I’ve always been an organized and clean person, especially when it comes to my house, but while doing research for an upcoming article, I stumbled upon a list of tasks homeowners should be doing regularly to keep their homes in working order. One such task was deep cleaning the washing machine. I’m embarrassed to say, I had not tackled this in the 11 years we’ve lived in our house. I mean, it’s a washing machine, shouldn’t it be clean by nature? But I decided this was a chore I should probably do—and I’m very glad I did. Washing machines get really dirty! Here’s what I discovered, and I bet you will be encouraged to put this task on your to-do list, too.
Whether you have a front-loader or a top-loader machine, you should clean your machine every other week by running a hot or clean cycle (if your machine has it) with vinegar. In fact, senior service technician at Albano Appliances in Pound Ridge, Juan Cepeda says it’s best to run your washer every other day, which will slow down bacteria growth and help to reduce odors.
But you really should also do a deep clean once a month according to Cepeda. “Over time, the washer can gather a buildup of debris resulting in odors and mold,” he says. “You may ask if this will prolong the life of the washer, and the answer is absolutely! All this buildup will clog up the drain pump and hoses, and/or the circulation pump if equipped.”
But what does a deep cleaning of your washing machine entail?
Before deep cleaning my own washing machine, I watched a handful of how-to videos online. Depending on how often you clean your machine, and how much you use it, you may find various degrees of build-up from old detergent, mildew, gunk, and lint, or leftover debris from your washes.
Materials Needed
✔ Paper towels
✔ Microfiber cloth
✔ Toothbrush or small scrub brush
✔ Distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle
✔ Small plastic container or bowl
Instructions
1. Run a hot cycle (or clean cycle if your machine has it). For a top loader, run the hot cycle for a few minutes, then pour ½ cup to 2 cups of white vinegar (depending on the size of your machine) into the water and complete the cycle.
2. When the cycle is done, spray vinegar all over the inside of the machine. Wipe thoroughly with a microfiber cloth. Rinse the microfiber cloth and repeat as needed.
3. For a top-loading machine, spray vinegar in the hard-to-reach spaces under the lid and the detergent compartments and scrub or wipe as needed until clean.
4. If you have a front loader, spray vinegar in and around the rubber tubing on the inside of the door. This is where things can get a little more down and dirty. You will need to thoroughly and repeatedly wipe the rubber tubing until your cloth rinses clean. Depending on the last time you cleaned your machine, you may have a buildup of sludge, mildew, and old detergent.
5. Using paper towels and a toothbrush or small scrub brush, gently pull the rubber tubing away so you can get in there and wipe and scrub any accumulated gunk. Repeat this until the paper towels wipe clean.
6. Then take the vinegar and spray more on your microfiber cloth and wipe thoroughly again around the rubber parts. Rinse the microfiber cloth and repeat as needed.
7. Remove any little pieces (the detergent trays in a front loader for example) and clean them thoroughly then dry and replace.
8. Wipe the doors, inside and out, and leave the door open to dry thoroughly.
9. If you have a front loader, there is a small door on the bottom that you will want to open. Place your plastic container underneath it and take out the tube that’s inside (it will be hooked inside to stay in place). Remove the cap from it and let the tube drain into the plastic container until it stops.
10. Then replace the cap and put the tube back the way you found it.
11. Repeat every month to ensure mildew does not accumulate and to keep your washing machine clean so it can properly clean your clothes.
12. To go even further, Cepeda also suggests checking the inlet hose filters, which sift out sand, silt, and other debris, at least once a year if possible. “We find a lot of debris/sediment in the filters when we remove them for disposal and/or service,” he says. “This will cause uneven wash temperatures, which can force the washer to run longer. This will also cause wear and tear on the inlet valves,” which can shorten the life of your washing machine.
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