30 Days to Clean: Washing Machine

I had never even thought about washing the inside of my washing machine, until I saw this post on Pinterest. Then I started taking a look. Gross! My basement laundry is not the well lit place that you dream of. So I didn't really notice how bad it was. Guess I had better get to my improvement project before it gets this bad again!

It took some time, but was pretty straight forward.

1. Start by filling the washer with HOT water. Add One quart of chlorine bleach and let the machine agitate for a minute, then let it sit for one hour. (do not add detergent) Let the machine finish the wash cycle. I used the setting for a large heavy load.

2. Immediately fill the washer with HOT water again and add One quart distilled white vinegar. Let agitate for a minute, and again, let it sit for one hour.

All shiny and clean!

3. While it is soaking, dip a scrubber sponge in the vinegar water and detail all the nooks and crannies of your washer, including the knobs, the lid and the exterior. If your machine has built-in dispensers, clean those too. Don't forget the top underside of the wash tub. I couldn't believe how yucky that was. I wish I would have taken a before of that! It was so bad I could feel it through my washcloth! If your dispensers aren’t removable, warm 1 cup of white vinegar in the microwave or in a small saucepan. Pour it into the dispenser and allow it to sit for a few minutes to loosen any build up.

4. After an hour, run the longest wash and spin cycle again.