How To Clean A Washing Machine

Does your washing machine give you a feeling of a filthy monster rising out of it every time you open the lid? This is a problem faced by almost everyone. As with any home appliance, your washing machine also requires regular maintenance to ensure its optimal performance. After long-term use and its reducing life, your washing machine can develop a foul odour which can even affect the cleanliness of your laundry. Therefore it is very important to clean the washing machine from time to time. An unclean machine is a home for dirt and minerals that form muck, which, if left unclean for a while, will spoil your laundry with every wash. An unclean and unwashed washing machine will not only give a stale odour to the clothes, it will also not give them a proper and fresh wash. Go through the following steps to clean your washing machine and get a fragrant set of laundry after every wash.

Tips For Cleaning A Washing Machine

The first step in cleaning a washing machine is to check the filter for coins, or other items that can get stuck and then check the hose for blockages or jams. You need to first clear the filter and the hose of any blockages.
Now remove the soap drawer and scrub it properly in warm water for the sticky residue to loosen.
Empty your machine and run in hot water to the largest load setting. Once the tub is full and starts to agitate, add in 3 to 4 cups of distilled white vinegar. Also, add ½ a cup of baking soda to the water. Once you have added the vinegar and baking soda, let the machine rotate for a few moments and then turn it off. Let the water sit for half an hour to one hour.
After an hour of letting the vinegar/baking soda mixture penetrate the grime in the washing machine tub, restart the machine and let it complete the wash cycle. Once the machine reaches the end of the wash cycle and is ready to drain, advance it to the ‘spin’ cycle. In many machines this cycle will cause the machine to spin as it drains. This will help in further loosening the residue and the grime. If the machine does not have a spin option along with drainage, simply let it drain out the water.
Once the water is drained out, wipe the inside of the machine with the help of a wet cloth. You can also use a cloth soaked in a solution made of a half part of hot water and half a portion of white vinegar. Make sure that you wipe all the parts of the machine thoroughly including the bottom and blades of the agitator and the top of the tub. If there is a fabric softener or a bleach dispenser fitted in, remove it and clean it properly before replacing it back.
Even after cleaning the machine thoroughly the odor remains, you can also add a cup of borax into the machine as it fills with water. Let it go through a wash round and the rinse cycle. Wait for the agitator to start turning and the borax to dissolve, and then add the dirty laundry to the machine.
Let the laundry soak for about 20 to 30 min after agitating thoroughly, in order to remove any remaining odor. Now, add in a detergent that has fragrance and wash the laundry. The detergent will make your clothes come out smelling clean and good from the freshly cleaned washing machine.

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