Cleaning a washing machine

Adscoventry

I have been told by a washing machine engineer that calgon is a waste of money that you can use kettle descaler (liquid sachets) and bicarb of soda as a cleaner and descaler and it will do exactly the same the job for not alot of money......You put the descaler (liquid sachet) into a dowsing ball and place in the drum of the machine and put a couple of table spoons of bicarb in each draw section put on a 60 or 90 degree wash and it will clean it brilliantly gets rid of any whiffs aswell

oldtractor

my washing machine really stinks. I've tried allsorts,and ideas which really work well anyone?

sb44

oldtractor wrote: »

my washing machine really stinks. I've tried allsorts,and ideas which really work well anyone?

Mine was stinking and I did the vinegar wash at 90 degrees which took an hour and a half and it cleared it.

I never remember to clean out the trap at the bottom of the machine as I never knew there was one!

Look at the bottom of the front of our machine and there will probably be a little square shape, you may just think it is part of the front body of the machine.

There should be a tiny part that you can get your nail into and pull the flap down.

Inside that will be a plastic tube with a tab on the end, pull the tab out and you will find a bit of foul smelling water will come out of it, not a lot, only about an egg cup full.

Best to put some newspaper under the bottom edge of the machine before you do this.

Also, by the side of that pipe there should be a circular knob that you undo to get to either large bits of lint or things that may have come out of your pockets in the wash!

Careful when you unscrew this as you will also get a bit of water coming out of that too and it truly stinks.

jacksiex

:A

MimiJane wrote: »

I'm sure I've read on this board that vinegar can be used as a descaler for washing machines by running it through one cycle (a bit less expensive than Calgon ::)).

Can someone help me with a couple of queries about this :

Is it white or brown vinegar that should be used?
How much is it necessary to put in the machine?

Thanks.

Try putting your vinegar on your fish and chips ?
Washing machines smell like rotten eggs or mouldy towels because of the way people have changed to using low temperature wash cycles and use poor quality detergents? We need hot water washes above 60 degrees to break up bacteria that multiplies and manifests itself between the drum and tubs of our washing machines? turning our machines into a bacterial heavens for germs sludge scum lint and mould My advice is simple do a whites wash with bleach over 60 degrees once a week for the next month (Then see if your machine still smells rotten) Its bacteria that makes our machines smell (not lime scale?) and don't tell me about Calgon most good quality detergents have water softeners already in them? so why pay for more!
Have you cleaned the soap dispenser draw and compartment cleared the filter if fitted and scrubbed the door seal especially around the tub and drum area ? :A:rotfl:All the bes.t South West Washing Machines Repaired.

jacksiex

zudecke wrote: »

Hi guys,

Living in London, I would expect to be exposed to probably the hardest water in the UK!

It certainly seems to be the case as my washing machine is starting to smell rather stale and moldy, with clothes smelling of damp mold rather than the washing liquid I'm using!

Aside from cleaning the lint filter and detergent tray, what do you guys recommend I do to sort out the stale smells?

Cheers,
Z

Hot washes with bleach (whites only) once a week kills bacteria that causes smells and bad odours are you confusing lime scale with soap powder deposits scum & sludge left behind after low temperature wash cycles because lime scale has no smell but mould does? Get realistic granny never had these problems boiling away did she? Check soap draw and compartment plus filter and door gasket then get hot washing????:A I should know Im a washing machine engineer:T

sharkeybabe

Hello,

Was wondering if anyone knew what I could use (as cheaply as possible) to clean my washing machine? its got a wee bit of a a smell that I noticed this morning and want to get rid of it before washing anymore things

Thanks in advance

Sharkeybabe

building_with_lego

Soda crystals on the hottest wash with vinegar in the softener drawer. (Come back to this post after a few hours and you'll find it merged with an enormous thread about everyone else's smelly washing machines )

sharkeybabe

Thanks Lego - apologies, didnt think so look :-S x

Pink.

building_with_lego wrote: »

Soda crystals on the hottest wash with vinegar in the softener drawer. (Come back to this post after a few hours and you'll find it merged with an enormous thread about everyone else's smelly washing machines )

Not true building. Threads are usually merged after 24 hours or if they drop down the board. The reason for merging is to keep the suggestions/advice in one place for the next person looking for an answer to the same question.

In the meantime sharkeybabe the advice on these threads may help you:

Cleaning a washing machine

Ewww my washing machine STINKS

Pink

building_with_lego

I didn't know there was a timeframe, although I do understand why they get merged. (I think one of my posts on the very subject is in one of those megathreads!)

There you go, sharkey- you got all the info you needed within 20 minutes of your OP. An amazing place, MSE

Oh, and if you remember do the hot wash every month or so- it helps keep the gunge out of the pipes. (I reckon I remember every 3 months or so!)