Good Laundry - starts by cleaning the washing machine.
We all run regular cleaning programmes on the dishwasher making sure internal filters are kept clean and smelling fresh, but most of us forget about the washing machine until there is a problem. It smells noticeably fusty, or worse, clothes leaving the machine have a rancid odour to them.
So to prevent this occurring it’s a great idea to set a calendar reminder every other month, to do these simple 10 minute cleaning tasks. Watch our easy to follow videos:
How to Clean the washing machine dosing drawer.
Next step: Cleaning the inside of the rubber drum seal and the door
Clean The Drum And Seal
It’s so easy, just grab your favourite scouring cleaning product, and using a cloth, scrub the window area of the door that has attracted limescale deposits. You can use the same cloth to wipe the rubber seal on the washing machine.
If you used to use liquids and softeners and the rubber seal looks at all brown or patchy black, then there are traces of mould. Pay particular attention to the topside of the rubber and any nooks and crannies. This is the only time I would advise you use a specific mould removing product. A quick spray of a product that tackles mould and then wipe does leave the rubber looking like new again. Wash hot straight away afterwards, any residues that could damage the rubber will be washed away.
Sanitise A Dirty Washing Machine
If you have neglected your washing machine and the dosing drawer has gunk in it, then all local chemists sell household strength hydrogen peroxide liquid which is perfect for sanitising your washing machine. Just make sure you do the hottest wash you can afterwards to clean it all away as traces of it would damage fabric if you washed clothing straight away.
The ingredients in hydrogen peroxide simply reverts to oxygen and water over a period of about ten minutes which makes it a really super safe sterilising agent in the home.
De-scaling your washing machine
To lengthen the life of your machine. You need to regularly remove the limescale build up. You can visibly see it in your kettle - well it's the same inside your washing machine. And, you can literally add 5 years longer good use of your machine by doing this.
So bi-monthly remember to de-scale your machine. You can either use a purpose bought product or simply whatever vinegar you have to hand. Just bear in mind with vinegar its best put in your machine and left overnight to work as its slower. Always follow with something like a cleaning cloths wash on hot as vinegar isn't a great smell for your fabrics.
Lastly but not least! The most important step for good washing machine maintenance is.
Cleaning the HE Drain Hose And Filter.
Your drain hose is a little compartment usually found at the bottom right hand corner of the washing machine
This is the most overlooked part of front loading washing machine maintenance and some people are shocked when they first clean it as it isn't something they had heard about. Once you locate the compartment, you need to place an old oven tray/ dish and towel on the floor in front of your machine. Then carefully open the compartment, removing the hose end cap and hold the piping down towards the old cooking tray. Over a few minutes this will pour dirty, stale water, and limescale particles out onto the tray. It will smell a little, this water has been sitting stagnant.
Once the excess water is drained you can unscrew the filter by turning it anti clockwise. Expect this to be covered in limescale and trapped dirt and fluff. You might be lucky and find some loose change too.
You need to scrub the filter clean and clear all the limescale. If limescale has really set on the filter, soak in a vinegar solution for an hour to loosen the calcified deposits. Using your old toothbrush scrub the inside of the area the filter fits in, and wipe out with a cloth until it’s as clean as you can get it. Re screw the filter in tightly and replace the hose end cap carefully tucking it away where you removed it from at the beginning.
Ta Dahh – you now have a wonderfully clean machine that will launder your clothes so much better than before!
For other laundry questions email Distinctive Customer Care info@distinctivewash.co.uk
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