Cleaning washing machine inlet pipes?

Apodemus

There are many threads and posts on cleaning washing machines. Mine is kept clean by regular hot washes and vinegar.

My problem, though, is that despite cleaning the accessible parts of the drawer, the inlet flow to the softener has reduced to the point that the softener doesn't load properly. I'm pretty sure it is simply that after a while (it is 17 years old) the build-up of algae etc in the inlet pipes means that the flow rate is reduced and that when it gets to the drawer, it faces an easier route through the powder inlets than the much smaller softener inlet.

So I reckon I need a means of introducing a cleaning agent into the run of pipes from hose connection to drawer. The bit that is not exposed to the hot wash and vinegar routine cleaning regime. Any suggestions of an easy way to do this? Or do I need to get the lid off and dismantle the in-feed?

Browntoa

Always do mine with an old/cheap toothbrush , any build up is normally where the water enters from above the draw

Never had a problem with the pipes blocked

Apodemus

Thanks. I've tried that. I've watched the water flow with the drawer removed on the rinse cycle and nearly all the water comes in through the two detergent inlets - which are both quite big in comparison to the one above the softener compartment.

I'm in a very soft water area, so it's not lime-scale.

I'm wondering about rigging a temporary connection to the hot tap and feeding some hot water through for a couple of rinses, to see if that helps. Or simply enlarging the holes above the softener compartment.

EssexExile

Different machines have different ways of getting the inlet water to the right place. Unplug it, take the lid off & see if it's obvious where the water should go. Remove & clean any pipes, blow down bits that won't come off (don't suck).