The other day a dear friend of mine called me in distress because her washing machine was leaving strange spots on her shirts! She asked if I had any idea why or what it could be. My first thought was, "Your washing machine must need washed." Sounds crazy right?! We all already dread the "L" word and the thought of having to wash out the washing machine after doing all the laundry sounds less than appealing! Luckily, you only need to do it every few months! If you use liquid fabric softener I would recommend doing it once every six weeks or so. Here are some easy tips to cleaning out your TOP LOAD washing machine.
First, run a cycle of hot water along with two cups of vinegar or lemon juice to loosen up the soap and grime. Remove the fabric softener receptacle and soak it in hot water and detergent. Clean the bleach dispenser with a spray cleaner, paper towels, and Q-tips. Don't forget to clean the top rim of the wash bucket which is up and under where it can't usually be seen easily. Run the washer empty on a hot cycle one more time.
While this is going on, check all your hoses for leaks. Over time, the water hoses that came with your washing machine may start to leak or even burst. It is good preventive maintenance to check these hoses from time to time for any sign of wear or weakness. Most manufacturers recommend replacing hoses every 5 years. Make sure your hoses are not a disaster waiting to happen!
Once you've soaked the fabric softener receptacle, replace it and polish up the outside of your washing machine with vinegar and a cloth towel. Your washing machine now looks better and will run better as well!
My dear friend, however owns a front load washer. I do not. So I did some research and found some ways to prevent the mildew smell and water build up in your FRONT LOAD washing machine.
•Always leave the door and dispenser unit slightly ajar after the laundry is done. Front-load washers and the detergent/softener dispenser drawer must dry out.
•Never leave a wet washload in the washer overnight; remove it when the washing cycle is complete and leave the door open.
•After a load is done, always rotate the drum with your hand to see and remove all items. Some could be sticking to top or sides of the washer drum.
•Use softener sheets in the dryer instead of liquid softeners in the washer.
•Liquid detergents may leave less residue than powdered formulas which may not dissolve properly.
•Use less than the recommended detergent level for your load. Too much detergent can cause a residue build up. Experiment until you find a minimum measurement that delivers a clean wash. This is also a money saver.
•Occasionally wash some loads such as whites, linen and towels in warm or hot water to help flush out wash residue.
•Always clean your washer as per your product manual. High efficiency front-load models have a cleaning cycle and it's imperative that you periodically run this cycle as directed.
•Check the gasket just inside the door opening and remove any visible debris. You can also wipe it to speed the drying process.
I hope this helps some of you out! Feel free to share your own tips to cleaning out your washing machine!! Happy Monday Ya'll!
They also make tablets for front load washers to help clean and kill mildew that builds up in the doors. You do it once a month. There great and I would highly recomened those with front loaders do it!!
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