The washing machine is one of the fundamental appliances in a home, to keep fabrics clean and sanitized at all times. But the washing machine, which washes and cleans your laundry, clothing and sheets, must also be cleaned . Yes, it is a statement that sounds paradoxical but it is the rule that underlies the perfect functioning of your appliance over the years. The washing machine must be kept clean periodically because with these precautions it will work better, consume less energy and last longer.
Obviously you will not have to disassemble the washing machine to clean it, but you simply have to identify which are the parts that need periodic cleaning.that is the door, whose internal glass should be cleaned every 2 or 3 washes, the drum, the filter, the gasket and the detergent cassette which would be satisfied with one cleaning per month. Here’s how to do it and which products to use. Why clean the washing machine
But exactly what do we need to clean the door, drum, filter, cassette and gasket from?
Its worst enemies are limescale, mold, residues of the detergents we use and bacteria. These elements cause double damage if not eliminated consistently and regularly: they ruin your washing machine by reducing its years of life and at the same time present you with an unsatisfactory result as your laundry would come out not very fragrant, without freshness and above all with a clean. that would leave something to be desired.
To do a simple, effective and inexpensive job, we advise you to choose natural products, the famous “grandmother’s remedies” which, although perhaps did not have a washing machine at the time, always managed to clean everything using what she had at home and obtaining amazing results. . Natural productsthey do not leave unpleasant odors in the washing machine or on the laundry, they do not damage our hands and prevent limescale, dirt, bacteria and molds from depositing on the parts of the machine, respecting its performance and duration over time. Natural ingredients to clean your washing machine
Natural products to clean , sanitize and disinfect your washing machine are few, effective and very low cost:
- sodium bicarbonate;
- Marseille soap;
- apple or white wine vinegar;
- essential oil of lavender or lemon;
- bleach if the smell doesn’t bother you.
By following the next tips and using these natural products you will get excellent results by cleaning your washing machine in an eco-friendly way and limiting the impact on the environment! How to clean the outside and the door of the washing machine
A washing machine must also be well cared for in its external appearance, it must also be cleaned outside, not only the parts that get dirty with use. To clean the external walls, that is the body , and the porthole you have three more than effective possibilities:
- use a spray detergent possibly with Marseille soap without chemical additives;
- prepare a solution of vinegar and water or water and bicarbonate;
- prepare a solution with 100 ml of white vinegar, 500 ml of water, 4 drops of lemon or lavender essential oil, 1 tablespoon of Marseille soap flakes and 1 tablespoon of baking soda; pour everything into a spray bottle.
By choosing the cleaning solution you prefer, proceed as follows: spray a sufficient quantity of it on the walls and on the door. Remove with a soft cloth until the complete elimination of the detergent used by rinsing the cloth several times. Excellent use of a toothbrush to carefully clean the door, reaching the most difficult corners. How to clean the washing machine drum
Cleaning the drum must be done once a month and to do this cleaning and disinfection operation you must obtain:
- apple or white wine vinegar;
- a spoonful of baking soda;
- two drops of lavender essential oil.
Proceed by pouring a glass of apple cider vinegar or white wine into the bowl after mixing it with the baking soda. Before starting the washing machine by making it do a vacuum wash at 60 °, pour a glass of vinegar (without baking soda) also into the basket adding the drops of essential oil. Start your washing machine and at the end of the cycle it will be scented, disinfected and free from bacteria.
Don’t forget another very useful drum tip: every three months, schedule an empty wash for cotton garments with the drawer open. After starting the washing machine, wait for the drawer to fill with water then pour a liter of white vinegar into the drawer. Restart the cycle and turn off the washing machine after about 5 minutes. Let the vinegar do its thing and after about 30 minutes restart the program and let it complete the wash. Also in this case you can add a few drops of essential oil to lavender, lemon or citrus fruits: this will give you a fragrant basket and the power of the earth vinegar at bay the formation of limestone, arch enemy of the washing machine. To keep a basket always fragrant and recommended, always using a sprayer, moisten the sides of the basket with a solution made up of water and lemon for half an hour before washing your laundry. How to clean the washer seal
It is extremely important and it is a delicate operation that must be done artfully. A dirty, unmaintained gasket risks having to be replaced before its natural wear time. Inside it accumulates dirt and is an excellent deposit for the stagnant water of the various washes which, if not removed, generates a bad smell and risks to release your perceptibly smelly laundry. No less important is the fact that molds and bacteria accumulate and proliferate in the seal, which over time ruin the machine and do not allow perfect sanitizing operation during washing.
Therefore equip yourself with:
- sodium bicarbonate;
- lemon;
- white wine or apple vinegar.
In a bowl, mix the three ingredients in such doses as to obtain a thick paste like toothpaste and with a finger spread the paste obtained on the rubber parts, taking care to spread it even in the grooves. If you notice stubborn dirt you can use a toothbrush. Let it act for a few minutes and then, with a wet and well wrung cloth, start removing the paste. Continue until the perfect and complete elimination of the compound. How to clean the washing machine filter
The washing machine filterwe forget often and willingly because it is often in an awkward position and difficult to disassemble. In reality the filter, due to its particular function, should be cleaned once a month. When you decide to proceed with cleaning the filter, get:
- a small basin to collect the water that inevitably comes out the moment you unscrew it;
- some cloths that you will place under the basin;
- a toothbrush;
- a bowl where you have mixed the baking soda and water until you reach a thick paste like toothpaste.
Unplug the socket and, after identifying the filter flap, place the basin near the flap, open it and start unscrewing the filter counterclockwise. Once the filter has been removed from its housing, rinse it well under running water and with a toothbrush on which you have put a little bicarbonate paste , very gently and always under running water, try to descale the residues of limescale and dirty. Then leave the filter to soak in water and vinegar for perfect cleaning. How to clean the detergent dispenser
The detergent dispenserrequires perfect cleaning because accumulations of powder or liquid detergent and limescale deposits will be difficult to remove if the tray is not cleaned at least once a month. For this operation you will need:
- apple cider vinegar or white wine;
- sodium bicarbonate.
Remove the tray and rinse it well under running hot water and with a soft cloth try to remove any detergent and fabric softener deposits. Then fill a basin with hot water in which you have dissolved two tablespoons of bicarbonate and added half a liter of vinegar. Leave the tray to soak for 30-40 minutes and when you remove it it will be spotless and sparkling. How to clean the washing machine from limescale
The enemy number one of the washing machine, invisible until we see it clinging to the walls of the tub or until it destroys the internal pipes, and the limescale. To avoid getting to the point of having a damaged car, which washes badly and must be replaced, remember to clean it from limescale .at least once a month, even more so if you live in areas where the water used is hard and with a high calcium carbonate rate. Arm yourself with:
- sodium bicarbonate;
- apple cider vinegar or white wine;
- anti-limescale magnet, absolutely natural and free of any chemical substance;
- bleach.
Put about half a glass of vinegar both in the detergent compartment and in the part where you usually put the softener. In the basket pour half a liter of vinegar to which add two tablespoons of baking soda. You can, if you want a powerful sanitizer, also add half a liter of bleach to the basket which will clean and sanitize thoroughlythe inner tubes of the washing machine. Start the cycle at 60 ° setting it on “cotton” and wait for the end of the wash. Your washing machine will no longer have a gram of limescale not only in the tub, in the basket or in the filter but also in the pipes that, we mere mortals, would never be able to clean except with the intervention of a technician who, with very likely, we would take our beloved washing machine to the laboratory for at least 6 or 7 days, leaving us in total panic.
