350 washer. Always follow the garment manufacturer’s care label when changing the Spin speed. To change the Spin speed, press the Spin speed pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between No Spin, Low, Medium, High or Max. Higher spin speeds are not available on certain cycles, such as DELICATES and ACTIVE WEAR. Higher spin speeds remove more water from the clothes and will help reduce dry time, but may also increase the possibility of setting wrinkles on some fabrics.

To save your favorite settings for a given cycle on your GE GFW350 washer, set the desired options for Soil, Spin and Temp levels, extra rinse and other settings. Hold down the My Settings pad for 3 seconds. A beep will sound to indicate the selections for this cycle have been saved. You can choose to create My Settings for other cycles.

You can delay the start of a wash cycle for up to 24 hours or remote start the GE GFW350 washer by using the Delay Wash/Remote Start feature. Press to step by hours or hold to scroll the Delay Wash pad to set the amount of time you want to delay the start of the wash cycle. If you have connected your washer to WiFi, the first selection, “AP”, can be selected to enable remote starting of your washer from the GE Appliance Smartphone app. Or, if you select a delay time in hours, the machine will count down and start automatically following this period. Press the Start pad once you have configured the Delay Wash to the proper setting to enable this feature. To cancel this option, simply power off and power on the controls.

NOTE: If you forget to fully close the door, a reminder signal will beep reminding you to do so.

NOTE: If you open the door when the delay is counting down, the machine will enter the pause state. You must close the door and press Start again in order to restart the countdown.

The ULTRAFRESH VENT System with OdorBlock was designed to eliminate excess moisture in the GE GFW350 washer following a wash cycle to help prevent odors from developing. ULTRAFRESH VENT is available after the wash cycle is complete and you have removed your cleaned laundry. Once the door is closed, a notification tune will play and the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad LED will blink. Upon pressing the pad, ULTRAFRESH VENT will begin.

To select ULTRAFRESH VENT at any other point, power on the washer, ensure a cycle is not actively running, and remove any garments from the basket, then press and release the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad so that the notification tune plays and the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad LED begins to blink. Then press the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad again to start the feature.

During the operation of ULTRAFRESH VENT the door will remain locked and the washer will intermittently spin at low speeds for up to 8 hours.

The ULTRAFRESH VENT feature may be cancelled at any time by pressing the POWER pad, turning the cycle knob, or pressing the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad.

You can lock the controls on the GE GFW350 washer to prevent any selections from being made, or you can lock or unlock the controls after you have started a cycle. Children cannot accidentally start the washer by touching pads with this option selected. To lock/unlock the washer, press and hold the Control Lock pad for 3 seconds. A sound is made to indicate the lock/unlock status. The control lock icon on the display will light up when it is on. NOTE: The Power pad can still be used when the machine is locked.

To change the loudness of the end of cycle signal and the press pad volume on the GE GFW350 washer, press the Sound pad as many times as needed to reach the desired volume. On some models there are four sound levels including off, other models have Off/On with press and hold function.

Detergent and fabric softener may build up in the dispenser drawer of the GE GFW350 washer. Residue should be removed once or twice a month.

Step 1: Remove the drawer by first pulling it out until it stops. Then reach back into the rear of the drawer cavity and press down firmly on the lock tab, pulling out the drawer.

Step 2: Rinse the drawer with hot water to remove traces of accumulated laundry products.

Step 3: To clean the drawer opening, use a small brush to clean the recess. Remove all residue from the upper and lower parts of the recess.

Step 4: Replace the dispenser drawer.

Step 5: To reduce buildup in the Dispenser Drawer area, use only HE High-Efficiency detergent.

The GE GFW350 washer has a filter to capture lost items so they are not dumped to the drain. To retrieve lost items, clean out the pump filter.

Step 1: Using a small flathead screwdriver or coin, open the access door.

Step 2: Place a shallow pan or dish under the pump access door and towels on the floor in front of the washer to protect the floor. It is normal to catch about a cup of water when the filter is removed.

