STOP! If You Haven’t Cleaned These Appliances, Do It Now!
You use them almost every day, or at least weekly. They keep your clothes and dishes clean, but they need to be cleaned as well. By taking time to clean washing machines and clean dishwashers, you will keep these costly appliances working at their peak. Create the most efficient appliances that will last, read our cleaning guide to keep up with your appliances.
Clean Washing Machines – A Step By Step Guide
Whether its a bad smell, poor performance or actually dirty, cleaning your washing machine is a must. You’ll need some simple home cleaning products. Make sure to check out our guide for home cleaning hacks & tips. There are certain products you’ll always want to keep on hand.
As always, we gathered tips and insights from others around the world who have found what works for them. Please check your appliance’s guides and warranties before any DIY work. There can sometimes be gauges or small parts that cannot withstand vinegar or circumstances that require special attention, care or cleaning. Please check with your specific appliance or call the manufacturer with questions
Time needed: 2 hours
How To: Clean Washing Machine for Laundry, Clothes (source: Today.com) Top & Front Loader
Supplies: Toothbrush, White Vinegar, Baking Soda, Microfiber or Cloth
- Front Loader: Clean Gaskets
If you have a front loader, make sure to clean the gasket to remove hair, mold, mildew and other funk. This YouTube video shows exactly what to do!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXbCoXPbutU - Clean Laundry Drum
Front Loader: Fill your detergent dispenser with White Vinegar (2 c. approx) and set your fill to maximum & hottest water possible. This is often showing the most load or a manual setting depending on your machine. Run through a complete cycle.
Top Loader: Set cycle to highest water volume and hottest temperature. Add 4c. White vinegar to drum. Pause the cycle after it starts and allow the solution to sit for an hour. While things are working, use your cleaning toothbrush or other small brush to clean the compartments for detergent, fabric softener and bleach. These often gather dust and other grime so keep them clean! Let the cycle finish after an hour. - Rinse
Top or Front Loader: Set another cycle for still the most water and hottest temperature to rinse your laundry machine drum. This time, add 1/2 cup baking soda directly to the drum.
- Wipe
Top or Front Loader: After the baking soda cycle is complete, wipe things down with a microfiber cloth or lightly damp towel followed by a dry towel. Take time to wipe the outside too!
Clean Your Dryer and Clean Your Dryer Vents
Preventing fires is a top concern for keeping your laundry dryer clean and in top shape. This quick guide from HGTV shows exactly how to clean your dryer. Keep those dryer vents and lint traps clean and free of lint to prevent fires and also to make your dryer more efficient. Do you use dryer sheets and fabric softener? Your machine may be even more prone to having lint or build up in the dryer vent.
- Remove lint trap with each use and remove lint build up. Once a month, remove the trap and wipe down or rinse to get small build up.
- Wipe down the drum with a microfiber cloth to grab additional build up
- Take a small brush, or attach a rotary brush to a drill, to get down in the vent trap and remove additional lint and debris
- Check your vent exhaust pipe too! This pipe goes outside so checking for openings that may allow critters in will go a long way. I personally know about this as a few four-legged creatures used this opening to make a home in our house. Thankfully, we noticed this on our monthly cleaning and solved the problem quickly!
- Review the HGTV step-by-step walk through to clean and check the vent pipe and other areas for keeping your dryer clean and how to clean your dryer vents.
How to: Clean Your Dishwasher
You wash your dishes in here, but sometimes it needs a wash and good cleaning itself. This simple how-to keep your dishwashing machine clean guide from today.com will keep smells at bay, and should help improve the cleanliness of your dishes coming out.
How often to clean your dishwasher? Once a month according to Bob Villa
What you’ll need: White cleaning vinegar and baking soda
- Clear out bottom drain:
- Complete a vinegar rinse: completely empty your dishwasher of all dishes. Add a bowl of white vinegar to the top rack. Run a hot water cycle through and ta-da! Your first step is done
- Baking soda finale: Take a full cup of baking soda and add to the bottom of your dishwasher. Run a short, hot water cycle to finish your dishwasher cleaning
Keep Your Appliances Clean, Efficient & Long Lasting: Clean Washing Machines
There is so much to do in order to keep your house up, but taking some time to clean washing machines and other appliances will go a long way. Not only can you save money by improving the efficiency of your appliances, but you will improve the length of their life too. When your appliances are working hard for you, you’ll sleep much easier, and with cleaner dishes and clothes. We hope you learned a bit about why and how to clean washing machines and your other appliances.