When you do not regularly clean your washing machine, there will be a build-up of dirt in the grime that might damage the appliance. However, learning how to clean the washing machine is very important.
A dirty washing machine is to blame if you’ve ever perceived a musty smell in your clothing. You might think your washing machine will self-clean; that’s profoundly untrue.
Leftover detergent and mineral deposits can leave your clothes dull and gray. To make sure that your clothes are fresh and clean after washing, you must ensure to follow the steps listed below to know how to clean your washing machine.
Photo by Fabrikasimf from Unlimphotos
1. When to Clean Your Washing Machine
You might be asking how often you should clean your washing. Well, the question is totally not out of place. You should first check the manual of your washing machine to know if there are any special directives on how to go about the maintenance.
However, you should clean your machine every three months to prevent mineral deposits. This is applicable to those living in a hard water area.
Since front-load washers and top-load washers use less water than standard machines, they need to be cleaned every month. You should also clean your machine regularly if you live in a humid area.
2. How to Clean Washing Machine
It is really easy and fast to clean a washing machine. This depends on if you’re using bleach or vinegar to wash. You’ll need to get basic equipment for the cleaning process.
2.1. Materials Needed
- Microfiber cloth
- Baking soda
- Distilled white vinegar
- Toothbrush
- Chlorine bleach
Caution: Do not make the mistake of adding bleach and vinegar at once. This could produce toxic chlorine gas which is harmful. Ensure to ventilate the area during the cleaning process.
Follow these cleaning tips to make your washing machine squeaky clean;
2.2. Drain the Hose
It is important to empty the water that sits at the base of your machine. If you fail to empty the water, the drain filter can get clogged, so it is crucial to remove any strange objects.
The first step to take in draining the hose is to unplug the appliance for safety measures. When you open the small panel on the lower front of your machine, you will see a small hose and a dial.
In most machines, you’ll find just the daily. Get a bowl or container to drain the hose by unplugging it.
2.3. Run a Hot Cycle
Most modern washing machines have a washer cleaning cycle that sets the time, temperature, and agitation. If you have such a washer, all you’ll need to do is to add bleach.
If your washer doesn’t come with the cycle, you should follow what the manual says or add half a cup of liquid chlorine bleach to the dispenser. You can also fill the dispenser to the brim and run a normal cycle using hot water.
You can also make use of a specialty cleaner like Tide washing machine cleaner. These machine cleaners are made up of ingredients that will help remove build-ups and hard water minerals.
2.4. Clean the Washing Machine Filter
Photo by Fabrikasimf from Unlimphotos
You should clean the filter once the water stops running. You just have to unscrew it till you remove it, then clear out the dirt.
Give the filter a thorough clean by running it under hot water, you can use a toothbrush to scrub it if necessary.
2.5. Rinse and Spin
To ensure that there are no traces of bleach or any form of particles in the washer, run another rinse and spin.
2.6. Clean the Dispenser Drawer
Since modern washers come with removable dispensers, you should pull them out, separate them and rinse them under hot water.
You can also scrub out any detergent residue with a toothbrush. Then, dry with a cloth or air dry them and place them into the machine.
2.7. Deep Clean the Machine
There are simple steps to follow if you want to know how to deep clean a washing machine when using a washing machine cleaner. When using bleach or vinegar, add any of these measurements to your detergent drawer.
- 2 cups of white distilled vinegar
- 60ml of bleach
2.8. Scrub the Inside of the Machine
To scrub the inside and outside of a machine, mix about 1/4 cup of vinegar with water in a small bucket. Use a sponge or toothbrush to thoroughly wash the inside of the machine.
Look out for soap or fabric softeners on the dispenser and around the door opening. You can also soak your removable dispenser in vinegar water before you scrub.
2.9. Run Another Hot Cycle
You can decide to run a second hot cycle. But this time, you’ll not be making use of vinegar or detergent. You can add half a cup of baking soda to the drum to clean remnants of the dirt from the first cycle.
You should clean the inside of the drum with a soft cloth to remove any form of residue.
3. How to Clean Top-Loading Washing Machine
Photo by Africapink from Unlimphotos
Follow these steps to clean a top-loading washing machine:
3.1. Clean Hard to Reach Spots
Using a toothbrush or a sponge, scrub out hard-to-reach spots. This would help give the washer a good clean. You should also thoroughly scrub around the lid and under the rim of the tub.
