Your washing machine cleans everything else, but it does not clean itself. Detergent film, body oils, and hard-water minerals build up inside the drum, the door seal, and the dispenser, and that damp residue is what turns into mold and a musty smell.
Learning how to clean a washing machine takes about twenty minutes a month. This guide covers front-loaders and top-loaders, plus how to use vinegar, baking soda, and bleach safely, and why you must never combine them.
Key Takeaways
- Clean it monthly: Run a hot tub-clean cycle about once a month, or every 30 wash cycles, to stop mold, odor, and bacteria from building up.
- Front-loaders need extra care: Their airtight door traps moisture, so wipe the rubber gasket, wash the detergent drawer, and clear the drain-pump filter before each cleaning cycle.
- Top-loaders: Fill with the hottest water, add your cleaner, soak for an hour, then scrub the agitator and under the rim.
- Never mix cleaners: Use vinegar, baking soda, or bleach in separate cycles with full rinses. Bleach plus vinegar makes toxic chlorine gas.
Do Washing Machines Need to Be Cleaned?
Yes. It sounds backward, but a washing machine picks up dirt, bacteria, soap scum, and body oils every time it runs. Detergent cleans your clothes; it does not clean the appliance. That residue settles into the drum, the door seal, and the dispenser, then feeds mold and the musty smell that transfers back onto “clean” laundry.
High-efficiency front-loaders are the worst offenders. Their door seals tightly to save water, so moisture and detergent film sit in the rubber gasket after every load and grow into mold and biofilm if the machine never dries out.
How Often Should You Clean Your Washing Machine?
Clean your washing machine about once a month, or roughly every 30 wash cycles. A large family running daily loads may need to do it every two weeks. If the machine already smells musty, appliance makers like LG suggest running the tub-clean cycle once a week for three weeks in a row until the odor clears, then dropping back to monthly. Regular upkeep keeps musty smells from transferring to fresh laundry.
How to Clean Your Washing Machine
The exact steps depend on your model. Below is the routine for front-loading and top-loading washing machines, using either a DIY solution or a commercial tablet.
Pro Tip
How to Clean a Front-Loading Washer
Front-loaders save water and energy, but that tight door seal traps moisture, so mold hides in the folds of the gasket and anywhere water sits.
- Scrub the rubber gasket: Peel back the rubber door seal. This fold is the prime hiding spot for mold, lint, hair, and the odd lost sock. Wipe out any debris, spray the folds with distilled white vinegar, and dry it with a microfiber cloth.
- Wash the dispenser drawer: Pull the detergent drawer all the way out (usually by pressing a release tab). Soak it in warm, soapy water and scrub off sticky fabric-softener residue with an old toothbrush, then rinse and let it dry.
- Clear the drain-pump filter: Find the small access door, usually at the bottom right of the machine. Lay down a towel, set a shallow bowl underneath, then open the door and unscrew the filter. Let the water drain, pull out the lint and any coins, buttons, or small socks it caught, rinse the filter, and screw it back in. Doing this about once a month keeps the pump draining freely and heads off standing-water smells.
- Add your cleaner: Pour your chosen solution (vinegar or bleach, never both) into the detergent dispenser.
- Run a hot cycle: Select the “Clean Washer” or “Tub Clean” cycle, or the hottest, longest wash available, with the drum empty.
- Wipe and dry: When the cycle finishes, wipe the drum and the glass door dry. Leave the door ajar so the last of the moisture can evaporate instead of feeding new mold.
How to Clean a Top-Loading Machine
Top-loaders trap residue in different spots, mainly under the top rim and around the agitator.
- Fill with hot water: Set the machine to the hottest temperature and the largest load size, and let the drum fill. Leave the lid open for now.
- Add your cleaning solution: Pour your cleaner (vinegar or bleach, not both) straight into the water.
- Agitate, then soak: Let it agitate for a minute to mix, then pause the cycle or lift the lid and let the solution soak in the drum for about an hour.
- Scrub the hardware: While it soaks, dip a rag or toothbrush in the hot water and scrub the top of the agitator, the rim of the tub, and the underside of the lid.
- Finish the cycle: Close the lid and let the wash cycle run out.
- Run a rinse cycle: Follow up with one plain-water rinse cycle to flush any leftover bleach or vinegar from the drum and hoses.
- Air it out: Wipe the drum dry and leave the lid open between washes.
How to Clean Your Washing Machine With Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is a cheap, effective washer cleaner. Its roughly 5% acidity cuts through soap scum, mineral scale, and bacteria without harsh fumes (1).
