How to Clean your Washing Machine + Other Laundry Hacks

How to Clean your Washing Machine + Other Laundry Hacks

In a family household, your washing machine will be working hard. Many families need to do laundry every single day and it can take its toll on the washing machine and the person who’s dealing with the constant piles of washing!

To keep your washing machine in tip top condition, you need to look after it and it’s not very complicated so definitely worth the small effort.

It’s best to keep on top of it and clean your washing machine once per month. Why not decide to do it on the 1^st of every month to help you remember?

Cleaning your washing machine is quite quick and easy – especially if you do it regularly. There are special products available that you can use but after trying some, I prefer a more natural approach that does the job just as good for less cost and without lots of strong chemicals.

I tried the Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner and it did a good job cleaning the machine but we couldn’t use our kitchen for several days afterwards as the chemical smell was so strong and offensive and I didn’t want the kids breathing it in. So, back to good old white vinegar I went.

To clean our washing machine, I run the 90-degree Drum Clean cycle with about half a bottle of white vinegar (around 250ml) that I pour into the detergent drawer. I also wipe down the door and the seal carefully with a cloth with a little bit of cleaning spray on it.

I used to have to clean the detergent drawer but now I put the detergent straight in the drum which means a lot less mess so now I rarely take it out. If you do use the detergent drawer, you’ll most likely need to take it out and give it a good clean every month too. This is easily done in the sink. Then dry it, put it back in and run your maintenance cycle.

One more thing that you need to clean regularly is the washing machine filter and for this you need to read the manual for your washing machine. Have a tray and some towels handy to keep your floor dry!

If your washing machine is not working properly then expert appliance restoration might be needed in order to get it back up and running as it should again.

Bonus: My Favourite Laundry Hacks

• Vinegar is also a brilliant fabric softener that will make towels and clothes soft without fabric softener / fabric conditioner.
• Vinegar is also great for anything that’s smelling a bit fusty – like towels that have been left damp for too long.
• Many fabric shoes can be washed in the washing machine. Use a mesh bag and choose a cool, delicate setting to protect the shoes.
• Large mesh bags are great in general to protect delicate items and also your washing machine. I use them when washing the kids’ school bags and other items too.
• For anything particularly dirty, do a short quick cycle with a bit of detergent before adding other washing and the full dose of detergent for the main wash to ensure a good clean.
• Always leave the door to the washing machine ajar after a wash to let the washing machine dry fully otherwise you’ll soon experience bad odours even if your washing machine is clean.

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