How To Clean Washing Machine With Products You Have In Your Kitchen

Your washing machine is the appliance you depend on to help you when your clothing basics are soiled, stained, or smelly. You're used to trusting in this machine to refresh your clothing so that your favorite articles stay wearable for a long time. What do you do when your washing machine starts to get dirty? How do you clean the machine that does all the cleaning? 

Why Do You Need to Clean Your Washing Machine? 

Think of it this way. Imagine you've been mopping your house at the end of each day so that you have clean, sparkling floors. That's an excellent way to ensure you have a hygienic environment in your home. What if you used the same mop bucket each night without cleaning it out, too? You'd be contaminating your floors with bits of gunk and soil from the previous day's mop bucket. It would be just as crucial to wash your mop bucket after mopping each day.

Cleaning your washing machine follows the same logic. Though you don't have to wash your machine every time you wash a load of clothes, it's worth giving some attention. Your machine can accumulate months and years of grime, dirt, and bodily oils within its interior. If you leave your washing machine alone, these things may build up over time to produce an unsightly ring or a nasty smell. 

How to Clean Your Washing Machine in Five Steps 

Do you see the reason why cleaning this appliance is so necessary? When you clean your washing machine, you're giving all your favorite clothing articles the best chance at a proper clean. This practice is hygienic, and it will help maintain your machine in the long run. Let's look at the steps for achieving a thoroughly clean washing machine.

Step One: Baking Soda

Baking soda does wonders. People have used it as a mouthwash, a deodorant, an air freshener, and a kitchen cleaning agent. Did you know it can also help you refresh your washing machine? Here's how. First, you'll want to begin with an empty machine. Next, pour two cups of baking soda into the basin. The baking soda will interact with the interior of the machine and gently remove accumulated dirt. 

Step Two: Hot Water 

After you've poured your baking soda into the washer's interior, you'll want to fill the basin with hot water to the top. Hot water is excellent for sterilizing unclean surfaces. The hot water and baking soda will work together to help sanitize your washer while neutralizing unpleasant odors and stains. This natural method gives you an easy way to ensure your washer is as hygienic as possible. 

Step Three: The Vinegar Cycle 

You'll want to run one full hot water cycle with just baking soda. When that cycle has completed, reach for the vinegar. Starting with an empty basin again, add two cups of white vinegar to your washer's interior. The vinegar will help neutralize extreme odors and break down deposits that may be emitting from your machine. 

If you use essential oils, you can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to promote the disinfection process. After you've added the white vinegar and essential oils to your washer's interior, you'll want to revisit step two. Run the cycle on as hot of a setting as you can find. This double wash cycle will help ensure nasty stains and smells are eliminated from your machine's interior.

Step Four: Give the Outside Some Love 

You might not think to do this step, but it's helpful, too. Try cleaning your machine's exterior. You may not realize that your knobs may have accumulated soap buildup over time, leaving them looking and feeling grimy. To clean your washer's exterior, use a spray solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. This mixture will help neutralize any odors sticking to your washer's exterior and promote a disinfected surface. 

Step Five: Clean Dispensing Trays 

While you're at it, you might as well make sure every part of your washer is thoroughly spotless. Did you know your liquid dispensers need to be cleaned too? These compartments are prone to a buildup of soap residue and may even accumulate dangerous mold over time. To clean your dispensers, fill them with the white vinegar and water mixture and let them soak for thirty minutes. After, scrub these areas with an old toothbrush to ensure a thorough clean. 

Another Option for Extreme Dirt 

Perhaps your main problem with your washer's interior is that it has built up a dark ring over the years. After running your baking soda and vinegar cycle, you may want to try one more cycle to get the inside sparkling again. Try adding a quart of bleach to a washer full of hot water. Let it agitate for one minute, then stop the cycle and let it sit for one hour. At the end of this hour, you can let the machine run a complete hot cycle as usual. The result should be a sparkling clean interior!

How to Clean Other Dirty Household Items 

Once your washer is clean, you may feel inspired to clean other articles of clothing that need a good wash. Perhaps you have noticed it's time for your family's sheets to be changed and washed. Maybe you realize your laundry basket is piled high, and your daughter's dance tights need to go through the wash cycle. Here are a few tips for how to clean everyday garments thoroughly.

Sheets 

Accidents happen! Let's imagine your kids were using their bedsheets to create a blanket fort for their adventures. Kids love making forts out of miscellaneous blankets. Sometime in the process of building the fort, a tragic juice accident occurred, and dark grape juice began to bleed all over their sheets. Here's how you can clean your sheets in an instance like this one:

You may want to pre-treat the stain before throwing your kids' sheets inside the washer. After ensuring they've been pre-treated, wash the sheets in a cold setting, especially if your sheets are darker in color. After they've been washed, you can either dry your sheets by machine or opt for hanging them to dry to save energy.

What should you do if the stain doesn't come out? Permanently-set stains are disappointing. However, it's a good idea to replace your sheets periodically, especially as your children grow. Consider replacing your soiled sheets with high-quality microfiber sheets. At Mallary by Matthew, we focus on designing your household basics to be durable and sustainable. Our sheets are resistant to stains and will last through a multitude of wash cycles without wearing down.

Tights 

If your child is enrolled in dance or figure skating, you'll know clean tights are essential. Perhaps you've noticed that your daughter has a pile of unwashed tights in her bedroom that desperately need attention. How should you wash tights to ensure they don't tear? You have two main options: machine-wash them, or clean them by hand.

• Machine-washing tights: To safely wash pairs of tights in a machine, you'll want to make sure to place them in a mesh bag before submerging them in the wash. Next, add mild detergent and select the 'delicates' setting on your washer so that your tights are gently tumbled in the washer. After they've washed, keep the tights in the mesh bag to prevent any potential tears and twists. 

• Hand-washing tights: You can easily hand-wash your tights if that's your preferred method! To ensure a deep clean, add a mild detergent to your tights and gently agitate the soap with your hands under lukewarm water. If these tights also need to be deodorized, consider letting them soak in a bowl with a few tablespoons of baking soda. Leave them to soak for thirty minutes, then remove them and gently ring them out. Try to hang dry your tights for the best results.

When you find that your girl's tights need to be retired, you can replace them with quality tights from Mallary by Matthew. Our tights are made of 90% nylon and 10% spandex to give them a stretchy feel and reliable durability. Each color combination comes in a pack of three pairs so that your daughter can have enough pairs to last through multiple dance classes. 

To Sum it Up 

When your washer needs attention, there's no need to spend unnecessary money on a professional cleaner. You have everything you need to achieve a clean washing machine in your pantry. Maintaining your washer might feel like a weekend chore, but in the end, it's a fantastic way to take care of your family. 

 

Sources:

How to Clean Your Washing Machine & Dryer: Spring Cleaning! | Clean My Space

Laundry 101: How to Clean a Washing Machine | HGTV

How to wash sheets: How often should you wash your sheets? | Today