Washing machines are a vital part of the infrastructure of any modern home, and as such, it pays to keep them in good condition by cleaning them regularly. While you might assume that because the washer works to get our clothes clean, it would also be clean, this invariably isn’t the case.
Front load washers can easily become affected by mold and bacteria, and this is usually caused by a build-up of detergent. Because these washers use less water than their top-loading counterparts, any detergent left at the end of a cycle isn’t able to wash away, and it lingers to coat the drum and serve as a trap for dirt and dead skin cells from the items being washed. Add heat and a permanently moist rubber gasket to the equation, and you’ve got the ideal environment for bacteria and mildew.
Fortunately, mold and bacteria are just as easy to eliminate as they are quick to build up, and here’s how to do it:
Eliminating odors from your front-load washer
By making a solution of baking soda (a quarter cup) and water (a quarter cup), adding it to the detergent drawer, then pouring 2 cups of white vinegar into the machine’s drum and running a hot wash cycle, you can effectively get rid of leftover scum and residue, and blast away any bacteria that might have been causing a stink.
It’s important to do this step at least once every couple of months, to not only keep your washer in great condition, but make your clothes come out smelling clean and fresh, too.
It can also be helpful to keep the drum of your washer as dry as possible when not in use, to prevent mold and bacteria from remaining there. Leave the door ajar after every wash, along with the detergent drawer, and you should notice that the rubber door seal becomes easier to keep clean. You should also take the time to clean the drain trap filter and getting rid of any lint that might have built up there.
One other thing that many front-load washer owners are guilty of, is throwing dirty items into the machine ready to be washed, but not washing them right away, and in some instances, not even washing them that day. If the items are particularly soiled and grubby, they will quickly begin to make the interior of the machine smell, and bacteria may even spread to the drum. Place items to be washed into a hamper, and don’t cut corners by throwing them directly into the machine!
For fresher, cleaner, brighter clothes, take care of your front-load washer using the steps outlined above. Don’t forget that you can also add cleaning the washer to the list of tasks for your cleaning service to carry out.
