Your step-by-step guide for a clean washing machine

Keep the mould at bay with these easy washing machine tips

Your step-by-step guide for a clean washing machine

If you fail to learn how to clean a washing machine, you’ll be exposed to germs, awful smells, mould and bacteria.

Why do washing machines get so dirty?

Fabric softeners and laundry detergents cling to the inside of the washing machine, and with the hot and humid Australian weather, mould and mildew grow fast.

Also, your washer collects bits of dirt after every wash and most of the dirt and grime sticks to the rubber corners of the seals. The seal stays moist, and any dirt that stays there develops mould. Don’t wait for bad smells or stains on your clothes due to mould build-up to know its time to clean your washer.

To keep your washer in optimal levels, we are going to share some tips on how to clean your washing machine.

Start with the Door Seals and Gaskets First

Take some towels and soak them in white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and place them on the gasket cavities. Leave the sheets for about an hour for the white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to loosen up the grease or mould and disinfect the area. Wipe the gaskets and the doors seals and use a toothbrush to remove any residue.

Rinse-Off

Once the gasket is clean, add water and set the washer to the extended cycle, largest load and hottest setting.

Fill the Drum or Detergent Drawer with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Add one litre of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda. You can use either chlorine bleach, enzyme detergent, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach in place of vinegar and baking soda.

If you’re cleaning a front-loader, empty the vinegar to the detergent drawer and baking soda to the softener drawer, and start the wash cycle.

If you have a top-loader, allow the water to run for a few minutes before adding the vinegar and baking soda. Keep the machine going for about a minute to mix the two ingredients and then stop the washing cycle for an hour. Complete the washing cycle after an hour of soaking.

Keep the Washing Cycle Going

Clean the outside of the washing machine with a soft cloth soaked in vinegar as the washing cycle continues.

Run a Second Hot Water Cycle

Run a second cycle, but this time with hot water. Hot water and a dash of vinegar loosen up any leftover residue. Once the cycle ends, leave the door open to allow the drum to dry to prevent any formation of mildew.

Clean All the Parts

This part is optional but why would you leave the other parts dirty? Clean the entire device while you’re at it!

Take one of the towels soaked in vinegar and clean the inside of the lid. Grab a toothbrush and get into those hard to reach places like the crannies and nooks. Don’t forget the top edges and the tub’s rim. If you’re cleaning a top-loader washing machine, clean the agitator as well.

Finally, use a damp cloth to wipe the outside of the machine to get it sparkling on the outside as it is on the inside.

Five Different Methods and Ingredients to Clean a Washing machine

1. Baking Soda and Vinegar

These two are the most widely used ingredients for cleaning a washing machine at home. For this process, you only need one litre of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda, and the water set at 90 ºC on a long washing cycle.

Baking soda and vinegar remove any limescale to keep your washer smelling clean and fresh.

The only downside for these two ingredients is the mixture is mild and will not eliminate all the mould. You need stronger cleaning ingredients if your washing machine is filthy from washing soiled clothes.

2. Enzyme Detergent and Oxygen Bleach

Choose powdered enzyme detergent over the liquid variety and get the one with the most grease eating enzymes. With the water set at 90 ºC, add the two and select the largest load option. The enzyme detergent and oxygen bleach remove any sticky residue and leave the inside of your washing machine sparkling clean.

3. Citric Acid

Citric acid is a natural and powerful cleaning agent for removing soap scum, limescale, bad smells and any build up inside the washer.

Mix one cup of citric acid with half a cup of baking soda and set the water temperature at 90 ºC.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide

This chemical is a powerful washing machine cleaning ingredient for eradicating mould, limescale, bacteria and viruses.

Add one litre of hydrogen peroxide to water set at 90 ºC on a long wash cycle. Allow it to soak for about three hours for the best results.

You’ll need to run this process a couple of times for front loader washing machines.

5. Chlorine Bleach

This is the best cleaning agent for bad odour, but you can only use it with cold or warm water set at 40-degree celsius.

Observe caution when using chlorine bleach because it can penetrate porous surfaces such as porcelain or plastic inner drums of your washer. Chlorine bleach also fails to eliminate limescale and mould.

How To Clean the Other Parts of a Washing Machine

Cleaning the Tub Rims

Using a towel soaked in white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, clean the opening of the washing machine especially between the top edges and the rub rim. Make sure that you get into those hard to reach areas.

Cleaning the Detergent Drawer

For a front-loading machine, remove the detergent drawer and soak it in hot water. Use a toothbrush to remove any mould or residue. Rinse the drawer and let it dry before you put it back. Don’t forget to clean the area where the detergent drawer sits as it can have mould and residue. The manual has instruction for removing the detergent drawer.

Cleaning the Filter

Cleaning the drum and other parts of the washing machine eradicates bad odour; but to keep the washer in good condition, you need to clean the filter.

If you have a front-loading machine, the filter door is at the front and bottom of the washing machine. For a top loader, the filter is inside the fabric softener drawer.

Once you get to the filter of the front loader, place a towel under the door and put a shallow dish on top to collect the water. Unscrew the filter cap and allow the water to collect into the bowl.

You can completely remove the filter to get rid of any items that you find.

Soak the filter in soapy water and remove any residue using a toothbrush.

