Any way you go around it, it’s bad. You need to make sure your washing machine is in top condition, especially since you use it multiple times a week. And you want to keep using it many more times from now on. 

You might think that cleaning your washing machine is hard or complicated, but it’s really not. All you need is a cleaning cloth, or disinfectant wipes, maybe a small brush, and some vinegar. No need to buy extra products! It’s as simple as that. 

Below I’ll tell you how to clean a washing machine, but first let’s see why you should do it:

WHY YOU SHOULD CLEAN YOUR WASHING MACHINE RIGHT NOW

No matter how much you use it, or what detergent you use, the machine will likely accumulate dirt and grim over time. It usually gets stuck behind the crevices, and because of it, bacteria, mold and mildew start to grow. And that’s a big no-no for you and your family’s well being. 

There is also the build up of water deposits from your water and your laundry detergent. That can make your washing machine wear out faster, because it has to work harder. 

Either way, you have to know and consider the fact that washing machines need to be cleaned at least once a year, if not more. Below you’ll find out how to clean a washing machine. 

HOW TO CLEAN A WASHING MACHINE

First thing you need to do is to CLEAN THE EXTERIOR. 

• Take a wet cleaning cloth and start wiping down the door of the washer. 
• Next, scrub and wipe the inside of the washer seal, ideally with a small brush (an old toothbrush will work fine). This will help get rid of the sludge and gunk you will, most likely, find on the door and between the seal and the washer. 
• Use a small brush to clean the rubber seal. TIP: Pull back the washer rubber seal and clean there, too, you will be surprised what you can find there.  

Second area you need to focus on is the DETERGENT DISPENSER. Open it and wipe it down with a wet, warm cleaning cloth, and some vinegar. There is usually some build up there, too.

Finally, and most importantly, CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE WASHING MACHINE.

To do that, you need to do a wash cycle with vinegar. Add 2 cups of white vinegar in the interior compartment, then run a normal cycle.

If you want to clean a top loader washing machine, then fill it up with hot water and add 1 quart of white vinegar. Let it soak for another hour, then run a normal washing cycle.

After the cycle is done, use your cleaning cloth again, with a bit of vinegar, to scrub away any gunk around the detergent and fabric softener dispensers, and the door. 

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR MAINTAINING A CLEAN WASHING MACHINE

TIP 1 – Keep the door of the washing machine open after a cycle. This helps prevent bacteria growth, because after a cycle, the interior is damp, and can create nasty stuff. 

TIP 2 – Remove laundry from the machine as soon as the cycle is done. This will help prevent bad smells. It will also decrease dampness, so no more grounds for bacteria growth.  Check out this link for more Laundry Hacks!

CONCLUSION

This is how to clean a washing machine. Start from the exterior and work yourself inside the actual machine. No extra products needed, just water, a cloth and vinegar.

The post How to clean a washing machine – No extra products needed! appeared first on Cozy Home Hacks.

Knowing how to wash clothes is a skill that all of us must have. Basic human maintenance, how I like to call it. You need to know how to keep yourself and your clothes clean. 

Luckily for us, time and technology have been good to us, and most of us own a washing machine. But having that is not that simple. You can’t just put the clothes in the washer and push a button. 

You NEED to know a few essential laundry hacks in order to properly clean and take care of your clothes. Because you don’t want clothes that smell, or are still dirty, or have been ruined in the wash. 

Here is where I come in. In this post I’m going to help you learn:

• How to wash white clothes;
• Why & How to separate laundry by color;
• How to wash towels;
• Why & How to hang dry clothes

Certain things you might already know, but I hope you get at least one cool hack from this post. 

They help me tremendously in keeping a clean and organized house. 

Here are 8 essential laundry hacks you need to know:

Laundry Hack #1: Separate by colors and non-colors

This is Laundry 101. How to wash clothes.

It might be a no-brainer for you, but it’s essential to do it. Why? Because you don’t want your white t-shirts to have a pink undertone to them, right? Basically, separating the laundry by colors helps you minimize color transfer when you wash. 

I usually have three piles:

• Black and dark colored clothes. So anything black, dark blue, dark green, dark grey. 
• White and very light colors. I usually add anything white, beige, and sometimes striped items, if the black is not predominant in them.
• Colored clothes. That means red, green, yellow, orange and so on.

I also have separate piles for towels and such, which leads me to the next laundry hack.

Laundry Hack #2: Always wash towels separately

I highly recommend washing your towels separately, and allocate a cycle just for them. You must do this because they usually have a thicker fabric, therefore require more product and more water to be properly washed. So if you add them together with shirts and underwear, the actual clothes will feel slightly unwashed. 

Moreover, towels tend to be damp and attract germs, so it’s better to wash them separately anyway. 

Laundry Hack #3: Wash certain fabrics together

Similar to the towels recommendation, I suggest pairing certain clothing items when doing laundry. For example, I always wash together (aka in separate wash cycles), the following:

• Jeans.
• Gym clothes. 
• Sheets and duvets covers.
• Dish and cleaning rags. 

The reasoning for this is that they tend to have similar types of fabrics, so they wash better together. 

Laundry Hack #4: Make sure the pockets are empty…

Because I sometimes don’t. Cue one of the most important laundry hacks ever: emptying your pockets.

One time, I forgot a receipt in my jeans, and it disolved and mixed with the rest of the clothes, so every clothing piece had white residue on it. I had to rewash or clean everything. 

Another time, I washed my car key. *facepalm* Luckily, and miraculously, it didn’t need changing, and I could use it afterwards to drive the car, but older model keys will definitely cause you problems if you wash them.  Here’s a quick article to help if you want the answer to “what do I do if I washed my car key?”

Laundry Hack #5: Use hot water for white clothes

This is a must if you want to know how to wash white clothes. You need the water to be turned to a higher setting than you use for your normal clothes. Hot water helps remove germs and eliminates stains more efficiently. 

Laundry Hack #6: Hang dry your shirts, tops and dresses

I use this laundry hack because I hate ironing. Actually, I hate doing it because I don’t really know how to properly iron clothes, but that’s a discussion for another time. 

Hanging tops, shirts and dresses to air dry helps some of the items to even out the wrinkles without needing to iron them. I mention “some of the items” because not all clothes left to hang dry can do that. If you have a dress shirt, most times you will definitely have to iron it.

But this method works wonders for most t-shirts and blouses. It all depends on the fabric, of course, so test out a couple items before going straight to the iron. 

Laundry Hack #7: How to wash jeans

When it comes to washing jeans, I recommend the following laundry hacks:

• Wash all jeans in a separate, specific wash cycle (see hack #3);
• Always turn jeans inside out before washing them;
• Don’t use the dryer, let your jeans air dry.

Also, you don’t need to wash them too often. I usually wash them every other month, maybe every other two months. I only do it more often if they get dirty. 

Laundry Hack #8: Have a laundry schedule

My time is limited and I can’t do laundry all the time. Since I’ve created a Cleaning Schedule for myself, I now have a laundry routine of sorts, too. 

I put a load of wash every other day, but sometimes every other two days. I start with a load of towels and a load of sheets on the weekend. Then, I do black clothes on Monday or Tuesday. I wash colors on Wednesday or Thursday, and whites on Friday. When I get a full load of jeans or gym clothes, I wash them on the weekend. 

This way, I know when to wash and what to focus on that day. It also helps me keep organized.  

So this is it! Here are my 8 essential laundry hacks everybody needs to know! I hope it helps! Do you have any other cool laundry hacks people need to know? Drop them in the comments!

The post Essential Laundry Hacks You Need To Know appeared first on Cozy Home Hacks.