Honestly, I didn’t know that cleaning your washing machine was a thing. I mean, it gets cleaned every time you wash your clothes, right?
Wrong. If you think about it, your washing machine is constantly bombarded with bits of food, fibers, and other organic materials that can get caught in the nooks and crannies. Also the wet, warm environment inside your machine is a perfect breeding ground for mildew and mold, especially in the hard-to-reach areas, which may never completely dry. Third, detergents and hard water can build up, which can dull your clothes and clog the mechanisms. In short, all this grime equals a less than pristine machine.
To learn how best to naturally clean a machine, I turned to my friend Marnie, a laundry goddess who showed me the ropes in her own laundry room.
Photography by Justine Hand.
Materials
- white vinegar
- baking soda
- hydrogen peroxide (optional; use if you have mold)
- rag
- toothbrush
How to Clean a Front Loader
Step 1:
Begin by wiping down the nooks and crannies outside the drum. Marnie is shown here using a rag dipped in a little vinegar. Make sure you don’t use anything abrasive on the glass or enamel as it can scratch. You can also soak any removable parts in a 2 to 1 water to vinegar solution.
Step 2:
Once the exposed parts are clean, tackle the inside. Depending on the size of your model, fill the liquid detergent dispenser with 1 or 2 cups of vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will help break down any hard water and soap scum and will disinfect the machine.
Step 3:
Set your machine on the sanitize or hottest cycle, full-load setting, and run–without any clothes in it.
Step 4:
Your machine may also benefit from an additional odor-and-soap-scum-fighting step. If so, add 1/3 cup baking soda to the drum and run the machine on hot again. To save water, you can alternate between baking soda one month and vinegar the next. Just be sure not to mix the baking soda (a base) and the vinegar (an acid) in the same cycle as they will neutralize each other. It won’t harm the machine, but you will lose the beneficial effects of each.
How to Clean a Top Loader
First fill your machine with with hot water (no clothes). Stop the cycle after it’s full and add 3 cups vinegar and stir or agitate the machine. Let sit one hour before you continue the cycle. While you’re waiting, use the mixture inside the machine as your exterior cleaning solution, or use a little baking soda and water. (Remember don’t mix vinegar and baking soda as their chemical properties cancel each other out.) With a rag and toothbrush, wipe down the exterior and scour hard-to-reach areas. You can also soak any removable parts in this vinegar bath, while you clean the outside. When you’re finished, close the lid and continue the wash cycle.
Other Tips for Keeping Your Washing Machine Squeaky Clean
- When the machine is not in use, always leave the door open to ensure that the interior dries thoroughly.
- Never leave damp clothes in the washer–transfer them immediately to the dryer.
- Keep the top surfaces free of lint and detergent.
- Remove lint from the dryer screen after every use.
N.B.: This post is an update; it was first published on June 4, 2015 on Remodelista.
For more natural cleaning methods, see:
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