Deep Cleaning Your Washing Machine Without Harsh Chemicals

Why Your Washing Machine Needs a Deep Clean

Your washing machine works hard, and over time it quietly collects the things it is meant to remove. Detergent residue, fabric conditioner, body oils, lint, hair grips, coins and limescale all settle in the drum, the door seal and the pipework. In hard water areas, especially across the South East and East Anglia, mineral scale builds up faster than you might expect.

The telltale signs are easy to spot once you know them. A musty smell that lingers on supposedly clean laundry, dark specks on pale washing, a slick film inside the drum, or grey-looking whites are all clues. If the detergent drawer feels slimy or you can see black spots tucked inside the rubber door seal, it is well past time for a proper clean.

The good news is that you do not need aggressive chemicals. White vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and citric acid will do the job brilliantly, cost very little, and are far kinder to your machine, your skin and your septic tank.

What You Will Need

• White vinegar (the cheap distilled kind, not malt vinegar)
• Bicarbonate of soda
• Citric acid powder, available in most supermarkets
• An old toothbrush and a small cleaning brush
• Two or three microfibre cloths
• An old towel, for the filter job
• Warm water and a bowl

A quick safety note: never mix vinegar with bleach or chlorine-based products, as the combination releases harmful fumes. Keep the two well apart.

Start With the Drawer and the Door Seal

These two spots cause most of the smells, because they stay damp and collect a film of product residue.

Remove the detergent drawer by pressing the release tab, usually at the front of the fabric conditioner compartment. Soak it in hot water with a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda, then scrub the corners with the toothbrush. Rinse and dry it. While it soaks, clean the empty housing behind it with a damp cloth and a little diluted vinegar, reaching into the top where the water jets fire.

Next, peel back the rubber door seal. This is where socks, hair and coins hide. Wipe all the way around the inside of the fold with a cloth dipped in a mix of one part white vinegar to one part warm water. For stubborn black spots, make a paste from bicarbonate of soda and a little water, work it in gently with the toothbrush, then wipe clean and dry thoroughly. Do not soak the rubber in neat vinegar, as it can dry out the material over time.

Clean the Drum and Flush the System

With the drawer and seal done, it is time to treat the drum. Put two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda directly into the empty drum. Pour around 100ml of white vinegar into the detergent drawer, and if you have hard water, add a tablespoon of citric acid to the drum as well.

Set the machine to its hottest cycle, ideally 60°C or above, on an empty load. A cotton cycle at 90°C is excellent if your machine offers it, though check the manual first if you have a delicate or eco-only model. The heat, the fizzing bicarbonate and the acid work together to lift residue and dissolve scale.

When the cycle finishes, run a second short rinse cycle to clear any loosened debris from the pipes. Then wipe the inside of the drum and the glass door with a clean cloth and leave the door open to air.

Do Not Forget the Filter and the Outside

Most front-loading machines have a drain filter behind a small kickplate at the bottom front. Lay down an old towel first, because water will come out. Twist the cap open slowly, pull out the filter, and remove the lint, coins and hair. Rinse it under the tap, then screw it back firmly.

Finish by wiping the whole exterior, including the control panel and the top, with a cloth dampened with diluted vinegar. Clean the underside of the door glass too, where detergent splashes gather, and give the detergent drawer housing one last dry wipe.

Keeping It Fresh Between Deep Cleans

A little routine goes a long way. Leave the door and the detergent drawer slightly ajar after every wash so air can circulate. Measure your detergent rather than guessing, and use slightly less if you live in a soft water area. Fabric conditioner is the biggest culprit for gunky build-up, so use it sparingly.

Use powder detergent occasionally instead of liquid, as it contains mild bleaching agents that help keep the drum clean. Empty pockets before loading, and never leave damp washing sitting in the drum overnight.

As a rough schedule, wipe the seal and check the drawer monthly, clean the filter every one to two months, and run a full hot deep clean every two to three months, or every month if you have a busy household, hard water or a pet. Ten minutes of effort now and then will keep every load smelling genuinely fresh.