Like other appliances, your washing machine requires regular maintenance to work efficiently. You may have a headache if your washing machine stops working on wash day. So, keeping this appliance in working order is of paramount importance. This is the ultimate guide on how to clean washing machine at home. So, let’s find out how you can do it.
Here Are The Ultimate Guide On How to Clean Washing Machine
Get Your Cleaning Supplies
First of all, you need to collect your cleaning supplies. We suggest that you opt for eco-friendly cleaning tools and products, as they will be safe for your skin and lungs.
The two essential cleaning products are lemon juice and apple cider vinegar, which can be pretty effective against build-ups.
Another effective natural product is baking soda, which can help fight that yucky grime. All you need to do is apply some baking soda on a piece of rag to wipe away that annoying gunk.
Another way is to prepare a mixture of baking soda, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice in a spray bottle. Given below is the recipe:
Apple cider vinegar: half the bottle
Baking soda: one teaspoon
Water: half the bottle
Once the solution is ready, you can use it to remove the gunk from your washing machine.
Clean the Exterior
You can use the same natural spray to clean the exterior of your washing machine. Vinegar is inexpensive and pretty effective for removing detergent build-up and fingerprints.
Similarly, lemon juice can be equally effective as it can break down grime no matter how old it may be. If you have stubborn stains to deal with, you can use this spray to soak the stains.
Alternatively, you can soak a piece of rag and use it to rub the stains, such as soap scum. Don’t forget to clean the knobs as they may be the most commonly touched part of the machine.
Disinfect the Tub
Pour two cups of lemon juice or vinegar into the tub to disinfect it. For more power, you may pour one cup of bleach as it can be pretty practical for removing different types of residue.
After these steps, you can run the machine for a while until the completion of the wash cycle. The idea is to remove the stubborn build-up of detergent, ugly stains, and nasty odours.
Inspect the Lid or Door
The lid of your washing machine may also need to be washed. Since it’s also a visible part of the unit, it may build up tons of dust, mould, mildew and detergent over time.
Scrub the edge of the door or lid using the mixture you prepared. For stubborn stains, you may use a small scrub or old toothbrush. With this tool, you can access those hard-to-access areas.
You can apply a little more pressure to remove that nasty gunk. But make sure that you don’t use excessive force, or it may damage the lid seams.
Be Careful With the Door Seal
In the case of a front-loading machine, you should pull back on the top part of the door seal to see if there is any mould or mildew. If you can see mould and mildew, you may use your lemon and vinegar solution to remove it. If you can’t access these areas, you may use your old toothbrush.
Sanitize the Bleach and Fabric Softener Dispensers
After taking out the dispensers, you can scrub and wash them using homemade antibacterial dishwashing soap. Don’t put them back until you have let them dry out.
Clean the Inlet Hose Filter
One of the the ultimate guide on how to clean washing machine is to clean the inlet hose filter. As the name suggests, the inlet hose filter filters out the yucky debris and minerals from your tap water. In other words, it helps protect the wash cycle from pollution.
This filter may get clogged as time goes by due to these mineral deposits. As a result, the flow of water may be affected. Therefore, you must clean this part on a regular basis.
Inspect the Hose
Don’t forget to take a closer look at the washer hoses. Since these components are the lifeline of your washing machine, you can’t use the unit without them.
The hoses must be intact and in a good place. Ideally, it would help replace these hoses every couple of years. We know that prevention is better than cure, and this adage applies to your washing machine as well.
So, if the washer hoses are non-functional, you should spend a few bucks and get them replaced. It’s cheaper to replace these parts than replace the entire unit. Years of neglect may cause your machine to conk, requiring expensive repairs or total replacement.
Vacuum the Machine to Capture Hair and Other Debris
Humans and animals shed their hair continuously, and you may have hair on your clothes as well. If you have pets in your hair, you may have pet hair across your home.
The problem with pets is that they are furry animals and shed tons of hair. These hair strands might make their way into your washing machine as well.
Many of the hair strands may get left behind when you drain the water at the end of a wash cycle. So, it would be best if you got every single hair strand out of the unit before they started causing problems.
So, it would help if you dried the insides before you vacuum the machine to capture the hair strands trapped inside. Here, it’s better to use the brush attachment to remove all hair strands.
Before applying the cleaner, don’t forget to remove hair from the machine. After all, you don’t want the debris and hair to recirculate inside the unit.
So, if you have been looking for a comprehensive and ultimate guide on how to clean washing machine, you can try out this one. Hopefully, the methods explained in this guide may help you clean your washer at home.
If you need professional help cleaning your domestic appliances, we suggest that you get in touch with FastKlean. It’s one of the most popular cleaning companies in London.
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Recommended books for further reading:
- How To Clean Your House: Easy tips and tricks to keep your home clean and tidy up your life
- The Organically Clean Home: 150 Everyday Organic Cleaning Products You Can Make Yourself―The Natural, Chemical-Free Way
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever
- Clean My Space: The Secret to Cleaning Better, Faster, and Loving Your Home Every Day
- The Organised Mum Method: Transform your home in 30 minutes a day