How To Get Rid Of The Smell In The Washing Machine

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How To Get Rid Of The Smell In The Washing Machine
How To Get Rid Of The Smell In The Washing Machine

Video: How To Get Rid Of The Smell In The Washing Machine

Video: How To Get Rid Of The Smell In The Washing Machine
Video: How to Clean a Smelly Washing Machine in 6 Easy Steps 2024, March
Anonim

An indispensable assistant to a housewife - a washing machine, may one day bother you with an unpleasant smell. This happens due to improper care: if you keep the hatch door always closed, you do not allow the internal cavities and the tray to dry properly. Often the tank smells bad if dirty (especially damp) laundry accumulates in it for a long time. If you follow the instructions for using the household appliances exactly and the odors persist, try to get rid of them by disinfecting the machine.

How to get rid of the smell in the washing machine
How to get rid of the smell in the washing machine

Instructions

Step 1

All the reasons for the appearance of unpleasant odors in the washing machine essentially boil down to one phenomenon: colonies of bacteria or molds that love moisture have formed inside the machine. Therefore, to begin with, you should check the places where microorganisms "nest" especially often. This is a tray for detergents, where undissolved powder residues sometimes accumulate; in machines with horizontal loading - "accordion" of the rubber seal, where soggy pieces of paper or crumbs forgotten in pockets can accumulate, as well as a clogged filter or hose. Therefore, before cleaning the machine "from the inside", it is necessary to check all these places and eliminate the potential "breeding ground" for microorganisms.

Step 2

Remove the tray and check for black mold. If necessary, disinfect (you can use household bleach or alcohol-based products for this), rinse thoroughly with hot water using a stiff brush or "pass" through the dishwasher, dry well. Do not forget to process the "nest" of the tray. Check the hatch seal, remove any dirt accumulated there and check the appearance of the rubber. If it turns black, perhaps the best solution would be to replace the seal, but in any case, you can first try to solve the problem with "home remedies". Rinse and disinfect the folds and wipe them dry. Remove and clean the drain filter, where threads, hairs and other fine dirt often accumulate.

Step 3

To wash and disinfect the inside of the washing machine, pour into the main compartment of the detergent dispenser ½ cup of bleach, the packaging of which states that it is suitable for automatic washing and turn on the machine without load, without laundry in the "boiling" mode, or set the maximum temperature mode from 90 degrees (depending on your existing home appliance programs). Drain water, but do not spin. After the end of the wash program, additionally rinse the machine by turning on the rinse mode. After that, all accessible surfaces must be thoroughly wiped, leave the hatch open and thoroughly ventilate the washing machine. Often, even one such procedure is enough to get rid of unpleasant odors, but if necessary, it can be repeated.

Step 4

If the machine has not been cleaned from the scale formed on the heating elements for a long time, it will prevent getting rid of unpleasant odors. In this case, purchase a specialized descaler for washing machines from the store. Follow the instructions. Typically, the detergent is poured into the drum and the washing machine runs without laundry. This cleaning should be done every six months. Instead of special products, you can use food acids, which will also help to cope with scale - citric or oxalic acid or vinegar. Citric acid is the most popular - unlike oxalic acid, it can be bought in almost all grocery stores, and it compares favorably with vinegar in the absence of its own pungent smell. Two or three bags of citric acid are poured into the main wash compartment, after which the machine is turned on for a full cycle at the maximum temperature. After completing the cleaning, it is imperative to check the filter and remove the limescale fragments from it.

Step 5

If the listed cleaning products of the automatic machine did not help you, invite a specialist. Bad water with a sewage smell can become the cause of trouble, and a competent plumber will quickly put you the necessary filter for the water supply to the washing machine. To eliminate stagnant water (another possible cause of "odors"), you need to check that the drain hose is correctly installed and that there is no blockage in it. Finally, special work may be needed to tidy up the automatic machine: replacing the heating element and hose, cleaning the filter and the inner surface of the drum. Some craftsmen do it on their own. At the same time, the mold found on the walls is effectively removed using an aqueous solution of soda or table vinegar.

Step 6

To eliminate the appearance of unpleasant odors in the future, do not neglect preventive measures. Sometimes a simple change of detergent helps to get rid of the smell in the washing machine. Buy quality laundry detergent from a reputable store. If you use a baby product, read the instructions: some manufacturers recommend pouring the powder directly into the drum on the laundry, and not into the tray. Soap powders and thick fabric rinses can also cause unpleasant odors from the cavities of the machine, as they are not completely washed off and become a breeding ground for fungi.

Step 7

After each wash, wipe dry the drum, door cover and seal folds, and remove and rinse the detergent drawer thoroughly. Do not use the bin to store dirty laundry and remember to “ventilate” the machine. If you wash clothes only at low temperatures - once a month, turn on the washer “idle” for a long cycle at maximum temperatures harmful to microorganisms. Once every 2-3 months, arrange for "preventive maintenance" with cleaning the heating elements (full cycle at maximum temperature with a special anti-scale agent, citric acid or vinegar) and thoroughly cleaning the pump filter.

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