Step 3: Pull down the pour spout.

Step 4: Turn the pump filter counterclockwise and remove the filter slowly, controlling the flow of the draining water.

Step 5: Remove the filter and clean the debris from the filter.

Step 6: Replace the filter and turn clockwise. Tighten securely.

Step 7: Flip up the pour spout.

Step 8: Close the access door by hooking the bottom tabs first, then rotating the access door shut.

Avoid mixing heavy items (like work clothes) with light items (like blouses) when washing in the GE GFW350 washer. Also, load your washer so clothes have enough room to move freely.

The “door” message will be shown on the display if you try to start a cycle on the GE GFW350 washer when the door is not fully closed. “door” will also be shown on display if 3 cycles have been started without opening the door. The washer will not start another cycle until the door is opened. In either circumstance, try opening and closing the door, and then starting a new cycle. If the problem persists, call GE Appliances at 800.GE.CARES (800.432.2737) for service.

If the load is out of balance on the GE GFW350 washer, redistribute clothes and run Rinse & Spin. Increase load size if washing small load containing heavy and light items.

If the pump filter may be clogged, see the Care and Cleaning section on how to clean the Pump Filter on your GE GFW350 washer.

If the drain hose is kinked or improperly connected, straighten the drain hose and make sure the washer is not sitting on it.

If the household drain may be clogged, check the household plumbing. You may need to call a plumber.

If the drain hose is siphoning, or the drain hose pushed too far down the drain, ensure there is an air gap between the hose and drain, and ensure the drain hose is not inserted more than 7” into the drain pipe on your GE GFW350 washer.

If the door gasket is damaged on the GE GFW350 washer, check to see if the gasket is seated and not torn. Objects left in pockets may cause damage to the washer (nails, screws, pens, pencils).

Water may drip from the door when the door is opened. This is a normal operation.

Carefully wipe off the rubber door seal. Sometimes dirt or clothing is left in this seal and can cause a small leak.

If the back left of the washer is wet, you have an oversudsing condition. Use less detergent.

Make sure the fill hoses or drain hose connections are tight at the washer and faucets and make sure the end of the drain hose is correctly inserted in and secured to the drain facility.

If the household drain may be clogged, check the household plumbing. You may need to call a plumber.

If the dispenser is clogged, powder soap may cause clogs inside the dispenser and cause water to leak out the front of the dispenser. Remove the drawer and clean both the drawer and inside of the dispenser box. Laundry detergent packets should NOT be used in the dispenser; they should only be added directly to the wash basket following the manufacturer’s directions. Refer to the Care and Cleaning section.

If the load is out of balance on the GE GFW350 washer, redistribute the clothes and run Rinse & Spin. Increase the load size if washing a small load containing heavy and light items.

The machine will slow the spin speed down to 410 rpm if it has a hard time balancing the load. This speed is normal.

If the pump filter may be clogged, see the Care and Cleaning section on how to clean the Pump Filter.

If the load is overloading, the dry weight of the load should be less than 16 lbs.

If the drain hose is kinked or improperly connected, straighten the drain hose and make sure the washer is not sitting on it.

If the household drain may be clogged, check the household plumbing. You may need to call a plumber.

If the drain hose is siphoning, or the drain hose pushed too far down the drain, ensure there is an air gap between the hose and drain, and ensure the drain hose is not inserted more than 7” into the drain pipe.

If the cabinet is moving on the GE GFW350 washer, note that the washer is designed to move 1/4” to reduce forces transmitted to the floor. This movement is normal.

If all rubber leveling legs are not firmly touching the floor, push and pull on the back right and then back left of your washer to check if it is level. If the washer is uneven, adjust the rubber leveling legs so they are all firmly touching the floor and locked in place.

If there is an unbalanced load, pause the unit, open the door, and manually redistribute the load. To check the machine, run rinse and spin with no load. If normal, unbalance was caused by load.

