Are you tired of your smelly washing machine?
Do you constantly have to air out your laundry room because of the smell?
If so, don’t worry – you’re not alone!
Nobody wants a smelly washing machine. Not only is it unpleasant to smell, but it can also cause your clothes to start to smell bad too.
It’s inevitable that your washing machine will start to smell over time.
Luckily, there are a few simple steps that you can take to clean your washing machine and get rid of the smell.
This is true if you use the machine very often or even if you use it occasionally. But the good news is that it’s easy to clean a smelly washing machine and get it smelling fresh again.
Does your laundry smell bad after washing it? Check how to make your laundry smell good naturally to find tips and hacks to get rid of bad smells.
Why Does Your Washing Machine Smell So Bad?
There are a few reasons why your washing machine might smell bad.
One possibility is that the machine isn’t draining properly, and water is stagnating and creating a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Another possibility is that you’re using too much detergent, which can create a strong, unpleasant odor. If your machine is in a humid environment, it might also start to smell musty.
Over time, soap scum, dirt, body oil, and hair get trapped inside the washer’s seals, gaskets, and dispensers and create a very foul smell.
These were just a few main reasons but there could be other reasons too, but don’t worry, cleaning it is so easy that you won’t even have to ponder why it smells bad.
5 Simple Steps to Clean a Smelly Washing Machine Inside Out!
In order to keep your washing machine running smoothly and clean, it’s important to clean it regularly both on the inside and outside.
And if you want to clean your washing machine, you don’t have to spend a lot of time or money. In fact, you can clean it from the inside out in just a few minutes using these natural home remedies.
Prepare the Solution
Just pour ¼ cup of Baking Soda into your machine filled with water and run a cycle. It will deeply cleanse your machine.
The regular baking soda that you use in the kitchen will work.
I bet you didn’t know it was a cleaning superstar in the bathroom too!
Enjoy cleaning with baking soda? Have a look at 25 baking soda cleaning hacks.
Add Vinegar and Run a Regular Cycle
Vinegar works as a natural deodorant. It cleans the pores of the drum.
Run a regular cycle with water filled with 470 ml or 2 cups of 250ml of vinegar directly.
The standard white vinegar that you use in the kitchen will work just fine.
Want more vinegar-cleaning tips? Check 15 vinegar-cleaning hacks.
Clean Out Dust Collector
The dust collector in Top-Load washing machines plays a major role while killing the bad smell of a washing machine. It is always recommended to clean it after every use.
Take out the dust collector hanging by the side of the interior of the washing machine.
Clean it thoroughly and put it back in its place.
Now it’s ready to tackle the army of clothes again!
Wipe the Inside of the Drum
This is one of the most common steps yet many people forget to go through the process of wiping the inside of the drum with a dry cloth or sponge.
When you leave water on the uppermost layer, it creates chances of attracting floating dust particles and eventually creates a greasy layer.
While this doesn’t sound much, over time, this layer gets in contact with piles of clothes and gets multiplied as a bad odor.
So, it will hardly take 2 minutes if you can grab a microfibre cloth and wipe it into every corner inside the drum area of your washing machine.
Remove Plug & Wipe the Exterior
Wipe it like a pro but don’t forget to remove the plug before.
You can also use the surface cleaner that you have at home. The exterior will shine like a beauty.
Make sure you dry everything at the end. Also, clean the lid and detergent area. Use a sponge to reach narrow spaces in between.
3 Hacks to Keep your Washing Machine Fresh for Long!
It’s no secret that keeping your washing machine clean is key to ensuring your clothes come out clean – but what about when your machine seems to be getting a little too dirty, too fast?
Here are three hacks to help keep your washing machine running smoothly and looking fresh for longer!
Use High-Efficiency Detergents
Cheap detergent powders consist of solid rocks and chemical clots which usually get stuck to the edges and even destroy the quality of the fabric.
So, you should always invest in a good and high-efficiency detergent or liquid detergent to keep things simple and easy to manage.
Avoid using too much detergent
How much is too much? Well, nobody knows the answer but it is seen that many women, especially working ones are not aware of the quantity of detergent that you need with respect to the clothes that you are washing.
Sometimes, the right formula is written on the packet itself, and other times, you can always start with less and add more detergent if you find it less.
And it’s all in the experience. So, do not judge the quantity needed by the level of foam it makes.
Open the door between washes
There is a long debate about either one should keep the door open or close when the machine is not in the use.
And the answer is really simple, keep it open until all the moisture gets out of the drum after the wash. In most cases, people wash their clothes and run away from the machine.
You cannot ignore the fact that your machine needs fresh air to get the humidity out. And if you have a habit of storing dirty clothes directly in the machine (which is not recommended), then it’s better to keep it closed.
Other cleaning tips you might want to use:
- how to clean your house from top to bottom
- 7 Dishwasher cleaning hacks
- how to clean a smelly mattress
- how to clean fridge without chemicals
- how to clean an oven without baking soda
- how to clean inside of the microwave
Final Thoughts
The washing machine is one of the most important appliances in any home. It is responsible for keeping clothes clean and fresh, so it’s important to make sure it’s always in good condition. One way to keep your washing machine in good condition is to clean it regularly.
Follow the easy steps described in this article to wash your dirty washing machine and even keep it clean for longer.
Now your washing machine will stay hygienic and your clean clothes will boost your confidence every day!