Keeping your washing machine clean and well maintained will work wonders for preventing for a buildup of mold, mildew, dust, dirt and soap deposits, and don’t forget that these can be harmful not only to your laundry, but to your health, too.
While it can be easy to forget about cleaning your washing machine – particularly if it’s in constant use – it is important, and we’ve compiled a list of a few simple ways to keep your washing machine clean, and your laundry smelling fresh.
Tips for keeping your washing machine clean
- The rubber gasket around the door can quickly become moldy and smelly if not cleaned and dried thoroughly. Simply wipe the inside of the door and the gasket with a clean cloth or towel after each wash.
- Keep the door open fully for at least an hour or two after each wash and in-between the next load, to allow air to circulate; for top loaders, keep the lid open for as long as possible between washes.
- Run it empty with hot water and a cup of bleach at least every 3 months to help freshen the inside of the machine.
- Use a combination of vinegar and baking soda to clean the inside of the machine. Add a quart of white vinegar (super cheap and you may already have it in your store cupboard) and a cup of baking soda (equally as cheap and probably already in your kitchen) to the cleaning mode and run the washer with nothing in it.
Repeat this with water alone to get rid of any remaining dirt remnants. While vinegar and baking soda don’t have quite the same sanitizing properties as bleach, they are a lot less caustic.
- With a soft bristle brush and the same combination of vinegar and baking soda, thoroughly scrub and clean the rubber seal or gasket around the door of your front-loading washing machine.
When doing so, try to pull the seal away from the machine as much as you can to reach all those areas where mold spores can breed.
- Don’t forget to wash the detergent and fabric softener tray along with the slot into which it slides. If you’ve never done this before, you might be rather unpleasantly surprised at what grime and gunk you find luring in there!
- You may also want to check the hoses that run hot and cold water into your machine, and check for any obstructions. You can remove and clean the filter that is usually there, to help the washer get a good flow of water coming in.
- Alternatively, just have your professional cleaner sanitize it for you as part of their cleaning routine, job done!
Cleaning your washing machine can become a bi of a chore, and if you already have a professional cleaner, simply have them add it to their cleaning schedule. Or, if you don’t yet have a professional cleaner, perhaps you should be asking yourself why!
