Clean Your Washing Machine in 30 Minutes or Less
Cleaning your washing machine is one of those cleaning tips you might not think about until the laundry room starts to smell bad. Even though its purpose is to clean clothes, a washing machine can serve as a haven for germs. Contemplate this: Your washer puts a lot of effort into maintaining order in your home. If you don't maintain your washing machine, everyday items—from sweaty gym clothes to bed sheets to seemingly endless towels—can result in a less than clean machine.
According to Alessandro Gazzo, content manager of Dallas-based house cleaning and maid service Emily's Maids, "people still don't know that washing machines need to be cleaned on a regular basis." "They mistakenly believe that a "machine for cleaning" is a "auto-cleaning" device, but that is untrue." Regular cleaning of washing machines is crucial because they can turn havens for bacteria. He continues, "Anything from fiber residues, soap scum, detergent, fabric softener, and hard water can clog the drain." Furthermore, mildew can accumulate over time in an unclean washing machine and not only smell bad but also produce a build-up in the wash tub. Gazzo advises doing a thorough cleaning on your washing machine every three to four months.
Using a homemade cleaning solution of baking soda and white vinegar, AD reveals the best cleaning tips for thoroughly cleaning both front-loading and top-loading washers. The best aspect is that it won't take you more than 30 minutes to remove any unclean residue. Once you incorporate these cleaning techniques into your four-monthly to-do list, your washing machine will continue to perform at its peak, cycle after cycle. Furthermore, you can even look forward to laundry day if you know how to clean out a dryer vent.
Choosing the Right Cleaner: Bleach vs. Vinegar for Washing Machine Maintenance
Common cleaning supplies like white vinegar and chlorine bleach have been shown to be effective against mold, mildew, and general dirt. Because white vinegar is so acidic, it works wonders to eradicate unwanted sticky buildup that thrives in moist environments. Conversely, bleach is an oxidative agent, which is why it leaves your towels looking brilliant and white. Your cleaning remedy for a washing machine is contingent upon the nature of the problem. According to Gazzo, "both vinegar and bleach are effective if you have mold or mildew, but bleach is more effective." "I'd say vinegar for odor removal."
However, because white vinegar is less abrasive than bleach, some individuals prefer it. Unless, of course, you want a power cleaner because your washing machine has been abandoned for so long that it has become a haven for bacteria and viruses. If that's the case, you can add a quarter of a cup of bleach and set the washing machine to a regular cycle with hot water. Make sure your washing machine is suitable with bleach before using it.
Expert Tips for a Sparkling Interior: The Ultimate Guide to Cleaning Inside Your Washing Machine
A spray bottle, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and an old toothbrush are the basics to get you started. The process is slightly different for front-loading and top-loading washing machines, even if the cleaning supply list is the same for both.
People often forget to cleanse the drain on both top-loading and front-loading machines. To clean the drain, ensure the washing machine is turned off. Then, carefully unhook the drain from the pipe; perhaps your washing machine drain is connected to the laundry room sink. In either case, after the drain is unplugged, place it in an empty tub or wash basin and let the extra water drain. Check to see if any muck is lodged within. You may need to use a drain snake to remove it. Then, immerse the drain in vinegar to eliminate mildew from the drain hole. To remove obstinate filth, use an old toothbrush and a little baking soda. Wipe off the residue with a damp cloth.
Check to see whether your washing machine has a filter, especially if it is an older model. If you don't see it correctly, consult the owner's handbook, since washing machine filters can be found in a variety of locations, including the end of a drain hose, along the drum rim, behind the agitator cover, and even on the outside of a washing machine inside a small hatch. The filter can resemble a mesh or something with small pores for catching lint.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Clean a Front-Load Washer Effectively
To refresh your washing machine in less than 30 minutes, fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spritz the inside of the drum. Wipe the washer drum with a microfiber cloth, leaving no surface neglected. Next, clean the rubber gaskets, commonly known as the seals around the door. As you wipe around them, you'll most likely uncover filth, mildew, lint, and even hair.
For routine cleaning of a front loader, use a white microfiber cloth and bleach mixed with Dawn dish soap, especially around the rubber seal.
"Set the washing machine to the highest water and temperature setting and run a full cycle with one cup of white vinegar and around five drops of lavender essential oil," according to Gazzo. When it comes to the quarterly deep clean of a front-loading washing machine, repeat the process, but rather than vinegar and essential oil, use two cups of washing soda and two cups of borax. Allow to sit for an hour before running through the entire cycle. "During that hour the washing soda and borax will soften up the minerals and residues enough to deep clean the drain and the washer drum," according to Gazzo.
Keeping it Simple: Quick Steps to Clean a Top-Loading Washing Machine
Set your washing machine to the highest and hottest water temperature. Add four cups of white vinegar and begin the cycle. When the washing machine is filled and barely begun, stop it and let the water and white vinegar soak the drum for an hour. When the first rinse cycle is complete, add a cup of baking soda and restart your top loader for one more strong cycle at the hottest settings. When that's done, keep the top open to air dry.
Maintenance Essentials: What Products Should You Use to Keep Your Washing Machine in Top Shape?
After cleaning the interior of your front loader, you ought to give it a thorough run through with distilled white vinegar. Pour two cups of distilled white vinegar straight into the liquid detergent dispenser of your washing machine. Put the hottest water on the longest cycle on your front-loading washer. After the cycle is complete, immediately add half a cup of baking soda to the washing machine's drum and use the same settings (highest and hottest). Using white vinegar in a hot setting cycle will solve the problem for a top-loading washing machine.
Gazzo prefers to use eco-friendly items like white vinegar in place of fabric softener to help minimize soap scum accumulation. “Vinegar won’t leave any soap or fat residue on the drums or the drain,” he says.
Banishing Odors: Practical Solutions to Tackle a Smelly Washing Machine"
The simplest way to get rid of a washing machine odor is to clean the surfaces and any locations where water may accumulate, creating a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria. Sprinkle white vinegar onto a damp towel and run it across the top and bottom of the top-loading washing machine's lid, as well as the sides and front, until you've covered every square inch of your device. Then, use an old toothbrush to clean the grimy nooks and crannies of your machine's detergent and fabric softener dispensers.
To remove odors from a front-loading washing machine, thoroughly clean the residue from the rubber seal surrounding the door with soapy water or an all-purpose cleanser. Afterwards, spray white vinegar onto a microfiber cloth and clean the exterior and inside of the door until they gleam. Make sure to clean the entire front of the machine, such as the knobs and control panel, where hard water may be visible. Always leave the lid open to let the machine air dry. It is a good idea to keep a microfiber cloth available and clean off the area of the door after each load.
If your washing machine stinks, even if you deep clean it many times a year, try a monthly cleansing with Affresh (available on Amazon). Affresh is a slow-dissolving pill containing oxygen-based bleach and sodium carbonate. To use it, choose the tub clean cycle—or a normal cycle if your washer lacks a cleaning cycle—and insert an Affresh tablet without any clothing. Affresh bubbles up and gets into all of the nooks, crannies, and crevices during the cycle before rinsing.
For routine washing machine maintenance, remember that you don't need to add more detergent unless the laundry is particularly filthy. Using too much detergent causes more harm than good since it leaves soapy residue on clothes and wears down the washing machine prematurely. Check your washer's instruction booklet to see how much laundry detergent to use. Concentrated liquid detergents now require only a quarter of the amount you're used to placing in your detergent dispenser. Instead of using more detergent, use the sanitize cycle to thoroughly clean dirty garments and towels. The sanitize cycle is designed to eliminate bacteria by washing garments in the hottest water for an extended period of time.