How to clean the washing machine from dirt inside the machine?

If you want the washing machine to serve for a long time, it is sometimes necessary to carry out its prevention. Over time, scale and dirt begin to accumulate inside the appliance. Therefore, the very first question to ask is: how to clean the washing machine from dirt inside the machine. Today, there are many options - from expensive to budget, effective and not very. Here are the most popular and proven methods.

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We clean the machine

In order to avoid problems with the operation of the device, manufacturers always indicate recommendations for care in the instructions. Therefore, before you clean the washing machine at home and use any means, read the instructions for your model. It happens that one tool is suitable for almost any washing machine, but for some models it may be incompatible.

There are a lot of reasons for pollution, but there are only three main ones:

• hard water;
• the use of unsuitable or highly aggressive laundry products;
• continuous operation of the machine in fast modes.

Important! Do not forget that when using this technique it is important to follow certain rules. They relate to individual things. Use our notes to alwayswash clothes correctly.

Cleaning a washing machine at home is not difficult even for a lay person. To do this, you should take several steps.

Steps:

1. We clean the housing of the washing machine. This is a simple procedure. Just lightly dampen a cloth and wipe the appliance. If stains or heavy contamination are found somewhere, you can use a dishwashing detergent solution.
2. We remove the smell. If the device has an unpleasant odor, you can use bleach for linen. To do this, it is necessary to start empty washing at high temperatures, without loading the drum, but pour bleaching agent into the required compartment.
3. Also, the smell may appear when the exhaust filter is dirty, so clean it at least once every six months. To clean the drain pump filter, it is necessary to open its compartment on the front of the machine and remove clogged scale, fluff and other dirt manually.
4. We clean the drum. Wipe the tank and the door with a soft cloth - you can pre-moisten it in detergent. Do not forget about the rubber parts and the door.
5. My tray. To do this, remove the powder tray and rinse it with running water, if necessary, rub the dirt with a brush. If the plaque on the tray is strong, you can use any tool to remove plaque from the bathroom or toilet.

Important! To clean the washing machine from dirt inside the machine, use products containing acid. In the composition of expensive descaling agents, very often various acids are the main component. This is due to the properties of acids to break down salt deposits (scale). Moreover, the properties of citric acid are often not inferior to other acids. Therefore, you can significantly save on the purchase of expensive funds - purchase a couple of bags of the substance in any grocery store.

But in any case, you should first understand what scale is, and why it appears.

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Why does scale form?

Any water always contains various impurities, so it has its own hardness. Such impurities may be:

• calcium salts;
• magnesium salts;
• mechanical admixtures of sand, clay, etc.

If we talk about the formation of scale, then it is the large content of salts that contributes to its appearance. When heated, the salt breaks down into carbon dioxide and releases a precipitate called scale. Accordingly, the harder the water, the more scum will form and the details of the washing machine will become unusable faster. This is especially true of the heating element - a device that comes in contact with water, heating it.

Important! For the convenience of housewives and the protection of vending machines, manufacturers have long been recommending choosing for washing powders for automatic machines. They contain a small amount of acid, which does not harm clothes, but dissolves the scum that has appeared.

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How to clean the car with citric acid?

When using citric acid, it is important to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Add about 100 grams of acid to the powder tray.
2. The machine itself does not need to be loaded with laundry.
3. In the tank you need to pour another 40 grams of lemon.
4. Turn on the highest temperature mode.

During the operation of the washing machine, a chemical reaction will begin, and the scale will dissolve. At the same time, acid will help to clean not only the heating element, but also the drum.

Important! If during this procedure, add about 100 ml of bleach to the tank, the effect is enhanced, but there is a pungent odor and toxic fumes from the active substance. Therefore, when adding chlorine, be sure to follow safety measures and ventilate the room well during and after cleaning.

This method helps to get rid of scale, but over time, acid and chlorine can corrode rubber pads in the car. Therefore, use this cleaning no more than once every two months.

Important! So that other problems with your equipment do not arise during operation, and the clothes are always perfectly clean, be sure to read about how to correctly calculate laundry weightwhy this is so important.

This is only one of the options how to clean the washing machine from scale at home, and consider others.

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other methods

In addition to the above, there are also options on how to clean the washing machine from dirt and smell, as well as protect it from damage and scale.

Vinegar

The use of vinegar is no less well-known method than citric acid. It should be noted that this is a more aggressive remedy in comparison with the lemon. Therefore, on the one hand, it quickly and better removes scale from the heater, but it can also damage the rubber pads of the machine faster.

For this method, you need to take half a glass of vinegar and pour it into the compartment for washing powder. After that, the machine is turned on without laundry, in hot water mode.

Filter

To protect the machine from scale, a water softener filter must be connected. For example, magnetic. Such a filter will help purify water from salts, which are the main source of scale.

Important! The cost of devices is quite high, but the effectiveness of water treatment is worth it. With a magnetic filter you will not have problems with scale for a very long time. You can use other options, which are best suited for a private house, apartment, with a different number of equipment and water taps in the house - read in our separate article aboutwater filters.

Temperature

If you carefully operate the washer, it will last you a very long time. Therefore, you should not often use fast modes with high temperatures. The slower the water heats up and the longer the wash takes, the more likely it is that scale will not appear.

Important! Also, such modes save energy well.

Remove the smell

If there is a smell in the appliance, a common reason is the improper use of detergents. For example:

1. Mistresses may not read the instructions for the baby powder, and pour it out of habit into the tray, and such powders are most often poured directly into the tank.
2. It also happens that thick soap was used during washing, which simply did not wash completely, and fungi and germs began to multiply on the remaining particles.

Important! To prevent the smell from disappearing, pour the powder into the tray and start washing in the maximum hot temperature without laundry. Next, you need to set the drain mode, but not spin. Then open the door of the machine and wipe all its parts. Then the door is opened, and the appliance is left to dry. To completely get rid of the smell, you need to repeat all the steps two to three times.

You should also take into account the advice of professionals how to clean the washing machine from scale, dirt and prevent its appearance immediately after cleaning.

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Recommendations and tips:

1. Do not use hard sponges or abrasive substances for cleaning. They can scratch the cover of the machine and it will have to be changed.
2. Buy only high-quality laundry products, carefully read the instructions for them.
3. If cleaning with improvised means did not help, call a specialist who will help diagnose the problem and find the right means.
4. The powder compartment is recommended to be washed after 3-5 washings. So you will not get a strong coating on it and it will easily wash off.
5. The drain filter is recommended to be cleaned at least twice a month, and preferably after each wash.
6. When cleaning the machine from heavy scale, remember that particles of it may damage the drain hose. Therefore, it is recommended to clean it by hand.
7. After washing, leave the drum door open - this will prevent the smell of stagnant water.

Important! Many housewives, trusting advertising, purchase various expensive descaling products, for example Calgon. But this is not a panacea. This is a common ordinary emollient, which is easily and much more efficiently replaced with citric or acetic acid.

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Stock footage

The normal life of the washing machine is 10 years, but hard water and dirt greatly shorten it. Instead of ten, the machine can last five, or even less, years. To avoid this, you need to clean it in time and carry out preventive measures.