If the pump filter may be clogged, see the Care and Cleaning section on how to clean the Pump Filter.

If the washer is unplugged, make sure the cord is plugged securely into a working outlet.

If the water supply is turned off, turn both hot and cold faucets fully on.

If the circuit breaker/fuse is tripped/blown, check the house circuit breakers/fuses. Replace fuses or reset the breaker. The washer should have a separate outlet.

If automatic self system checks occur, the first time the washer is plugged in, automatic checks occur. It may take up to 20 seconds before you can use your washer. This is normal operation.

Improper sorting causes wrinkling on the GE GFW350 washer. Avoid mixing heavy items (like work clothes) with light items (like blouses).

Overloading causes wrinkling. Load your washer so clothes have enough room to move freely.

An incorrect wash cycle causes wrinkling. Match the cycle selection to the type of fabric you are washing (especially for easy care loads).

Repeated washing in water that is too hot causes wrinkling. Wash in warm or cold water.

If there is not enough detergent, use the correct amount of detergent.

If not using HE (high efficiency) detergent, use only HE detergent.

If there is hard water, use the hottest water safe for the fabric, use a water conditioner like Calgon brand or install a water softener.

If the water is not hot enough, make sure the water heater is delivering water at 120°–140°F (48°–60°C).

If the detergent does not dissolve or too much fabric softener is being used, try a liquid HE detergent and use less fabric softener.

If there is dye transfer, sort clothes by color. If the fabric label states wash separately, unstable dyes may be indicated.

If there is incorrect use of fabric softener, check the fabric softener package for instructions and follow directions for using the dispenser on the GE GFW350 washer.

If there is dye transfer, sort whites or lightly colored items from dark colors. Promptly remove the wash load from the washer.

If the water supply is improperly connected, make sure the hoses are connected to the correct faucets.

If the house water heater is not set properly, make sure the house water heater is delivering water at 120°–140°F (48°–60°C). (HOT to HOT and COLD to COLD).

If the washer was unused for a long time, not using recommended quality of HE detergent, or using too much detergent, regularly use ULTRAFRESH VENT between uses on the GE GFW350 washer. In case of strong odor, you may need to run the Self Clean cycle more than once.

Use only the amount of detergent recommended or adjust SmartDispense to LOW.

Use only HE (high efficiency) detergent.

Always remove wet items from the washer promptly after it stops running or use 1 Step Wash + Dry or Tumble Care.

If you choose to not use the ULTRAFRESH VENT System, leave the door slightly open for the washer to air dry. Close supervision is necessary if this appliance is used by or near children. Do not allow children to play on or in this appliance.

If there is residual lint, etc. in the drain pump filter which should be cleaned, see the Care and Cleaning section on how to clean the Pump Filter.

If the drain hose is pushed too far down the drain, see the Installation Instructions section for proper installation.

This is normal operation on the GE GFW350 washer to see detergent leak on the door gasket about 20 seconds after filling the dispenser.

If the dispenser is clogged, monthly clean the dispenser drawer to remove buildup of chemicals.

If softener or bleach is filled above the max line, make sure to have the correct amount of softener.

If a laundry detergent packet was placed in the dispenser drawer, note that laundry detergent packets should not be used in the dispenser. They should only be added directly to the wash basket following the manufacturer’s directions.

A clog in the sump drain causes this on the GE GFW350 washer. This is normal. The sump drain is detecting an undesired water fill level from a potential open faucet. Shut off the water valve and inspect the water valve for blockage. Ensure you have the latest updates for your washer available through the SmartHQ App.

If the load is overloaded, do not exceed maximum recommended load sizes. See recommended maximum load sizes in the Loading section.

If there are pins, pencils, nails, screws or other objects left in pockets, remove loose items from pockets.

If there are pins, snaps, hooks, sharp buttons, belt buckles, zippers and sharp objects left in pockets, fasten snaps, hooks, buttons and zippers.

