How To Clean Your Washing Machine

Yes I said clean your washing machine. No, it's not an oxymoron. Machines need to be cleaned and maintained so they can do the dirty job of cleaning dirty laundry - and your cloth diapers properly. Is it hard? No. Just one of those 'adulting' things no one told you about. Here's how to do it and how often it needs to be done.

First things first - I am not a washing machine expert and this is what I do and what I recommend that's worked for me. You should absolutely reference your washing machine's User Manual for specific recommendations on cleaning and maintenance. If you don't have a paper version, you should be able to find it online or by contacting your machine's manufacturer.

How often should you clean your washer?
Once a month is a good target depending on how much use your washer gets. But if you're using your machine for regular laundry plus cloth diapers for a family, then monthly is ideal. Otherwise, whenever you remember is better than not at all, so take this as your reminder to clean it soon.

How to clean your washer
Before you begin your cleaning cycle, wipe down your washer inside and out. Remove spills, pet hair, lego pieces, lint balls anything like that. Then if you have a front loader, use a hand towel and some plain white vinegar to wipe the front rubber gasket clean.

Next it's time to run a cleaning cycle. Some newer washers now have a self cleaning function, so if you have that, use it. If you don't have that, then run a regular hot cycle with an empty drum.

Do you need a cleaning solution during the cleaning cycle?
Yes. And here I like to highlight 3 options:

1) Commercial washing machine cleaner - I like Affresh for example. There are other brands available too. It's a solid tablet that you toss into the drum during the cleaning cycle and it dissolves and cleans the drum, soap scum, calcium buildup etc.

2) Plain white vinegar - Vinegar is fantastic as a fabric softener too and helps to clean your machine by loosening up detergent residues. If you've struggled at all with detergent buildup, bubbles that won't rinse clean (especially in soft water) or if you tend to get ammonia buildup in your diapers, vinegar is a good choice as it'll help to neutralize those things. Use between a half cup and a full cup in your machine and run your cleaning cycle.

3) Chlorine bleach - If you suspect anything might be growing in your machine drum (bacteria, mold, yeast) you can also opt for bleach in your cleaning cycle. About a half cup is all you need.

You don't have to use the same cleaning agent all the time, you can rotate and do vinegar this month or Affress the next month etc. but
* NOTE: DO NOT combine vinegar and bleach together in the same cleaning cycle as mixing them produces chlorine gas.

Then what?
Once your cleaning cycle is finished, make sure to open the door of the washing machine and let everything air dry.

Side note for older machines - If your machine is an older top load model with an old school agitator, some agitators can be removed for cleaning up inside the agitator (check your manual for how to remove and clean it). This can be a hidden area of gunk buildup.