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Nowadays we can no longer imagine life without an automatic washing machine. Just put the clothes into the drum, press the program button for the cycle you want to wash on, and finally just take the laundry out of the washer and hang it on a drying rack. However, if you want your washing machine to work for many years, it is necessary to take the necessary measures and care for the washing machine.
Most repairmen mainly deal with limescale and dirt
If it happens that you have to call a repairman, he will certainly give you tips on how to care for the washing machine. You can buy various products in stores that guarantee a perfect cleaning of the washer. But you can also manage with home remedies that you find at home and save a lot of money. They are also not chemically enhanced, so you also save your health and if you have an allergic person at home, you can significantly improve their health with natural methods.
Among the most common causes of a washing machine breaking down are a large layer of limescale and other deposits that are found in the drum and on the heating elements. A clogged filter can also be a problem. You can, however, beat limescale. It is important to watch whether the laundry is really clean and fragrant after each wash. The tubular heater heats the water in the washing machine drum, but if the amount of limescale exceeds a certain limit, the heater can seize up and will not work properly.
Simple methods for cleaning the washing machine
Repairmen prefer chemical agents, but some recommend household ingredients. One of them is citric acid. It is a great agent for cleaning various types of deposits. It depends on how large your washer is — for a five-liter volume 100–120 g of the acid will suffice. Pour it into the detergent compartment and run a wash at 60 degrees for at least one hour. Besides cleaning the water heater, this method will also remove limescale from the washing machine drum.
Kitchen vinegar can also help. Pour about 250 ml of 9% vinegar into the detergent compartment. It can quickly remove dirt from the washer, but be careful with the hoses and seals, which the vinegar can damage. In that case, choose citric acid instead. It even softens the water, as does baking soda. It removes unwanted odors and also slows the formation of limescale and deposits.
The washing machine is not just the drum and the detergent compartment
You must also clean the washing machine filter, which gets dirty easily. It traps dirt such as coins, pebbles, or other things you left in your pockets. Just open the cap and more than a liter of water may escape. Then remove the inner cover and take out the filter itself and rinse it under water. If you have an old toothbrush, you can use it for cleaning. Finally, put it back into the washing machine. You should clean the filter regularly once a month, depending on how often the washer is used.
The detergent and fabric softener drawer must also be cleaned regularly
If you don’t use tablets that you throw directly into the drum. You can also remove the drawer from the washer, put it into water together with bleach and let it sit for several hours. Finally rinse it and return the drawer to the washing machine. The rubber seal also needs to be cleaned occasionally because deposits and dirt can get back onto the clothes. Simply dampen an old towel in water with bleach and wipe all rubber surfaces.