3.2. Soak
You should consider pausing and soaking a top-loading washer during the first washing cycle. You should let the tub fill up and agitate for about a minute, then you should pause the cycle for about an hour and soak in vinegar.
3.3. Clean the Machine Drawer
After you must have paused the cycle, you can try focusing on other areas of the machine. You should remove the machine drawer and soak it in hot soapy water. Using a toothbrush or sponge, scrub out any fabric softener or detergent.
You can also use the solution machine to scrub out the rim of the door and the top of the agitator. Be conscious of any sign of mold and scrub them out
3.4. Clean with Baking Soda
For a really smelly machine, the use of baking soda will help deodorize the machine. You just need to add a half cup of baking soda to the drum and run the setting all over again. This will help remove any stains left.
3.5. Clean the Outside of the Machine
Wipe the body and controls of the machine with a damp microfiber cloth. That should leave your machine clean and spotless.
You can also run the cleaning cycle for the second time once you discover that there are any residual cleaning solutions or bleach.
4. How to Clean Front-Loading Washing Machine
Photo by Keki from Unlimphotos
For a front-load washing machine, the rubber seal or gasket is usually to blame for the smelly laundry. It is crucial to regularly clean this area.
Follow these steps to do that;
4.1. Clean the Rubber Gasket
Cleaning this area depends on whether you will use bleach or vinegar to scrub away any form of mold on the rubber seal. Be on the lookout for dirt as you thoroughly clean the area using a toothbrush.
You can also spray the area with distilled vinegar and let it sit for a while before wiping it off with a damp cloth.
4.2. Clean with Baking Soda
Using baking soda to clean your machine will help remove any form of odor oozing from the washer. You just need to add half a cup directly to the drum and run the hottest cycle.
4.3. Prevent Mold
For a more intense cleaning, you should wipe the area with a diluted bleach solution. Ensure to leave the door open for a few hours after washing to prevent mold and mildew.
5. How to Prevent a Smelly Washing
You should constantly leave the machine door open after each use. This will let air circulate and also dry out moisture that could lead to a musty smell.
These are some of the tips you should follow to avoid musty smells;
1. Ensure to regularly take out clean clothes from the drum. This will help prevent a musty odor. Also, do not leave your wet clothes sitting in the drum.
2. You should endeavor to use the maintenance program as recommended by the manufacturer. You can simply run an empty cycle on the hottest setting if you do not have a maintenance program.
3. When using a front loader, make sure to check the gasket to make sure that there are no small times trapped there. Dry with a towel or microfiber cloth to keep mold away.
4. Make sure to use the appropriate amount of detergent based on how dirty your clothes are. When you use too much detergent, water can’t effectively rinse it away. This will leave residual soap on the clothes and in the machine.
5. Using a damp cloth, clean the controls, door handle, and any form of detergent or softener you see on the dispenser. This will help prevent bacteria and mold and also make your washer look fresh and clean.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Listed below are some of the frequently asked questions on how to clean a washing machine
6.1. How to Clean Washing Machine with Vinegar
To clean your washer with vinegar, you’ll have to;
- Fill up the detergent dispenser with 3/4 cup of white vinegar
- Set the cycle to the hottest washing cycle
- Open the lid while the washer is running
- Once the cycle is done, you should clean the drum with a damp microfiber cloth
6.2. Is it Safe to Use Vinegar in Washing?
It is pretty safe to use vinegar in washing your clothes in the machine. This should be done in moderation. Excessive use of vinegar can lead to damage to drain hoses and rubber seals.
Even if you want to make use of vinegar, use distilled white vinegar because of its lower concentration of acetic acid.
6.3. How do I Clean a Smelly Machine?
Using baking soda and vinegar wash to clean your machine will help get rid of the odor.
7. Final Thoughts
Cleaning your washing machine regularly will help maintain and make the appliance look fresh and clean. There are accessible cleaning products like baking soda and vinegar you can use to clean your machine.
It is very important to open the machine door for a few hours after washing so as to dry out moisture.
We hope we’ve satisfied your curiosity about how to clean a washing machine. Kindly share this information and leave a comment below.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team
