Bacteria build up is a major cause of a dirty washing machine leading to smelly laundry and clothes that could be cleaner. Here, you can learn how to clean a washing machine and the importance of maintaining your washer.
Cleaning a washing machine is often a neglected task. For most households, cleaning a washing machine does not even make the cut as an item on their home maintenance checklist. We have found that many homeowners do not maintain and truthfully do not even know how to clean a washing machine.
As part of our Routine Home Maintenance program, we offer washing machine cleaning and describe the step-by-step process below. In addition, we describe how to clean a washing machine by yourself and the overall cost and process to do it correctly.
Cleaning a Washing Machine
Here are the steps we take at Kura Home to clean a washing machine:
Step 1: Start with an empty and dry washing machine.
Step 2: Take the soap tray out and clean off any mold and nasty crud that has built on it. A forewarning for you, it can be surprising how much crud can build up here – might want to look away!
Step 3: Wipe the product around the rubber gasket, while using a small brush to scrub the grime that has been building up in the folds of the gasket.
Step 4: If the washing machine has glass, we wipe down the inside and outside of the glass – we find a lot of mold and other residue in these areas – if no glass, we wipe down the door and rubber gasket.
Step 5: Soap dispenser tray is placed back in, and a cup of cleaning solution is dropped into the washing machine. Run a cleaning cycle on the hottest water setting the washer has.
Step 6: We always wipe down the washing machine as a final step and we recommend doing a rinse cycle once after to ensure all solutions are clear and a full cleaning.
Step 1: Run a Hot Cycle of Vinegar. It is suggested to use two cups of white vinegar instead of detergent. You should be able to find distilled white vinegar at a local grocery store for less than $10 for a gallon.
Step 2: Mix about ¼ cup of vinegar with a quart of warm water. Use this mixture, plus a sponge and brush, to clean the inside of the machine. Give the machine’s exterior a wipe down, too.
Step 3: Run one more empty, regular cycle on hot, without detergent or vinegar. If desired, add 1/2 cup baking soda to the drum to help clear away buildup loosened from the first cycle.
How to Keep Your Washing Machine Clean
- Leave the lid up or the door open and remove clothes immediately after a wash cycle to give it a chance to dry out and prevent mildew from forming.
- Use the proper amount of laundry detergent. Adding extra detergent does more harm than good, since it can leave soapy residue on your clothes and cause unnecessary wear to the washing machine.
- Wipe up any moisture on the drum, lid, or gasket of the washing machine. This can be done every few washes.
- Never overload the washing machine. This can cause the washing machine to overwork and drastically reduce its lifetime. Your clothes would benefit from getting washed in two loads.
We recommend looking at the washing machine manual to understand specific manufacturers’ directions on how to clean a washing machine. These manuals can be beneficial in understanding what preventative measures can take place to increase the longevity of the washing machine and offer industry specific knowledge on the specific brand of washing machine. Each brand can vary in terms of what can/cannot be used to clean a washing machine.
At Kura Home Maintenance & Air Duct Cleaning, we suggest adding washing machine cleaning to your Home Maintenance Checklist.
Life can be busy – sporting events, kids, weddings, work, vacations – the list goes on and on. If you find yourself extremely busy and don’t have the time, or simply do not know how to maintain your appliances around your home: Click here for a FREE consultation.
Learning how to clean a washing machine is indeed a preventative measure you can take and can lead to several advantages: longevity of the washing machine, help reduce breakdowns and costly water damage and your clothes simply come out cleaner. If you have questions or want to learn more about our additional services, call one of our professionals today at 888-858-5872!
