# Washing Machine ready: how to tell it was cleared out? **URL:** \ **Category:** DIY\ **Created:** [March 20, 2023, 11:00am UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395 "2023-03-20T11:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 11:00am UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/1 "2023-03-20T11:00:22Z")
My Washing Machine state machine works (roughly like here [Washing Machine State Machine](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-state-machine/15587)). What makes me think is: how to tell, if it was cleared out afterwards? currently I let my Alexa tell us two times, that it was ready: exactly at the time it **is** ready and 2 hours later. But: sometimes we still forget to clear it out… So: is there something “smart” or any other feasible solution to tell openHAB, the machine is empty? someone managed to place some kind of reed contact or whatever? any hints appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![Maximo](https://community.openhab.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Maximo](https://community.openhab.org/u/Maximo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 11:08am UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/2 "2023-03-20T11:08:32Z")
You could add a door sensor and check if it’s been opened. ---
**Author:** ![Seaside](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/seaside/32/70249_2.png) [@Seaside](https://community.openhab.org/u/Seaside)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/3 "2023-03-20T12:39:20Z")
I check if our dryer or drying cabinet has been active after the washing machine finished. It gives some false positives but can server as a good reminder as well. Even with a sensor on the door you might get false positives, like if you open the door and close it without removing the laundry. /s ---
**Author:** ![Matze0211](https://community.openhab.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@Matze0211](https://community.openhab.org/u/Matze0211)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/4 "2023-03-20T15:37:14Z")
Maybe have a look into your energy consumption again if you can differentiate between totally off and standby/finished My washing machine still has a very low energy consumption after it is done, that will only go to 0 if I completely switch the washing machine off ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 4:20pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/5 "2023-03-20T16:20:30Z")
Thanks for the hints so far. I was hoping for a crazy goto solution! 😉 but I guess placing some reed contacts will do the trick also! … > [@Matze0211](#): > > My washing machine still has a very low energy consumption after it is done, that will only go to 0 if I completely switch the washing machine off I tried that. There’s no difference between “open door after washing” and “closed door after washing”. It’s just idling and after 30mins or so it shuts down - sometimes consuming like 1Watt for a sec or two - regardless if it’s empty, turned off, or not… ---
**Author:** ![rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/rpwong/32/36036_2.png) [@rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/u/rpwong)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/6 "2023-03-20T16:47:03Z")
The problem is that humans have to intervene, and we tend to be fallible. 😉 You could put a Zigbee/Z-Wave button next to the washing machine and then press it to cancel the reminder when you take the laundry out. ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/7 "2023-03-20T16:50:54Z")
> [@rpwong](#): > > You could put a Zigbee/Z-Wave button next to the washing machine and then press it to cancel the reminder when you take the laundry out. yeah. i had one of thos amazon dash buttons for that. The batteries died on that ones and I’m too lazy to pry the dashs open or even press them after clearing out. As we always leave the door open, I guess, that’s a feasible way to go: some window/door sensors on the door. Let’s just hope, the won’t fall off from all that vibrations… ---
**Author:** ![rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/rpwong/32/36036_2.png) [@rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/u/rpwong)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/8 "2023-03-20T17:44:12Z")
> [@binderth](#): > > As we always leave the door open, I guess, that’s a feasible way to go Seems like that would be the most consistent behaviour. I do the same with my washer/dryer. ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/9 "2023-03-20T20:05:17Z")
> [@rpwong](#): > > Seems like that would be the most consistent behaviour. What kind of sensor do you use? And they didn’t fall off? ---
**Author:** ![rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/rpwong/32/36036_2.png) [@rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/u/rpwong)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2023, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/10 "2023-03-20T20:35:48Z")
Sorry, that was confusing. I meant that I also leave the doors open, not that I’ve put sensors on them. Looking at my dryer, it would be difficult to mount a typical door sensor on it since the door is round and doesn’t close flush to the machine. I wonder if you could convert one to be pressed when the door is closed and depressed when the door is open. ---
**Author:** ![deswong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/deswong/32/68099_2.png) [@deswong](https://community.openhab.org/u/deswong)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/11 "2023-03-22T20:13:24Z")
I’ve also done this by using the button method. Using the SonOff POW it has a button on it, so I have this as the ‘i have emptied the machine’ . This needs to be pressed to stop the notifications, and now this has become habit. ---