Instructions: Use two cups of vinegar. For front-loaders, pour it into the detergent dispenser. For top-loaders, add it directly to the hot water in the drum.
Pros
- Natural & safe: Non-toxic and safe around pets and children.
- Descaling power: Excellent at breaking down hard water buildup.
- Cost-effective: One of the cheapest cleaning solutions available.
- Odor elimination: Neutralizes bad smells rather than masking them.
Cons
- Acidic nature: Can damage rubber seals if used excessively over many years.
- Smell: Leaves a pickle-like scent during the wash (though it dissipates quickly).
- Limited disinfection: Not as effective as bleach for killing tough mold or germs.
Caution
How to Clean Your Washing Machine With Baking Soda
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild abrasive and a natural deodorizer. It works well to scrub away physical grime and absorb funky odors (3).
Instructions: Use 1/2 cup of baking soda. Sprinkle it directly into the drum (front-load) or add it to the water (top-load). For a deep clean, run a vinegar cycle first, followed by a separate baking soda cycle.
Pros
- Abrasive action: Helps scrub away sticky residue without scratching.
- Deodorizer: Physically absorbs odor particles.
- Gentle: Safe for septic systems and sensitive skin.
Cons
- Residue risk: If not rinsed with hot water, it can leave a powdery white film.
- Not a disinfectant: It cleans well but does not kill viruses or heavy mold (4).
How to Clean Your Washing Machine With Bleach
When you have visible mold or a smell that just won’t quit, chlorine bleach is the strongest option. It disinfects surfaces thoroughly but requires careful handling.
Instructions: Pour 1/2 cup (front-load) or 1 cup (top-load) of bleach into the bleach dispenser or drum. Run a hot cycle with an extra rinse to ensure no bleach remains to spot your next load of dark clothes.
Tips for Using Bleach
- Ventilation: Ensure the laundry room is well-ventilated; the fumes can be strong.
- Protection: Wear gloves to protect your skin from irritation.
- Never combine it: Keep bleach away from vinegar and other acids, which make it give off chlorine gas, and from ammonia, which turns it into chloramine gas. Both irritate the eyes, nose, and throat and can cause coughing and breathing trouble (5).
- The follow-up: Always run a “rinse only” cycle after cleaning to protect your next load of laundry.
Pros
- Mold killer: The most effective option for killing fungus and mold spores (6).
- Accessible: Available in almost every household.
Cons
- Harsh fumes: Can irritate lungs, especially for asthma sufferers (7).
- Corrosive: Can damage stainless steel or plastic if left too long.
- Stain risk: Any leftover residue will ruin colored clothing.
Commercial Cleaners vs. DIY Solutions
If measuring cups aren’t your thing, you can buy commercial washing machine cleaners like Affresh or OxiClean. These usually come in tablet or powder form.
These products are formulated with slow-dissolving surfactants that foam up to reach stubborn areas. While more expensive than vinegar, they are convenient and less messy. If you have a warranty on your machine, check the manual; some manufacturers recommend specific commercial tablets to keep the warranty valid.
Why Does My Washing Machine Still Stink?
If you’ve scrubbed and soaked but the smell persists, check these common culprits:
- Hidden mold: Check behind the rubber gasket again. You might need to soak a rag in bleach and tuck it into the seal for an hour to kill deep-rooted mildew.
- Clogged drain pump: If you didn’t clean the filter (bottom front on most front-loaders), trapped stagnant water and rotting lint could be the source of the smell.
- Too much detergent: Using too much soap creates “scrud” (waxy buildup). Switch to high-efficiency (HE) detergent and use less of it.
- Fabric softener buildup: Softeners are animal-fat based and stick to pipes. Swap liquid softener for wool dryer balls or vinegar in the rinse cycle.
- Damp drum: If you leave the door closed between washes, bacteria breeds fast. Always leave the door or lid slightly ajar.
Should You Call a Pro?
Cleaning a washer is usually a DIY job. However, if you detect a burning smell, loud grinding noises, or if the machine isn’t draining despite a clean filter, it’s time to call a professional.
If you have a serious mold issue inside the mechanics of the machine that you cannot reach, a technician may need to dismantle the tub to clean it manually. Check your warranty first, as some service plans cover maintenance visits.
FAQs
Clean Machine, Clean Clothes
A clean washer is what gives you genuinely clean clothes. Twenty minutes of maintenance a month clears out the mold, film, and odor that otherwise end up back on your laundry, and it helps the machine last longer.
Match the method to the job: vinegar and baking soda for routine upkeep, bleach when mold has taken hold, and never the two together. Then leave the door open between loads and clear the filter now and then, and that musty smell stays gone for good.
