If you want your clothes to be clean, obviously the washer should be clean too. Normally, once a month is good to clean your washer. A washing machine cleans a lot of germs and gross material from your clothes. Most people think that a washer is a self-cleaning machine. But in fact, it needs cleaning too. Over time, there is debris and grime build-up in the washing machine which you are going to want to clean. So, how to clean washing machine? There are various methods using which you can deep clean your washing machine such as…
Vinegar
We all know that vinegar helps kill bad odors. It also helps in killing bacteria. So, you can add vinegar to a clean cycle in the washing machine or you can add it to the detergent compartment. Either way, it will keep the washer from bad odor and loosen up the build-up. Two cups of vinegar will be enough for the process.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Make sure to keep the setting to the hottest after adding the water. Add hydrogen peroxide and turn on the cycle to mix hydrogen peroxide with the water. After it is mixed, stop the washer and let the mixture sit for at least an hour letting the grime build up to loosen up.
After the water is cool enough, take a clean towel and wipe the machine. The more time you give, the fresher it will be. Lastly, run it again with hot water settings and there you go.
Baking Soda
Baking soda, if used in laundry, has many benefits like brightening up the clothes, deodorizing, etc. But if cleaning the washing machine, it acts the same as vinegar, loosens the grime layer, and takes it off.
All these elements are good enough if you’re searching on how to clean washing machine at home and don’t want to use chemical alternatives.
Bleach
To clean a washing machine with the help of bleach, start with the detergent trays. Take them out and soak them in the solution of hot water and a little amount of bleach. Then scrub them out to eliminate the soap residue. Similarly, for the inside of the washing machine, fill the tub with hot water and add half a cup of bleach then run the normal cycle.
Try not to use bleach on the exterior of the washer because bleach can be very abrasive on surfaces like these. You can use a solution of dishwashing liquid and white vinegar instead. Additionally, you should be very careful while playing with bleach. It contains hospital-grade elements and should be used in a well-ventilated area due to its hyper-reactive nature.
What Not To Do When Cleaning The Washer?
People make the mistake of trying to run an empty hot cycle with a lot of detergents, which is one common mistake when using a washing machine. If the detergent builds up too much foam in the drum, frothy water could start to pour out of the machine through the tray compartment and flood your laundry room.
So, what you can do instead? Use a specific washing machine cleaner or a small amount of bleach instead of your standard detergent.
How To Clean Top Load Washing Machine?
People usually clean the exterior of their washer left the interior as it is. The washing machine of different models can vary in their design but they have similar cleaning parts. So, follow the steps to clean your washing machine.
- Use an all-purpose cleaner to clean the machine’s interior and seals around the door to start the cleaning process. Filters or drains around the seal should be cleared of debris for top-loading machines.
- Then first clean the smaller parts like the detergent tray and lint removing the filter if you have it in your model. By removing the lint from your clothes, the lint filter gets filled. Also, don’t forget to clean the compartments where the detergent trays are placed.
- Then fill the drum with hot water and add any of the above cleaning elements to the water for example a scoop of baking soda.
- Choose the longest cleaning cycle settings on the machine and let it run. Drain the water and clean it with a cloth or towel. Repeat the process at least twice.
How To Clean Front Load Washing Machine?
To keep your washing running at an optimal level, deep cleaning is necessary whether it is a front load or a top load washer. The things that I am going to tell you are going to change your life so let’s dig directly into them.
- First, you can directly add baking soda to the washer, then add a mixture of vinegar and lavender oil (you can use any essential oil) in the detergent tray.
- You can use medium or longest cycle; the hottest water settings remain constant. Baking soda scrubs out the build-up and vinegar solution will sanitize the washer overall as it has anti-bacterial properties. Of course, you can use chemical cleaners too. For example, you can put the cleaning tablet directly into the washer with the hot water settings and that’s it. But again, as I said that if you do not want to use chemical cleaners, use what you have in your home already.
- Especially for the front load washer, take a spray bottle and add an equal amount of dishwashing liquid, white vinegar, and 10 drops of essential oils in it. Spray the solution on the door. Also, there is a rubber gasket all over where the door closes. Spray the solution all over it and rub it with a microfiber towel to keep it clean. This is for maintenance too.
- Next, open the dispenser tray and spray the solution there too. Afterward, take a toothbrush and gently scrub the tray then clean it with the microfiber towel.
- If you have a front-loading washer, locate the drain filter and shake it over the trash. It should be behind a small front-facing door near the bottom. You are going to see some gross build-up there. So, before putting it back, thoroughly rinse it. When you take the cap off the drain tube, make sure you have a big bowl on hand so you can catch any extra water that falls out.
How To Maintain Your Washer
Do you feel and foul smell every time you open the door of your washer? In the future, try to keep the door about an inch open between cycles of laundry to let in more air. The growth of bacteria will be slowed down if the machine’s interior is allowed to dry out. Also, you can reduce debris that enters the machine’s main drain filter by wiping the seals more frequently and clearing the drain and filters around the seal.
It is important to note that a machine that is used frequently (every day or every other day) prevents bacteria from growing and producing unpleasant odors. Your issues with smelly laundry probably won’t be as bad after all. Front load washers are more likely to produce a bad smell than top loaders. It is because of the mold build-up at the top. That’s why it is crucial to run a deep cleaning cycle once a month.
Summary
Cleaning your washing machine is something that nobody pays attention to. How is it supposed to do the proper cleaning of clothes if it is not clean? The mold and bacteria in the washer are very likely to transfer to the laundry. It feels gross to put your clothes in a dirty washer. Now you have the proper guideline on how to clean washing machine at home, why not do it regularly? It’s not only going to remove the foul-smelling bacteria but increases the life span of your washer. Washing it at home with the available ingredients is the most incredible thing. Also, it saves you time. You can do it quickly while doing other chores and in no time your washer is cleaned as new.
Just don’t forget to clean the trays and tiny compartments they are placed in. These minor things are crucial while having your washer cleaned up properly. Additionally, you can use two types of material for cleaning. First, you can use the ingredients already available in your home. For example, vinegar, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, etc. Second, you can use the washer cleaning chemicals which come in the form of tablets. You just put it inside and run the washer with hot water and medium to longest cycle settings and you are all done.