Your Guide to Cleaning the Washing Machine
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From vacuums and mops to sponges and dust rags, household cleaning tools won’t be as effective if they’re dirty themselves! The same goes for larger cleaning appliances, like washing machines. To keep your clothes looking, feeling, and smelling as fresh as possible, you need to make sure your washing machine isn’t providing a comfy home for mold, mildew, dirt, and residue buildup.
There are, ahem, loads of methods to clean a washing machine. The easiest way is with a product formulated specifically for cleaning the washer, but you can also use the help of some household products like distilled white vinegar and baking soda to get the job done. Keep reading for tips on everything from how to deep clean a washing machine, to how to clean a smelly washing machine, and how to prevent mildew buildup. Because if you’re washing your clothes in a dirty machine, are you really washing them at all?
How to Clean a Top-Load Washing Machine
Using our materials and instructions below, you’ll learn how to clean a top-load washing machine with vinegar and other common household staples.
Materials
Instructions
- Remove the washing machine’s agitator center (you can usually pop it right off!), liquid bleach dispenser, and any other removable parts, and soak them in a bucket of warm, soapy water with distilled white vinegar.
- While they soak, use a sponge and a 1:1 mix of warm water and white vinegar to lightly detail clean any dirty parts of the washing machine interior, such as the area around the agitator or underneath the liquid bleach compartment. Dry with a dry microfiber cloth.
- Go back to your bucket of removable parts and give them a good wash and rinse before drying and returning them to the washing machine.
- Next, run the cleaning cycle. You can do this either by using a machine machine cleaner tablet, or by pouring ¼ cup baking soda into the washing machine drum, followed by two cups of white vinegar.
- Run the washer on the largest and hottest setting available. If your machine has a clean setting, use that.
- If needed, run a rinse-and-spin cycle to remove any excess residue.
How to Clean a Front-Load Washing Machine
Due to the gaskets on the doors, front-load washing machines require a few different cleaning steps than their top-load counterparts.
Materials
Instructions
- First, run the cleaning cycle to loosen any dried-on gunk. Pour two cups of vinegar over the detergent trays and throw a washing machine cleaning tablet inside the drum. Set to the hottest and heaviest setting, and run a cycle. If your machine has a cleaning setting, use that.
- Afterwards, detail clean the interior. Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 mix of distilled white vinegar and warm water with a splash of mild dish soap, and spray down the interior door, rubber gasket, and the perimeter of the interior frame.
- Use a crevice-cleaning tool or small cleaning brush to scrub the gasket, door, and small surrounding parts with buildup. Make sure to get into the folds, and repeat as needed. Finish by drying each area with a clean microfiber cloth.
- Next, remove and scrub down any removable parts, like the detergent trays. Spray them with the vinegar mixture, clean, and dry with a microfiber cloth.
How to Clean the Washing Machine Filter
Not all washing machines have filters, but if yours does, don’t forget to address it when you deep clean.
Materials
Instructions
- Establish whether or not your washing machine has a user-cleanable filter. If it does, locate and remove it. (If you’re not sure, consult your owner’s manual or look up your specific model online.)
- Using a small cleaning brush or crevice tool, gently scrub the filter in a bucket of warm, soapy water.
- If your filter is particularly dirty, let it soak in warm, soapy water for 10 minutes, and give it another scrub until clean.
- Rinse the filter with clean, warm water.
- Let it air dry fully before putting it back into the washing machine.
Dos and Don’ts
DO
Do clean your washing machine roughly once a month or after every 30 cycles.
Do keep the lid of your washing machine open when you’re not using it. This will help prevent mold and mildew.
DON’T
Don’t pour more detergent than your machine says you need. Using too much can lead to buildup over time.
Don’t let wet clothes sit in the washing machine. Doing so can cause mold and mildew to develop both on your garments and inside your machine.
FAQs
How do I clean mold from a washing machine?
It’s totally normal for mold to accumulate in your washing machine now and then, especially if you live in a humid climate. Front-load machines, in particular, are particularly susceptible to mold within the folds of the gaskets. However, you can clean mold from a washing machine. Here’s how:
- When you’re dealing with mold, it’s time to break out the bleach and microfiber cloths. Mix one part bleach with 10 parts water. Dip the cloth in the bleach solution, and scrub all interior surface areas and gaskets until the cloth comes out clean.
- Take out any removable parts, and wipe them down with the bleach solution. (For hard-to-reach spots, use a crevice-cleaning brush, then put everything back where it was.)
- Lastly, add bleach to the washer drum or bleach compartment, and run the cycle on the hottest setting for the largest-sized load. Together, these steps should address all areas where mold can fester and grow.
How do I deal with a smelly washing machine?
Amy Gordon
Amy Gordon is a freelance writer and editor who splits her time between New York, NY and Vieques, PR. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll probably find her on a plane with her nose in a book, in the Caribbean snorkeling through coral reefs, or on the couch watching true crime TV. Learn more and read her work at www.amygordonmedia.com.
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