Elmo and Leela are in the laundromat when they hear a loud, clanging sound. Leela explains that the washing machine always gives her trouble and she wants to get rid of it, but Elmo insists that she keep it. Leela asks Luis to try to fix it again.

When he arrives, he asks Elmo to find a wrench in his tool box. After a few tries, Elmo finally finds a wrench. Luis opens the lid of the machine to see if it is fixed but it squirts water in his face! Luis decides he needs to put in a new nut in the shape of a hexagon. Elmo finds a nut but it only has four sides. He looks again and finds one with six sides! A hexagon! Luis tightens the nut and tries the machine again. It starts to bang, clang, and hiccup louder than ever!

Suddenly, the machine starts to move! Luis suggests that something might be stuck in the spin basket. He opens it and pulls out different objects as Elmo adds them up—seven objects all together! Luis throws in clothes and detergent to see if the machine works. All of a sudden, the machine lid explodes, spewing clothes and soap everywhere! Now Leela really wants to get rid of the machine, but Elmo insists they keep it and reuse it for another purpose. But for what? Oscar announces that he thinks it’s the greatest machine ever! That’s it! The machine can be reused as a “Grouch’s Messing Machine!” All the grouches come running to take turns messing up their clothes. It’s a grouch dream machine!