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Whirlpool Corp. Looking For Laundry Blunders

The Institute of Fabric Science at Benton Harbor-based Whirlpool Corp. is looking for people willing to admit washday blunders.

Yes, if you're willing to learn how to avoid those faded colors, permanent stains and frayed yeans, there could be a new high-efficiency Whirlpool washer and dryer in it for you.

"Washers and dryers have certainly come a long way -- from sensing the size of a load and adjusting the water and temperature accordingly to providing stain tips right from your washer," said Tremitchell Wright, consumer scientist, Institute of Fabric Science. "But the human element still plays a tremendous role in the final outcome of your laundry. From the initial sorting through the final folding, we've noticed numerous points where consumers simply succumb to laundry myths and misconceptions, ultimately causing some truly scary results."

Through Sept. 16, the Institute of Fabric Science is calling on consumers to submit their self-inflicted laundry nightmares for a chance to win a new high-efficiency laundry pair. At the end of the month, consumer scientists from WIFS will shudder through the laundry nightmares and determine which one -- should they dare admit it -- would keep them up at night. In addition to awarding a new top-load high-efficiency washer and dryer, the Institutes' scientists will counsel the winner on how best to correct their laundry issue.

Eligible laundry nightmares include everything from tough stains such as pasta sauce or baby formula to stains that occur at the worst possible time like red wine on a wedding dress. Additionally, consumers can submit fabric care mishaps such as shrinking a favorite shirt or turning an entire load of whites pink, along with mistakes such as using too much detergent or choosing the wrong cycle.

Consumers can enter their laundry nightmares in one of four ways -- via Twitter, Facebook, e-mail or YouTube.

To submit their laundry-mare on Twitter, consumers can tweet their 140-character nightmare to @WIFS to enter the contest. Consumers can also submit a longer entry with images by emailing their story to WIFS@peppercom.com.

To be eligible on Facebook, consumers must visit http://www.facebook.com/InstituteofFabricScience and follow the instructions found under the Contest tab.

Also, experts from WIFS have posted a video on the WIFS2010 YouTube page, calling for consumers to submit a laundry horror video of their own. Consumers can see the video at http://www.youtube.com/user/WIFS2010#p/a.

"We look forward to making laundry a sweet dream once again," Wright said.

For more information and to see the rules and regulations, please visit the Institute Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/InstituteofFabricScience.

Whirlpool is the world's largest manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of $17 billion in 2009, 67,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.

More at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

(c) 2010, WWJ Newsradio 950. All rights reserved.

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