How to Deodorize a Washing Machine

Sometimes your washing machine can get a little smelly. It’s needs to be deodorized. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. In this article, we’ll teach you how to deodorize a washing machine.

1. Set the wash cycle to ‘whites’ or ‘hot’
2. Add 1 quart of chlorine bleach to a top loading machine or 2 cups bleach to a front loading machine
3. Don’t add any other cleaning solutions to the washing machine
4. Let the tub fill up. Stop the wash cycle once the agitator has mixed and splashed the bleach and water around. The method to stop the machine varies by machine. Check your operating instructions if you don’t already know how to do this.
5. Allow the hot water and bleach to sit for 30 minutes or so
6. Start the load back up and make sure to set the wash for a second rinse to remove all traces of bleach residue that may remain.

Extra Tip –

Throw in your plastic shower curtain at the time you do this and you’ll be doing double duty. This cycle will remove residue and mold from the shower curtain at the same time.

If there’s any remaining smell after you’ve done this, use plain white vinegar. Vinegar is not just a great deodorizer; it will help to remove hard water deposits that build up if your water has a high mineral content. Here’s how you do it.

1. Set the wash cycle to ‘whites’ or ‘hot’.
2. Add 1 quart of plain white vinegar to a top loading washing machine or 2 cups vinegar to a front loading machine.
3. Don’t add any other cleaning solutions to the machine.
4. Let the tub fill and stop the wash cycle for 30 minutes just like you did for the bleach.
5. After 30 minutes, start it up again and let the washer finish its cycle.

You should probably deodorize your machine once a month or so to keep it clean and fresh. You can also wipe out the soap and fabric softener containers once every two weeks. Make sure you use the right laundry detergent for your machine. Don’t use more detergent than necessary per load. Use the proper water temperature for the load and the detergent. Finally, don’t overload your washing machine. This will help you keep it clean in between deodorizing times.

If you need more cleaning tips, just check out our blog. We’re always happy to help.

Categorised in: blog, washing machine

This post was written by joe