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How to Clean a Washing Machine (Ingredients & Process)

Are you struggling to get the best out of your washing machine? If you notice that your freshly washed clothes tend to have an unusual smell or small excess fabric all over it, then it’s a sure sign that your washing machine requires a clean.

 It is quite essential to clean your washing machine regularly because when the machine is dirty, it can definitely cause more harm than good for your clothes. Dirt, detergent, mould, and hard-water deposits build-up inside the washing machine, which in the long-run can give your clothes a mouldy odour and affects the performance of your washing machine.

Ingredients to use:

There are many ingredients or combinations of ingredients that can help you clean your machine effectively. 

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Using vinegar and baking soda is the most traditional way as both are easily available in our homes. Just add 1-2 spoons of water and 3 spoons of baking soda to form a thick paste and then add this to the detergent drawer. Then add around 250ml of vinegar to your drum and run your washing machine at a 60-degree cycle. After this, run another long, hot water cycle to get rid of any excess vinegar. The two ingredients work wonders in breaking any kind of dirt or residue.  

Soda Crystals

Soda crystals have always been favorite cleaning additive because of their ability to dissolve grease, shift stains, and mould smells. You just need to simply add 500g of pure soda crystals to the drum and then run your washing machine on the hottest and longest cycle. This will rinse off any stains and smells, leaving a clean and fresh machine.

Bleach

If you think your washing machine needs a deep, intensive clean, then bleach should be your option. It will kill off any lingering bacteria and make your machine feel more sanitized and free of any harmful chemicals. Just add around 50-80ml of bleach in your detergent drawer and run your machine on a hot cycle. You can use an extra rinse cycle to make sure all the extra bleach is flushed out of your machine.

If you own a fully automatic washing machine, let us inform you that cleaning the best front load washing machine in India is easier than cleaning the best top load washing machine in India.

Cleaning different part of the washing machine

Sometimes when the stains and odour are too much, you need to pay extra attention to the detergent drawer, filter, drum, and seal to provide that extra cleaning. We’ll cover for you how you can clean each part of your washing machine.

Drawer

The most effective way to clean the drawer is to remove the entire drawer (check the whole instruction before doing it) and soak it into a bowl of hot soapy water. After that, wipe it clean by using a damp cloth. If you find any dried-on detergent residue or mould, which is hard to remove, spray a cleaner and scrub it with an old toothbrush.

Filter

To keep the filter clean, you should check and empty the filter at least once every three months. Be careful while removing the filter as the process of removing it will vary with different manufacturers.

Drum

Cleaning the drum is reasonably straightforward. You just have to wipe any visible marks with a cloth simply. If you smell an unpleasant aroma inside the drum, but you can’t see any mould or dirt, then this is likely caused by bacterial growth. You can use one of the ways mentioned above to remove this smell.

Seal

To clean the seal, take a damp sponge along with some household cleaning spray and then wipe all around the rim with the sponge, being careful to get inside any grooves or folds. You can also use a sanitizing spray if the seal is too clogged.

Keeping your machine clean & healthy

Once you’ve done the cleaning of your washing machine, there are several ways in which you can keep your machine healthy and clean and keep it working as efficiently as possible:

  • Don’t use too many products
  • Run a hot cycle once a week
  • Dry and air your machine between the washes
  • Descale your machine regularly
  • Don’t keep the laundry sit in the drum for too long

Conclusion

So it is essential to keep that mould and odour in check by giving your machine a clean-up from time to time and using guided measures to maintain the machine’s performance up to the mark. And if you are the one who is too lazy to do this, you should also check out Best semi-automatic washing machines in India as they include self-cleaning features in them and avoids you from this hassle.

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