If you don't regularly clean your washing machine, you really should. Your washing machine does a fabulous job of keeping your clothes clean. Luckily this guide on how to clean a washing machine covers three simple steps, from giving the drum a good clean to ridding the detergent drawer of mildew.
Here are three things that it’s worth doing regularly, to keep your washing machine in top condition.
GIVE YOUR MACHINE A MAINTENANCE WASH
A regular maintenance wash is the best way of making sure you continue getting the best results from your cycle. It’s basically a deep-clean cycle for your machine where you add a specialist machine cleaning solution.
A maintenance wash gets rid of any bacteria, gunk and mould that might have built up inside the washing machine. Plus, it clears out any old water that might be left in the drum.
To run a maintenance wash, follow these simple steps:
Make sure your washing machine’s empty
Add a washing machine cleaning solution. Refer to the instruction leaflet for the amount you need to use!
Choose the ‘cotton’ cycle on your machine
Press the temperature control until it goes to your hottest setting
Start the cycle
When the cycle ends, open the door, pull back the seal and wipe away any debris or water
Leave the door open until everything inside dries out
This will stop any gunk or spots of mould building up inside your door seal, and it will stop a nasty smell developing. Most importantly however, it helps increase the life of your washing machine.
Top tip: If you’ve run out of washing machine cleaning solution, you can make your own. Use two cups of white vinegar, half a cup of water, and a quarter cup of bicarbonate of soda. Mix well before you use it.
CLEAN YOUR DETERGENT DRAWER
It’s always worth cleaning the detergent drawer after every monthly maintenance clean, this unblocks old detergent deposits building up and affecting your machines performance.
To do a proper clean, you’ll need to completely take out the drawer. It should be pretty to do this. Simply pull the drawer out as far as it can go, then look for a catch to press down that lets you remove it from the machine. In most models it’s right in the middle - if you can’t see it, check out your manufacturer’s instructions.
Now wash your drawer in a sink full of warm soapy water. Take out any compartments that are easily removeable, and give everything a good clean. Then rinse, dry and reassemble. Slot it back into your machine - but before you do this, give the drawer slot a good clean too.
CLEAN YOUR WASHING MACHINE FILTER
Here’s the final washing machine maintenance tip - clean your filter every 4-6 weeks. You should find this right at the bottom of your machine, and you might need to remove a small cover to get access to it.
It’s important to note; some of the water will leak out when you remove your filter, so please put some towels down to protect your flooring. Unscrew the filter and let the water flow out. Then clean the filter by running it under warm water. Screw it back on tightly, replace the cover, and you’re all done!
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN MY MACHINE?
It’s recommended you do it once a month. If you’re starting to get little black spots building up inside your door seal, or you can see gunk when you gently pull the door seal back, it’s definitely time for a maintenance wash.
Remember, a little care and attention now and again, and you’ll get years and years of great service in return.
Magical Maids
*Always check with your manufacturers guidelines before attempting to dismantle parts of your machine.