How to clean your washing machine: Tips to keep your laundry fresh
Clean every 30 days or 30 cycles
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It may not be intuitive to clean the cleaning appliances, but it’s a good idea to wash your washing machine (and your shower for that matter).
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Once every month or so is a good timeline to stick to or when it “has an odour or your clothes are not coming out fresh,” according to Mareike Greve, senior marketing manager at Whirlpool Corporation.
The reason your clothes can still smell less than fresh after laundering is that the machine can develop bacteria and pass them onto your clothes. The bacteria buildup can live behind the gasket of a front-loading machine, in the drum, or around the lid, door, and dispensers.
Greve provided step-by-step instructions on how to keep your washing machine sparkling clean. All you need is a washingmachine cleaner and a microfibre cloth — the washing machine does most of the heavy lifting.
How to clean a washing machine
Step 1 — Prep the washer and add Affresh tablet (or your favourite washing machine tablet, I’ve had success with Affresh): Make sure your washer is empty and add one Affresh tablet directly into the drum (not the dispenser).
Step 2 — Start the washer: Select the “clean washer” cycle if your machine has that option or select the “normal” or “heavy” cycle and select a hot water temperature. You may want to check out your machine’s user guide to see what the best cleaning cycle option is. Start the washing machine.
Step 3 — Wipe away residue: When the cycle is finished, remove any residue with a clean microfiber cloth. Some residue is normal.
Step 4 — Repeat if needed: If it’s been more than six months since your machine has been cleaned or if there is excessive residue buildup or odour, repeat the cleaning process. In extreme cases, you may want to triple up. Wash your machine every 30 days or 30 cycles.
How to maintain a clean washing machine
- Use the right amount of laundry detergent (there are many formulations and concentrations out there) and follow the instructions closely. Excess detergent can cause a buildup in your machine.
- When you’re not using the washing machine, keep the lid or the door open. This increases ventilation and allows the drum to fully dry, reducing the chances of getting that odour-causing mould or mildew.
- If you’re using front-loading machines, wipe the rubber gasket after every use (microfiber cloths can come in handy here, too).
- If you use the detergent dispensers, clean them weekly.
- Add “clean washing machine” reminders to your calendar so you stay ahead of the grime.
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