Cleaning the washing machine with baking soda and other handy tools

Try to picture in your mind: you bought a new washing machine, it works perfectly, and the laundry always smells nice after washing with your favorite detergent and rinse aid.

But then, after a while, freshly washed things start to get an unpleasant smell.

In this article, we will try to figure out what the problem is and how to deal with it.

Why does it smell bad?

It is all about your washing machine: inside the drum moisture is constantly accumulating, mold and lime scale begin to form.

Such an unpleasant combination leads to the appearance of not the most pleasant odors.

This problem can only be solved by a good cleaning of the washing machine with the help of:

• vinegar,
• citric acid,
• baking soda.

Causes of bad smells

At the beginning of the article, let's take a closer look at why there is a bad smell, and further we will already understand how to clean the machine using recipes of folk remedies. Also consider other interesting facts, how to quickly and inexpensively remove bad odor.

Lime scale

Scale or, as it is also called, limescale appears, as a rule, in the "insides" of the washing machine. If you do not conduct regular cleaning, then even a simple scale can quite noticeably affect the smell from the machine.

Mildew

Mildew and pathogenic bacteria - this is mostly characteristic of washing machines with the horizontal type of loading.

Usually in washing machines of this type, after each washing cycle the water is not completely drained, and a small amount remains in the gasket of the hatch for loading and unloading of laundry.

It is for this reason that most people consider it a good decision to leave the drum open, "to air it out", after the end of washing.

Superfluous moisture

But in a closed drum will accumulate moisture, and dampness, as we know - the best helper for the formation and reproduction of microorganisms.

The pattern is still the same - the unpleasant smell will only begin to intensify.

Some people wash laundry at low temperatures and in a quick rinse mode.

In general, germs just move from one place to another.

Bad powders

You are using poor quality detergents or detergents that are not designed for washing.

The drain hose is not properly connected to the drain.

The water is not draining properly, causing water circulation to be impaired and sewer odors to rise up into your apartment.

The salt buildup and hard water cause plaque on the inner parts of the machine.

Effective methods of washing machine cleaning

How do I clean my washing machine?

Coping with odor can be difficult, but still possible. To do this, you should get into the habit of doing a general cleaning of your helper from time to time.

To do this, you will need:

• Rubber gloves (household gloves, which you can buy in the department of household goods, or non-sterile medical gloves)
• A soft cloth, sponge, and absorbent wipes.
• Cotton sticks, an old toothbrush.
• Calcined soda.
• Vinegar (9%).
• Citric acid.

Soda

Soda is a real treasure for housewives, because it is one of the most common cleaning products from the time of our great-grandmothers.

Everyone who has ever tried to remove grease and limescale from dirty dishes, as well as other cutlery and household appliances, knows about its unique properties.

Baking soda is also successfully used in the preparation of various dishes (often to create "airiness" in baking), as well as to remove stains from clothing, and as a bleach.

We present you some effective tips on how to clean the washing machine:

1. Get rubber gloves put them on before you start cleaning to avoid possible allergic reactions.
2. Mix the baking soda and water so that you get a homogeneous mass (1:1).
3. Apply the mixture to the areas where mold is most likely to appear (cuff folds, drum, laundry detergent tray). To clean hard-to-reach areas of the washing machine, use an old brush and cotton swabs.
4. Leave the solution on the parts, about 30-35 minutes.
5. Next, using a sponge or soft cloth with special care wipe the places of contamination.
6. Turn on the quick wash program. To clean the washing machine, it is better not to throw the laundry into the hatch, but to conduct a washing cycle idle.

Why baking soda specifically?

As we said above, baking soda is an indispensable helper in everyone's household. Most often, there are three types of baking soda:

1. Food soda (used in cooking, for baking and other confectionery products).
2. Calcined. Contains strong alkali.
3. Caustic (used in industrial enterprises, has pronounced alkaline properties).

By the way, this also explains its brilliant properties as a cleaner. Soda can perfectly clean bathrooms, plumbing fixtures, tiles, dishes, tiles, and clothes.

It is also used as a water softener. If you wash all the time in hard water, over time, the scale will begin to settle on the internal parts of the machine. To avoid this trouble, when washing add a little baking soda to the powder. It is worth considering what kind of laundry you are washing.

If your machine washes silk, then leave such preventive measures for future washing.

Citric acid

What else can you clean your washing machine with?

Excellent cleaning of your washing machine can be done not only with the use of baking soda, but also with other folk remedies.

For example, washing machine cleaning with citric acid.

For such cleaning of the tank you will need about 200 grams of citric acid.

The necessary amount poured into the tank of the washing machine (or you can in the powder tray - it all depends on what exactly you want to clean).

Some people prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice, thinking that in this way they can clean their washing machine much more effectively.

Table vinegar.

Also one of the most effective compounds of several components for cleaning the internal contents of the washing machine is table vinegar.

You need to pour it into the powder tray and run the longest mode of washing with the highest temperature.

After one hour, stop the process, wait one hour and continue washing again. After the cycle is complete, clean individual dirty parts with a brush or a small scrubber. This is to remove any residual scale.

After finishing the procedure, wipe all elements with soft cloths or a cloth. Leave the drum open to allow it to air out and after a period of time the smell of vinegar to air out.

Tips

1. If you are faced with an unpleasant smell while washing the machine or with the fact that one part is out of order, do not run immediately to the store of home appliances, because there is a good chance that you can make everything with your own hands.
2. How often you do this kind of washing machine cleaning depends directly on how often it is used, as well as other factors - the hardness of the water, the wear and tear of parts and the quality of detergents.
3. In addition to the methods we told you about above, you can also clean with special products that are sold in household cleaning stores.
4. Don't forget water softeners, which can prevent a large layer of limescale from forming on the inside of the machine. You can add them with every wash cycle.