How to Clean Your Washing Machine
Although cleaning your washing machine with vinegar and baking soda may seem like more of a hassle than it’s worth, some people swear by this Do It Yourself method.
If you have a front-loading washing machine, what you need to do first is to clean the gasket by spraying it with white vinegar and wiping it with a damp microfiber cloth. Next, add two cups of white vinegar to the detergent drawer, set the washer to the hottest water temperature, and run an empty cycle. After the cycle is completed, add one and a half cups of baking soda directly to the drum, and run it through another hot wash. When the second cycle is done, give the drum a thorough wiping and let it air out.
Do you have a top-loader? Again, you’ll want to set your washer to the highest level and hottest water temperature. Add four cups of white vinegar to the washer tub and start the cycle. Wait a few minutes, then hit pause, and allow the mixture of water and vinegar to sit for an hour. You can use this time to wipe the top of your machine clean with a microfiber cloth dipped in hot vinegar water, and to scrub the fabric softener and bleach compartments with an old toothbrush. After the one hour has elapsed, continue the cycle, then run another wash, this time adding one cup of baking soda to the washer tub.
How Often Should You Clean Your Washing Machine? It’s generally recommended to clean your washing machine once a month, especially if you want to prevent musty odors from forming inside the drum and keep your clothes smelling great. Sometimes, however, you need to pay your machine a bit more attention, and it may be necessary to thoroughly clean the washer.
There are a few other things you should also be on the lookout for. The rubber door seal can easily pick up residues in your washer from laundry soils, detergents, and hard water minerals; so, give it a good wipe down every now and then. It’s also a good idea to check the filter, water-supply hose, and other parts for any buildup. Remove these deposits and residues, and you can give your washer a new life.