How to clean a washing machine: simple home methods
Content
The washing machine will work flawlessly if it is periodically cleaned of scale and mold. This simple rule is ignored by many, and in vain. To do this, you do not need to call the wizard and disassemble the machine. Remove dirt will turn out simple improvised means at home. So, how to clean the washing machine?
Quite a bit of theory
What parts of the washer require regular maintenance? There are several of them:
- tray for washing powder;
- drum;
- heating elements;
- rubber seals;
- drain filter and input filters;
- drain hose.
We clean the tray
More often than not, a removable section for various detergents becomes dirty at the washing machine. Usually, powder residues accumulate in it, which, surprisingly, is not so easy to wash, but it will have to be done regularly, after every 2-3 washings. This is the only way to prevent the deposition of powder on the walls of the channels through which it enters the drum. Typically, the tray is easily removable from the chassis. A bit more complicated, it disconnects on top-loading machines. There are models where you will have to flush the tank without disconnecting it (the water flows directly into the drum). To do this correctly, just read the instructions carefully.
You do not need to use any detergents, because the tray is already full of washing powder. To clean the inside, a brush or toothbrush is usually used. The channels in the machine itself are washed with a strong stream of warm water.
Descaling heaters
Lime deposits form on the heating elements over time. The reason is poor water quality. Sometimes such a thick layer of scale is formed that it prevents the typewriter from even turning on the program. A sure sign that the heater has stopped working is that the machine suddenly shuts off during washing and refuses to turn on. To clean the washing machine from scale, simple home remedies are used: citric acid or vinegar. Experts advise cleaning these nodes once every three months. If the machine is used only from time to time, then at least once every six months.
How to clean the washing machine with citric acid? To do this, washing powder (half the usual portion) is poured into the tray and four bags of citric acid (400 g) are added to it. A few old unnecessary things are put in the drum. The machine is started in the longest washing mode at a maximum temperature of 90 °. At the end, rinse is repeated.
How to clean a washing machine with vinegar? This is another way to get rid of limescale deposits on a water heater, but it is less popular. The fact is that acetic acid is more aggressive than citric acid. This can adversely affect the rubber seals of various machine components. For cleaning, a glass of 9% vinegar is poured into the tray and the washing mode with a temperature of 60 ° is turned on. After completion of the program include an additional rinse.
We clean rubber seals
They do not need to be lubricated. Drying does not threaten them, because they are made of special rubber, but dirt and fungus accumulate in the seals, which must be regularly removed.Household cleaning products can easily do this: liquid for washing windows or sinks.
Get rid of bad smell and mold.
This is easiest to do with ordinary soda. How to clean the washing machine with soda from smell and mold? To do this, it is mixed with water in equal proportions. The resulting solution is applied to the drum and to the rubber cuff around it, kept for about half an hour, and then removed with a sponge. Particular attention is paid to the folds inside the cuff. Then the machine is started in quick wash with rinse.
We clean the drum
Dirt also accumulates in the drum, and lime deposits appear on the surface. There are models in which its automatic cleaning function is provided. And how to clean the drum of the washing machine, if the manufacturer did not provide this option? The procedure is as follows:
Method One:
100 ml of ordinary bleach is poured into the machine's drum. Launch the washing mode with a temperature of at least 60 °. As a result, the drum will be cleaned, all unpleasant odors will go away.
The second way:
200 g of citric acid (two sachets) are poured into an empty drum. Start the program with maximum temperature and extra rinse. The result is the same. Upon completion, the door is left open.
It should be borne in mind that there are inaccessible places in the drum that are unlikely to be completely cleaned by the methods described above. These are, for example, overhead ribs that are located around its circumference. They are hollow inside, because dirt also accumulates in them. In order to clean these parts, they are removed as described in the instructions. They wash the ribs manually under a stream of water, but the following method will be more effective. A suitable metal container is taken, in which the parts are boiled in a solution of sodium chloride with citric acid. Then with a sponge, dishwashing detergent is applied to them and thoroughly washed under running water.
All work is performed in rubber gloves and in a room that is well ventilated.
Clean the input filter
How do you know that he is clogged? There are several criteria:
- water enters the machine with low pressure;
- increased washing time;
- when pouring water into the machine, it buzzes loudly.
All this means that the filler valve is clogged. It is cleaned easily. Do it like this:
- Unscrew the inlet hose from the washer.
- Gently pliers remove the mesh (this is the filter).
- An ordinary toothbrush very carefully clean it of dirt and rinse with water.
- Put the filter in place and screw on the water supply hose.
Clean the drain filter and drain hose
Do this last when the previous work is completed. How to clean the drain filter in the washing machine? It is located on the front panel below, usually behind a small hinged door. The filter is carefully twisted and removed as a whole. Then it is washed under running water, the dirt is removed with a sponge with ordinary detergent. Before unscrewing the cork, substitute the container - water may spill out of the hole. It is possible that buttons, coins, hair, and other small debris that gets into the filter after washing will cause clogging of the filter. They are carefully removed. The seat itself, in which the filter is screwed, should also be washed. Inside the compartment, the pump blades are visible. If threads are wound around them, they must be carefully removed. Finally, the cleaned filter is put in place. Experts advise to conduct such an operation twice a month.
How to clean the drain hose in the washing machine? To do this efficiently, you will have to disassemble the machine and remove it completely, but sometimes it is enough to simply slide a thin plastic cable from one end with a small brush on the end. This will remove the soapy scum inside.
All work on cleaning the parts of the washing machine is carried out only when the power is off. The plug is removed from the outlet.
Summary
Now you know how to clean the washing machine. As you can see, in order to maintain it in working condition, it is not necessary to spend money on craftsmen and expensive cleaning products. It can be done at home using the simplest means: citric acid, soda, vinegar.