This is normal on the GE GFW350 washer. During spin, the washer may need to rebalance the load sometimes to reduce vibrations. When this happens, the estimated time is increased causing time left to increase or jump.

To clean the interior of the GE GFW350 washer, select the SELF CLEAN feature on the control panel. This Self Clean cycle should be performed, at a minimum, once per month or about every 40 wash cycles. This cycle will use more water, in addition to bleach, to control the rate at which soils and detergents may accumulate in your washer.

NOTE: Read the instructions below completely before starting Self Clean cycle.

Step 1: Remove any garments or objects from the washer and ensure the washer basket is empty.

Step 2: Open the washer door and pour one cup or 250 ml of liquid bleach or other washing machine cleaner into the basket.

Step 3: Close the door and select the SELF CLEAN cycle. Push the Start pad.

Step 4: When the Self Clean cycle is working, the display will show the estimated cycle time remaining. The cycle will complete in about 90 minutes. Do not interrupt the cycle.

Step 5: After the cycle is complete (on some models), the washer will automatically start an ULTRAFRESH VENT operation so that the door can remain closed until the next time you use the washer.

If for any reason the cycle needs to be interrupted, the door will not open immediately. Forcing open the door at this stage may cause water to flood. The door will open after the water is drained to a level where it would not flood the floor.

Self Clean may be interrupted by pressing the Start pad in between cycles. A power outage in the house might also interrupt the cycle. When the power supply is back, the Self Clean cycle resumes where it had stopped. When interrupted, be sure to run a complete Self Clean cycle before using the washer. If the Power pad is pressed during Self Clean, the cycle will be lost.

IMPORTANT:

Run Self Clean with one Cup (250 ml) of bleach once a month.

After the completion of a Self Clean cycle, the interior of your washer may have a bleach smell.

It is recommended to run a RINSE & SPIN or a light color load after the Self Clean cycle.

To clean the door gasket on the GE GFW350 washer:

Step 1: Open the washer door. Using both hands, press down the door gasket.

Step 2: While holding down the door gasket, inspect the interior fold. Remove any foreign objects if found trapped inside this gasket.

Step 3: Make sure there is nothing blocking the holes behind the gasket.

Step 4: When you are finished cleaning the door gasket, release it and the gasket will return to the operating position.

Sort by color (whites, lights, colors), soil level, fabric type (sturdy cottons, easy care, delicates) and whether the fabric produces lint (terry cloth, chenille) or collects lint (velveteen, corduroy) when using the GE GFW350 washer. Wash lint producers such as cotton towels and socks separate from lint collectors including synthetic garments and dress pants.

The wash drum of the GE GFW350 washer may be fully loaded with loosely added items. To add items after the washer has started, press Start/Pause and wait until the door is unlatched. The washer may take up to 30 seconds to unlock the door after pressing Start/Pause, depending on the machine conditions. Do not try to force open the door when it is locked. After the door unlocks, open gently. Add items, close the door and press Start/Pause to restart.

The following table provides loading examples for suggested cycles on the GE GFW350 washer:

Periodically inspect all water inlet hoses for water leaks, wear, cuts, corrosion, and bulges on the GE GFW350 washer. Replace all hoses immediately if any sign of these failures appear. All hoses should be replaced every 5 years of use to reduce risk of hose failures and possible water damage. When replacing hoses, refer to the Installation Instructions for proper installation. DO NOT overtighten or cross thread fittings. DO NOT allow the hose to rub against sharp objects, become kinked, or become over stretched. Always ensure hose rubber gaskets are installed and free from leaks when pressurized.

The GE GFW350 washer will automatically drain any time the door is left open for more than 15 minutes and water is present. The machine will automatically drain if left in a paused state with the door closed for more than 24 hours and water is present.

Turn off water faucets to minimize leakage if a break or rupture should occur on the GE GFW350 washer. Check the condition of the fill hoses; GE Appliances recommends changing the hoses every 5 years.