Gazzo recommends cleaning your washing machine regularly and deep cleaning it every three to four months. AD shares top cleaning secrets for how to deep clean both front-load washers and top-loading washers using a DIY cleaning solution of white vinegar and baking soda.
Vinegar is sometimes used as a fabric softener or for getting rid of stains and odors in laundry. But as with dishwashers, it can damage the rubber seals and hoses in some washing machines to the point of causing leaks.
Thanks to a high concentration of acetic acid, white vinegar makes a powerful cleaning agent that kills germs, gets rid of odors and rinses away dirt and grease. And it does most of the cleaning for you: simply pour it into your machine, turn on the wash cycle and let it do the rest.
Using vinegar in laundry will whiten, brighten, reduce odors, and soften clothes without harsh chemicals. Vinegar is inexpensive, and it's safe to use in both standard and high-efficiency washers. When buying vinegar for laundry, choose distilled white vinegar.
Before going further, we have to warn you: adding vinegar or baking soda to the wash along with your laundry detergent increases the risk of poorer cleaning performance, as detergents are optimized for a specific pH level, which is altered by the presence of these two household additives in the wash.
Add two cups of white cleaning vinegar to detergent dispenser. Run it through a complete cycle. Run another cycle on the highest level and at the hottest water temperature, this time adding one-half cup of baking soda to the drum. When cycle is done, wipe inside drum of washer with a damp microfiber cloth.
If you're wondering how to wash towels or clothes that may have a bad odor, then adding 1/4 to 1 cup of vinegar to the washer during the last rinse cycle will get rid of the scent quickly. 'It will remove the smells without making your clothes smell like vinegar,' Cristy says.
How to use vinegar in laundry. For laundry: Add up to 1 cup of distilled white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment of your washing machine and run the load on a regular cycle, says Maker.
Vinegar doesn't sanitize or disinfect
When you're cleaning to eliminate the germs that cause colds, flus & viruses, you'll want to shelve your vinegar mix. The reason is that vinegar is not an EPA registered disinfectant or sanitizer, which means you can't count on vinegar to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
Vinegar is actually just as good as fabric softener at making your clothes nice and soft. Unlike fabric softener, vinegar does not have harsh chemicals or leave a residue.
Add two cups of white vinegar and let the cycle run. (If you have a front load washer, pour the vinegar into the detergent dispenser.) For an extra-clean washing machine, repeat the cycle with a half-cup of baking soda. You'll also need to hand-wash the top portion of the agitator and basin above the water line.
Vinegar can be used to clean your front load washing machine whether it's a high-efficiency machine or not. The vinegar will help remove any mold, mildew, and soap scum lurking in your machine. This will help to remove any odor your washing machine has. It also helps to keep your washing machine draining properly.
It is safe for natural rubber seals and any parts made from polypropelene, silicone, fluorocarbon, and virgin Teflon, as well as butyl synthetic rubber seals. Distilled white vinegar usually measures between 2.4-3.5 depending on the brand.
The only difference between cleaning vinegar and the distilled white vinegar is their levels of acidity. White vinegar is usually 95 percent water and 5 percent acid. By contrast, cleaning vinegar contains up to six percent acid and is around 20 percent stronger than regular white vinegar.
Cleaning vinegar can be used undiluted or mixed with water, depending on the job. For tough stains on fabric furniture or clothes, use cleaning vinegar alone on a sponge or rag to wipe away the spot.
The vinegar will absorb the odor (your room will smell a bit like salad for a few days, but it's worth it) and over time the smell will dissipate.
The smell of freshly-washed laundry doesn't have to be short-lived. There are a few simple tips and tricks that can help stop you from stinky laundry. Try using vinegar, coffee grounds, dryer sheets, a clean laundry basket, so you can enjoy clean-smelling clothes for weeks to come.
Use four cups of plain white (not apple cider) vinegar to a top-load machine or two cups to a front-load model. Pour the vinegar into the drum. Run a high-temperature cycle. (You may pause the wash and allow the mixture to soak for 30 minutes for a deeper clean.)
Any colored clothing item that has become dulled can be brightened by soaking it in 1 gallon warm water and 1 cup vinegar. Follow this with a clear water rinse. Yellowing: When hand washing linen, wool, or silk, prevent them from yellowing by adding 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse water.
Spray a small amount of bleach-based mould cleaner onto a microfibre cloth. Thoroughly wipe the entire circumference of the washing machine seal. Make sure you get into the folds of the rubber seal with the microfibre cloth to wipe the black mould away.
Add two cups of white vinegar to the powder drawer, run on a 40 degree cycle. The bleach will have done a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to cleaning your machine, but the white vinegar will just remove any leftover odours.
Vinegar is a safe and natural fabric softener. You can use it in place of a fabric softener, I do it all the time. I add it to the fabric softener spot on my washer and let it do it's thing. You're going to love how soft your towels are and they won't smell like vinegar at all once dry.
The main culprit for towels losing their magical softness is residue from detergents and body oils that build up within the fabric. This buildup of left-over products will cause stiffness and a rough, crackly feeling. These remnants from products also diminish your towel's ability to absorb moisture.
Add Baking Soda
Mix half a cup of baking soda along with a normal detergent dose for fluffier and cleaner towels. Baking soda also naturally eliminates musty and mildew smells that come from towels remaining damp for too long.