Nothing is worse than having to washing clothes in a dirty machine and/or smells bad. This appliance should always be clean and never give off bad smells. For this, it is essential to clean it regularly. Let’s see what can clog a washing machine, how to proceed to clean it and ensure that it no longer stinks in the room in which it is installed, which products to use and which to ban.
What clogs a washing machine?
This is inevitably the first question to ask yourself to carry out an effective cleaning of your washing machine. The different causes of its clogging are:
- limestone : it is a scourge for all household appliances. The washing machine is no exception to the rule. If no anti-limestone is used, limescale deposits may be the cause of a breakdown.
- lint and other fibers deposited by laundry himself. Washer dryers are even more prone to these deposits. These impurities form a plug which obstructs the compression chamber, which generates water leaks, blocks the cycle in progress, and the linen is not spotless.
- residues of detergents and softeners : whether powdered or liquid, laundry detergent and fabric softener end up settling in their dedicated tray but also in the drain pipes, which generates bad smells.
Clean your washing machine properly
There is no question of completely dismantling your washing machine if you do not have a minimum of knowledge in this area. However, it is possible to overcome the main problems caused by clogging of the device.
Cleaning the compression chamber
Pour unclog the compression chamber of the washing machine, it is essential to send one or more pressures of water with a syringe into the tube connected to the device which determines the predefined water pressure and which is called the pressure switch. After this operation, it is necessary to start a drain cycle.
To prevent clogging of the compression chamber, professionals recommend:
- to carry out a program at 90°C every month,
- to have a light hand on washing and softening products,
- clean the washing machine completely and very regularly with white vinegar.
These precautions are really useful for preserve your washing machine for a long timea device that represents a substantial sum in the budget of a household.
The washing machine smells bad: what to do?
Cleaning is required when a bad smell comes from the washing machine, even if there is no leakage problem. If left unchecked, the laundry will smell bad after the programme. It will therefore have to be washed again but this will not change anything if the machine is still not cleaned. It is therefore necessary to proceed as follows:
- Proceed to drum cleaning using a damp microfiber cloth to remove as much lint and other deposits as possible.
- Place four tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate on the drum itself, which is loosely called baking soda.
- Pour the equivalent of two tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate into the tray intended to collect the detergent.
- Launch a complete washing program at 90°C, opting for a long cycle, without placing any laundry in the drum because the washing machine must run empty.
Once the program is finished, all that remains is to clean the filter and washing the detergent drawer. On most washing machines, this tray is removable. Just take it out and run it under running hot water. In the event of stubborn detergent and fabric softener deposits, it is possible to carry out a more thorough cleaning using a sponge and washing-up liquid or with white vinegar. Once thoroughly rinsed, this detergent drawer can be put back into the washing machine.
Pour eliminate a foul smell coming from the washing machine, another solution is to pour two liters of boiling water into the drum, add four tablespoons of white vinegar and leave to act overnight. In the morning, start a drain.
What products should you use to properly maintain your washing machine?
It is important to use non-polluting products since after a cleaning cycle they will be evacuated through the pipes. No need to dump more toxic products in nature. The products that are ideal for cleaning the washing machine and able to remove bad odors from the washing machine are:
- le bicarbonate de sodium,
- white vinegar,
- black soap by very small doses, which must first be diluted in boiling water.
It is quite possible to use some of these products in synergy for more efficiency and because they act at different levels in a single cleaning cycle (cleaning, anti limestone, air freshener). This is the case for sodium bicarbonate and white vinegar.
Washing machine maintenance: above all, no pipe unblocker!
Better to know which product should absolutely not be used to clean a washing machine. This will limit the risk of damage of the device. This is the case of specific chemicals for unclogging pipes. If they are suitable for toilets, their role ends there. Ideally, we should not even use this type of product anymore because they are chemical. They contain either caustic soda or sulfuric acid. A drain cleaner can cause:
- of severe burns at the level of the skin,
- damage to the various components of the washing machine such as seals, PVC parts,
- damage to the pipes if they are made of synthetic material,
- a destruction of ecosystems due to its toxicity.
To ensure that you do not make any mistakes when cleaning your washing machine, it may be best to seek advice from a appliance professional or, better, of make an appointment with a plumber to completely clean the washing machine.