Since a washing machine is there to wash our dirty laundry, it can be easy to forget – or not even realise – that the machine itself should be cleaned, too. However, despite the fact that we use detergents to keep our clothes clean, these can in fact build up over time inside the machine, causing a combination of soap residue and minerals to clog it up and prevent it from washing as efficiently as it should.
There are many different suggestions as to how best to clean a top-loading washing machine, but the one shown below is incredibly simple, non-time consuming, and inexpensive for most people:
Get a quart of bleach and a quart of vinegar:
Some prefer not to use bleach as it’s a harsh chemical, but it will eliminate germs and bacteria and get things sparkling clean inside your machine.
Fill the empty machine with hot water:
Pour in the quart of bleach and let the machine run for around a minute to completely mix the bleach into the water. Then open the top of the machine and leave the water and bleach combination to sit there for at least an hour.
Run the machine on a cycle:
Once the hour is up, shut the top down and run the machine on a complete cycle.
Repeat the process, but this time using the vinegar:
So, when the machine has finished its complete cycle, open the top and allow it to fill up with hot water again. Then, add the quart of vinegar, run the machine for a minute and allow the water and vinegar to fully combine. Once the minute is up, open the top and let the hot water sit there for around an hour before you run the machine on a 2nd complete cycle.
The entire process is so simple and takes just over a couple of hours to complete. You should immediately notice that the interior of your top loading machine feels smoother and looks a million times cleaner, which can only be a good thing for the items that you intend to wash in it. Some machines can get very smelly too, so using the bleach and vinegar should help to eliminate any nasty odours.
Do note that there are different methods for cleaning front-loading machines, and if cleaning your washing machine sounds like one extra chore that you don’t have the time or inclination to complete, then simply add it to the list for your cleaner to do…and if you don’t have a cleaner, hire one!