Deep cleaning your washing machine should be on your priority list at regular intervals depending upon how your washing machine is behaving and how bad your washing machine smells.
You can always opt for a professional Washing Machine Cleaner but how about cleaning your washing machine with the ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen? Let’s learn about these processes which will save you your hard-earned money.
Why Should You Wash A Washing Machine?
Hey, the washing machine is meant for washing clothes. Why the heck I should wash a washing machine? Does not it sound crazy?
Well, probably yes.
But the fact is that we need to wash our washing machine regularly unless we have tons of money to buy a new washing machine every six months.
Washing machines can build up mold, mineral deposits, and other issues due to leftover detergents, hard water, and many other contributing factors.
Cleaning your washing machine regularly ensures that the machine is running at its full potential and gives you the best washing performance.
Normally, modern washing machines have a dedicated tub clean function that does the job for you. In case, your washing machine does not have that feature, this article is for you. Please remember that the tub clean features only clean the tub. For a complete wash, you still need to do it manually.
How Often Should You Clean Your Washing Machine?
Normally, cleaning your washing machine twice a year is more than enough but it all depends on how hard the water you use and how dirty your clothes are that you are dumping into the machine.
Most groundwater is basically hard water. If you use that water for the washing machine, you may need to clean your washer every three months due to excessive levels of mineral deposits.
The same is true if you are washing very dirty clothes frequently as the mold deposits will be more. Sometimes you may need to wash your washing machine every month if you notice the wash performance is degraded.
Please note that, apart from the tub, you also need to clean the auto dispensers regularly to get a better wash and get rid of the detergent smell.
How To Clean Washing Machine?
The process of cleaning a washing machine is different for front-load washing machines and top-load washing machines. Top-load washers are comparatively easy to clean.
How To Clean A Top Load Washing Machine
Cleaning a top-load washer is an easy affair. You will need the following stuff to clean your washing machine.
- Hot Water [Your washing machine may already supply that]
- About one liter of chlorine bleach [ Depends on your drum size]
Once you have the required ingredients, please follow the below steps
Fill Your Washer With Hot Water
If your washing machine has a provision for hot water, fill the tub with hot water. Otherwise, you can use a bucket to fill hot water in the drum
Add Chlorine Bleach
Add about one liter of chlorine bleach into the hot water. The volume of bleach depends on the size of the tub
Run a Complete Wash and Spin Cycle
Run the longest wash cycle followed by a spin cycle and then drain the water. Make sure that all the water and bleach are drained out.
Fill The Tub Again With Hot Water
Like the first step, fill the tub again with fresh hot water. Do not mix bleach this time with water.
Run a Complete Wash and Spin Cycle Again
Run a complete wash cycle and spin cycle again just to ensure that the remaining bleach is also drained out.
How To Clean A Front Load Washing Machine
Cleaning a front-load washing machine is a little different as you can not simply put water and mix bleach into it. Here are some of the steps that you can follow.
Once you have the required ingredients, please follow the below steps
Add 1/2 Cup Of Bleach Into The Detergent Compartment
This is to ensure that the detergent auto dispensers are also cleaned.
Fill The Bleach Dispenser Fully With Chlorine Bleach
Fill the bleach dispenser compartment with chlorine bleach to the highest level.
Run a Complete Wash and Spin Cycle
Run the longest wash cycle followed by a spin cycle and then drain the water. Make sure that all the water and bleach are drained out.
Fill The Tub Again With Hot Water
Like the first step, fill the tub again with fresh hot water. Do not mix bleach this time with water.
Run a Complete Wash and Spin Cycle Again
Run a complete wash cycle and spin cycle again just to ensure that the remaining bleach is also drained out.
How To Clean Washing Machine Dispensers?
Nowadays most washing machines come with auto dispensers for detergent, bleach, and softeners. Regular cleaning is required for these parts too for getting efficient washing performance.
Here are the steps that you can follow to clean washing machine dispensers.
Once you have the required ingredients, please follow the below steps
Heat One Cup Of Vinegar And Pour Into The Detergent Compartment
Heat one cup of vinegar and pour into the detergent compartment, bleach compartment, or wherever you plan to clean.
Run a Complete Wash and Spin Cycle
Run the longest wash cycle followed by a spin cycle and then drain the water. Make sure that all the water and vinegar are drained out.
Final Words: Washing Machine Cleaner
Frankly speaking, washing machine cleaners also use the same ingredients that we have explained here. It is better to use the home ingredients so that you know what you are using. Avoid using any harmful chemicals.
Never skip the cleaning of washing machines. Not only it will affect the wash performance, but it can reduce the washing machine’s life too. Cleaning a washing machine hardly takes 15-20 minutes of your effort and the rest is taken care of by the washing machine itself.