**Author:** ![Jean-Francois\_Auger](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/jean-francois_auger/32/37104_2.png) [@Jean-Francois\_Auger](https://community.openhab.org/u/Jean-Francois_Auger)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/12 "2023-03-23T02:56:49Z")
On my washing machine I installed a nodemcu with a photoresistor. I used a black electrical tape and placed the resistor on top of the light that turns on when the washing machine is locked / cycle running. I also added a cheap magnetic door contact. I was inspired by bitluni smart washing machine video on youtube. I have timers that start as soon as the washing machine is unlocked (photoresistance “off”) and alarms. Timers are reset when the door status change from closed to open…meaning I opened the door to remove the load. ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/13 "2023-03-23T06:53:10Z")
> [@Jean-Francois\_Auger](#): > > bitluni smart washing machine Thanks for pointing me to that great video. I guess placing some reed contacts on the door should be enough. My washing machine doesn’t have an LED for “door”. Do you have a picture of your contact and how did you glue it to the machine? _…perhaps I’ll do some of the button pushers for my nuclear missile arsenal_ ---
**Author:** ![f00b4r](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/f00b4r/32/77677_2.png) [@f00b4r](https://community.openhab.org/u/f00b4r)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/14 "2023-03-23T13:04:59Z")
There was some discussion in the wish list thread about interactive notifications a la Home Assistant, eg you could have it continue to notify you (phone/watch) until you selected that you had emptied the washing machine/bin/closed the gate etc. Apparently it is already possible using widgets but there is no example code for it. Other options are using: - The Pushcut app if you have Apple devices (not cheap if you want to use more than one reminder like this but it is quite powerful for other things too) - The Signal binding to provide interactive notifications in a similar vein (it’s a pain if you don’t already use it though and problems with the binding have a knock on effect) ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/15 "2023-03-23T13:21:20Z")
> [@f00b4r](#): > > There was some discussion in the wish list thread about interactive notifications a la Home Assistant Yes, that would be nice. But for this specific use case I’m looking for some “fire&forget” solution. As we already had the “push the dash-button” or “push the Sonoff POW-button” solution - and never anyone did push it… ☺ ---
**Author:** ![f00b4r](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/f00b4r/32/77677_2.png) [@f00b4r](https://community.openhab.org/u/f00b4r)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/16 "2023-03-23T14:12:51Z")
Fair enough. 😀 What about a colour smart bulb in a high traffic room indicating by specific colour the washing machine has been finished but not emptied, it could even indicate by yet another colour that it has been a long time (or bedtime is approaching and it hasn’t been emptied)? You could add some further logic to also ping phones if everyone has been away from the house for a while. ---
**Author:** ![binderth](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/binderth/32/56257_2.png) [@binderth](https://community.openhab.org/u/binderth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/17 "2023-03-23T15:30:40Z")
> [@f00b4r](#): > > You could add some further logic to also ping phones if everyone has been away from the house for a while. I do have that. and our Alexas tell us to take it out. But: if you’re busy, you won’t jump up right away and clear it out - and if you already had - it’s just annoying to see multiple alerts popping up everywhere. So I’m looking for silencing those, if it is not cleared. And I could increase the alerts whle it’s not! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/rpwong/32/36036_2.png) [@rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/u/rpwong)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/18 "2023-03-23T16:52:16Z")
New idea: cut the end of of water-leak sensor, tape the wires to the machine, and put a strip of conductive tape or aluminium foil on the door to close the circuit. I kind of want to do this now. ![image](https://community-openhab-org.s3.dualstack.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/a/5/a5834e2787611b8d23d21fff4be4a43940f7761a.png) ---
**Author:** ![dotat](https://community.openhab.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@dotat](https://community.openhab.org/u/dotat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/19 "2023-03-23T17:57:53Z")
I like the energy monitoring alert option. I use that for my 3d printer and some other stuff. When the power \< 10 watts for 10 mins, it turns it all the way off. Easy enough to wrap in some further alerting, text, Alexa announcements etc. As mentioned, you may have to set up a dryer monitor to see if you moved your load over, but that could be harder if you have a 220v dryer with higher amps. Not sure if there is a smart plug for that. ---
**Author:** ![rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/user_avatar/community.openhab.org/rpwong/32/36036_2.png) [@rpwong](https://community.openhab.org/u/rpwong)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2023, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395/20 "2023-03-23T19:22:23Z")
This works if you always run the dryer afterward, but not if you hang-dry clothing. It would be easy to plan for both scenarios, but adds complexity. A temperature sensor mounted on the dryer might work in place of energy monitoring. [Next page](https://community.openhab.org/t/washing-machine-ready-how-to-tell-it-was-cleared-out/145395.md?page=2)