How to Keep Your Washing Machine Clean and Fresh

A clean washing machine smells excellent, and your clothes do too. If your machine has an odour, it means that you’ve allowed residue to build up in the inside. Here’s how to keep your washer clean and fresh:

  • Go easy on the detergent. Putting excess detergent inside the washer leads to build up. Check your packaging for dosing guides.
  • Do not put soiled clothing inside the machine, rinse them off to get rid of the excess dirt.
  • Minimise the build-up of limescale by using the tablets in your machine or a water softener connected to your in-flow pipe.
  • Leave the door open after every washing cycle for the drum to dry out; this is a simple way to prevent mould growth. If you’re using a front-loading washing machine, leave the detergent drawer open as well.
  • Run an empty hot wash at least twice a month to get rid of any hidden build-up.

If your washing machine is in a dire state, you might not be able to get all the dirt, mould and residue out in the first time. You may need to clean the washer up to six times at home to get the desired results. For many, this is too much work, and it’s time to let the professional cleaners handle it. A professional cleaner will give your washer the tender, love and care that it deserves.

FAQs About How to Clean a Washing Machine

Could I clean my washing machine with baking soda and vinegar, but using cold water?

You can use cold water, but you won’t get the best results. Hot water breaks down the soapy residue inside the washer and also kills bacteria and germs.

Is white vinegar safe for cleaning inside the washing machine?

White vinegar is safe for use, but you need to be cautious when cleaning around the rubber seals on the door. Don’t use strong vinegar for seals made from Buna-N or polyacrylate because it weakens them.

Can I use vinegar and bleach at the same time?

Don’t use vinegar and bleach at the same time because the two chemicals create a noxious gas. You need to remove any traces of bleach before adding vinegar and baking soda by running a full rinse cycle.

How to clean a washing machine properly

Washing machines need a little loving too. How long has it been since you cleaned yours?

How to clean a washing machine properly

We expect washing machines to pump out clean, crisp clothes at the flick of a switch or the press of a button. But when your washing machine resembles something out of a Stephen King movie, you can’t blame the machine for undesirable results.

Dirty filters, clogged inlets and outlets, pipes that have seen better days – regular maintenance keeps a machine working at its best.

If your machine is leaving stains, detergent residue, or sudden patches of colour on your clothes, it is probably screaming for a good clean.

Washing machine clothes

Cleaning a washing machine is not complicated. With a few basic steps your machine will be churning out awesome results again, which will save you money on unnecessary washing machine repairs.

These cleaning tips are chemical-free, inexpensive and won’t have any detrimental effects on your appliance.

How to clean a top loading washing machine

  1. Mix ½ cup of bicarbonate (bicarb) soda with 2 cups of white vinegar.
  2. Run a washing cycle with hot water on the maximum water level setting.
  3. Once the machine is at least half full with water, add the vinegar mixture.
  4. Let the filled water sit in the machine for about 30 minutes then allow your machine to run through its usual cycle.
  5. Before all of the water drains out, use a toothbrush to scrub the holes in the washing machine barrel. The grime will come away easy after being soaked and you will be surprised at what comes out!
  6. The vinegar, bicarb and hot water will break down any grease or dirty patches and clean the hoses.
  7. Remove and clean any parts that can be washed separately, such as the fabric softener basket and lint catcher.
  8. Once the inside is squeaky clean give the outside a once over with some washing liquid and wipe away any accumulated dust.
    When scrubbing with the toothbrush, let the machine empty the water in stages so you don’t need to have your hands in hot water.

How to clean a front loading washing machine

  1. Add 2 tablespoons of bicarb soda into the detergent draw and ½ cup of white vinegar into the washing machine drum.
  2. Run a standard cycle with hot water.
  3. Check the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to clean the filter. Filters are usually a contributing factor to poor washing results in a front loader.
  4. If applicable, remove and clean the soap and fabric softener dispensers in hot soapy water and dry them out in the sun. This will prevent mould from forming and growing.
  5. Leave the machine door ajar between washes to dry out properly and eliminate mould.
    The machine might produce suds during the wash cycle due to the build up of residue. This will happen less if you clean your machine more frequently.

How to tackle detergent residue on clothes

If you find that detergent residue is left on your clothes after a wash:

  • Do not overload your washing machine.
  • Try using less detergent in your washes.
  • Dissolve any powered detergent in hot water before adding it into the machine if you usually wash your items in cold water.
  • Store powdered detergent in an airtight container to prevent it getting clumpy. Clumps can be part of the problem with residual.
  • If you have a clothes dryer you can put the effected items into a quick cool cycle for 5 minutes. This will help to shake off the excess residue.

How to eliminate washing marks on your clothes

Blotchy, or smoky-looking marks that appear on your clothes during a wash can be created by scrud. This is a waxy build-up of fabric softener or detergents that are left behind in the drum. Scrud is more common in cold washes and when there is not enough detergent added to the wash. This can cause problems with the washing machine mechanics as well as your clothes.

How to avoid getting a scrud build-up:

  • Run an empty hot machine cycle with quality detergent, letting it sit overnight.
  • If you prefer to wash in cold water, run a hot cycle wash occasionally.
  • Be cautious of over-using fabric softener. White vinegar is a good substitute.
  • Increase the amount of detergent you use.
  • Clean your washing machine regularly using our tips above.
    Whites washed in hot water will retain their brightness and help to keep scrud away.

If a machine clean does not make your clothes sparkle again – just arrange a washing machine repair with Airtasker.