While your washing machine tirelessly cleans your clothes, it accumulates grime, detergent residue, and bacteria over time—especially with kids in the house. If it's been two years since your last deep clean, this expert guide will restore it to peak condition.
All you need are baking soda and white vinegar for a natural, effective clean. Follow these steps, trusted by homeowners for spotless results.
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Toothbrush
- Microfiber cloth
1. Run an empty cycle on the longest program at the highest temperature.
2. While the machine fills, open the lid and pour in 1 liter of white vinegar.
3. Add about 1 cup of baking soda to the drum. Close the lid and run for 1 minute.
Reopen the lid and let the water, vinegar, and baking soda soak for 1 hour.
4. During the soak, remove detachable parts like detergent and fabric softener trays. Soak them in white vinegar, scrub thoroughly, dry, and reinstall.
Use a vinegar-dipped toothbrush for tight spots, such as the detergent drawer, seal edges, and lid frame.
Wipe the exterior front and sides, but keep the lid open.
5. After 1 hour, close the lid and complete the cycle. Meanwhile, clean the top and controls with a microfiber cloth and vinegar.
6. Run another high-temperature empty cycle with 1 liter of white vinegar to remove remaining residue.
7. Once finished, wipe the drum sides and bottom with vinegar for a final polish.
Your washing machine is now sparkling clean! This natural method using baking soda and vinegar outperforms bleach or specialty products—no Calgon needed.
It works for top-loaders like yours and front-loaders too, across brands including Indesit, Siemens, and Samsung.
If the lid locks during the cycle, pause the machine. Add vinegar and baking soda via the detergent drawer, pause for 1 hour, then resume. For the second cycle, add vinegar to the drawer and complete empty.
