Cleaning a washing machine

tandraig

yes - its best way of cleaning it! may have to do it a few times and in the first wash just empty a cupful of vinegar in drum too.

bryanb

Also run it on the highest temp

greenbee

It's probably a good idea to clean out the filter and around the seals too (with a cloth soaked in vinegar). After cleaning the filter, make sure you run a pump/drain programme, and then I'd run an empty hot wash with either soda crystals or detergent to degrease/degunge before putting anything that matters in it...

Heffi1

A tip I found and which works really well if you think it is a bit stale is to use one cup of bleach and one cup of ordinary salt and wash on highest temperature, once cycle is complete the machine is like new I do this every 6 months or so - I take out the drawer and give a good clean to get rid of soap scum and residue - I have never had any problems with bleach being left in the machine to spoil the next load but if you are worried wash through another cycle empty.

Hope that helps.

Edit: forgot to say put bleach and salt together into drum and set machine away :-)

stef240377

Sorry but i cheat and buy DR Beckmans rescue for washing machines. Costs £3 ish and job done no messing about.

greenbee

Following on from heffi's post... I put the drawer in the top rack of the DW every couple of months - but find that if I'm using vinegar instead of conditioner and the detergent in the drum, it doesn't get that grubby anyway).

Heffi1

greenbee wrote: »

Following on from heffi's post... I put the drawer in the top rack of the DW every couple of months - but find that if I'm using vinegar instead of conditioner and the detergent in the drum, it doesn't get that grubby anyway).

I have also started to put the washing powder directly into the drum before setting machine away and this leaves the drawer clean for a lot longer, but the fabric conditioner does still clog things up a bit after a while.

purpleivy

Heffi1 wrote: »

I have also started to put the washing powder directly into the drum before setting machine away and this leaves the drawer clean for a lot longer, but the fabric conditioner does still clog things up a bit after a while.

I dilute my conditioner and it doesn't seem to stick to the drawer as much.

tandraig

stef240377 wrote: »

Sorry but i cheat and buy DR Beckmans rescue for washing machines. Costs £3 ish and job done no messing about.

thats fine hun - I am sure it does a good job! but, how much does a cup of white vinegar cost? or a cup of bleach and a cup of salt?

btw - I use the white vinegar my greengrocer sells (round about this time of year) in gallon jugs - for a very reasonable amount .....not sure how much though .... as the one i bought a couple of years ago still has a couple of cupfulls left!

cyclingyorkie

one hot wash with soda crystals in

one hot wash with white vinegar in

i used to use the stuff Lakeland sell....but not anymore!