Don't Overdo the Detergent
It might seem to be a bit of a contradiction, but putting too much detergent into a washing machine will not make it cleaner - in fact, quite the opposite. Your washing machine only uses so much water during a cycle, and this water is only enough to dissolve a certain amount of detergent - and this is especially the case if you're using washing powder rather than a liquid.
Any amount of detergent that isn't used during the wash will begin to build up, forming deposits in the nooks and crannies of your machine - or, even worse, in the outflow hoses which are very difficult to reach and clean. These deposits can over time become mouldy, slimy, and smelly, which will contaminate your wash every time if you don't clean them away. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding the amount of powder or liquid to use, and if in doubt, use a little less than the recommended measure. This will save you money as well as helping to keep your washing machine cleaner!
Consider Rinsing or Soaking Very Dirty Clothes
Despite the wonders of modern technology, the average domestic washing machine is not built for extremely dirty loads. Unlike commercial washers, a home machine will struggle with trying to wash exceptionally soiled clothes.
Consider for example a sports kit that is caked in mud: not only will this dirt add extra weight to the load, putting pressure on the mechanism and maybe shortening its life, it will make the water in the machine dirty in itself. This will stop the machine cleaning other garments properly, but the dissolved mud will also find its way into the seals and so on of your machine and start to rot, contaminating future washes as well. If you need to wash a very dirty load, then give the garments a soak in the sink or bath first before rinsing off the worst of the soiling, leaving the machine to concentrate on the final clean.
Do You Need a Water Softener?
If you live in an area with a hard water supply (that is, water with a very high mineral content), you'll have noticed how anything that has contact with it will over time build up limescale deposits which can be very hard to clean off. Not only do these deposits reduce the cleaning efficiency of your machine (and so leading to a greater build-up of the bacteria that can lead to unpleasant odours), but if left unchecked the limescale can actually damage the machine's workings.
A good solution to this is to fit a domestic water softener to the inlet hose of your washing machine, in order to remove as much of the mineral content as possible before the wash. An alternative is to use a proprietary de-scaling liquid on an empty wash cycle every month or so, but before you do this be sure to check your washing machine's operating manual. Some manufacturers don't allow these de-scaling products to be used, and they can invalidate your warranty. Always Leave the Door Open Between Washes
This is a very simple and straightforward tip, but it's an essential. A front-loading washing machine obviously needs to be watertight or it will flood your laundry room on every wash. If it's watertight, then it's going to be airtight too - and if you close the door on your empty washing machine, any residual moisture left over from the wash has nowhere to go, and the insides of your appliance will quickly start to become dank and to smell bad.
Leaving the door open between washes will help to reduce this risk. It's not necessary to leave the door wide open - this would be an inconvenient waste of space for most people - but leaving it ajar just a little will allow the air to circulate naturally, drying out the drum and removing the damp conditions that odorous mould so enjoys growing in.Run a Monthly Maintenance Wash
Depending on how often you use your machine, it's a good idea to regularly run it on a hot water wash cycle, but without any clothing or detergent in it. This will help purge the machine of any powdery detergent build ups, will remove any mould that's beginning to build up, and just generally leave your machine looking and smelling cleaner. This should be done once a month or so to keep on top of things.
A simple hot wash will be good enough if done regularly, but some people also like to add a cupful of vinegar to the machine's drum before starting the wash - the acid in the vinegar will help to kill off any lurking bacteria, as well as combating limescale build-ups. In severe cases, if the machine has visible mould or a noticable smell, then adding a cup of light bleach instead of the vinegar may be necessary - although for environmental reasons it's best to keep bleach use to a minimum wherever possible. If you do use bleach, consider running an extra empty rinse cycle before doing any more washing, just to ensure that any garment-ruining traces of bleach are completely cleared from the system. Clean the Detergent Drawer
You might think that the drawer where you add the detergent before every wash would be the cleanest part of your washing machine - but you'd be wrong. The water that's pumped into the drawer to carry away the washing powder isn't usually under very high pressure, and can often leave quite a bit of powder behind. Over time, this can build up into a slimy and bad-smelling mess that will find its way into every wash, giving your clothing a damp, musty and generally less than fresh smell.
If your machine model allows it, remove the drawer approximately once a month and give it a good clean - preferably after a long soak in hot water - to ensure that all powder traces are removed. If you can't remove the drawer, just give it as best a clean as you can, maybe using an old toothbrush to get into into every hard-to-reach nook and cranny. Ensure the drawer is fully dry before starting any more washing cycles.Clean the Seals
The average domestic washing machine has a lot of rubber sealing to keep the water in, and this is especially true of front-loading automatic machines. Unfortunately, although these seals are very effective at keeping the water in, they also provide ideal places for bacteria to hide and multiply, resulting in that dank smell of the cellar that makes a wash so unsatisfactory. About once a month, give these seals a thorough clean using a damp cloth, reaching underneath the rubber wherever possible, but being very careful not to damage the seal or pull it away from the surfaces.
If the seals are visibly soiled or mouldy, you might have to resort to using a bleach solution. Make this up using one part of light bleach to ten parts of tap water, and put it into a spray bottle of the kind you use to water plants in a greenhouse. Use the spray to clean all the hard to reach places around the seals, before wiping clean with a damp cloth and allowing to dry off thoroughly. As always, when using bleach, be certain all traces have been removed before your next wash to make sure you won't damage any clothes. Hang Your Clothes Up Quickly
Finally, to keep your machine clean and smelling good in future, be vigilant after every wash when the machine has finished its cycle. Damp clothes left inside the drum will not only start to moulder and smell very quickly, but they can leave residues of bacteria inside the machine which will quickly grow into mould, causing that familiar unpleasant smell you've worked so hard to get rid of.
However convenient it may seem, don't be tempted to set off a clothes wash before leaving for work, with the intention of hanging the clothes up to dry later. If your machine has a timer function, then use this, or otherwise try to fit in a wash cycle and hanging up the wet clothes around your other daily activities to minimise the amount of time the damp materials are left sitting in the machine. Your clothes will smell fresher, and your machine will stay cleanerfor longer.For More Posts Go To Main Blog
0 comments:
Post a Comment