Set the washer to the highest level and the hottest water temperature. Add two cups of white cleaning vinegar to detergent dispenser. Run the washer through a complete cycle.
Measure out two cups of distilled white vinegar and pour them directly into your washing machine's liquid detergent dispenser. Set your front-loading machine on its longest cycle with the hottest water.
Use Vinegar as a DIY Washing Machine Cleaner
If you have the all clear, pour 2 cups of vinegar into your detergent dispenser and run your washer on the hot cycle. "When it is complete, add a half-cup of baking soda to the drum and run another hot cycle," she says.
Fill the drum with a ½ cup of baking soda and a quart of vinegar and run a wash cycle containing just a couple of clean hand towels (many manufacturers don't recommend running the washer completely empty).
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.
The results will be exactly the same, however white vinegar is most definitely the more environmentally option (and it's more affordable too). Just remember to never mix the both bleach and vinegar together or even use them at the same time, as this can cause a dangerous reaction and release chlorine gas.
Mix half a cup of water and ¼ cup baking soda into a small bowl. Add the solution to the detergent container of the washing machine. Pour 2 cups of vinegar into the drum. Close the door and set the washing machine to a normal load at the hottest water setting.
Fill the washer with water, but stop the cycle before the agitator starts. Add four cups of chlorine bleach and then run the complete cycle. Use vinegar to clean any dispensers. Then fill the washer with hot water once more.
Add four cups of bleach to a top-loading machine or two cups to a front-loader. Run a wash cycle at the highest temperature and let the tub fill. Pause the wash cycle once the bleach has mixed with the water. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes before finishing the cycle.
If you haven't been cleaning your washer regularly, you are probably creating the perfect environment for bacteria growth! There are a lot of things that can be causing a bacteria buildup including food, pet fur, detergent residue,and even fecal matter.
Now, don't confuse distilled with basic white vinegar, which is stronger and has up to 25% acetic acid. That vinegar is sold exclusively for cleaning purposes and is not a good idea to ingest. However, beyond cooking, distilled white vinegar can be used for many of the same household chores.
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the final rinse cycle of your washing machine. If you are washing blankets and comforters, add two cups of vinegar to the final rinse.
Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to the final rinse will result in brighter, clearer colors. Add it to the fabric softener dispenser, or add it manually at the beginning of the rinse cycle, if your washer gives you that option.
Adding baking soda or vinegar to your laundry can help you clean both your washing machine and your garments better. Both of these pantry staples are an effective and inexpensive way to remove mildew odors, soften fabrics, and even brighten your whites.
For front-load washers, add ⅓ cup of baking soda to the drum and one cup of distilled white vinegar to the detergent tray. For a top-loading machine, add half a cup of baking soda and 2 cups of distilled white vinegar when it is half full. Let the cycle finish.
If your drum has a build-up of dirt or detergent, it can smell musty inside. Most washing machines have maintenance wash settings, or you can run it on a hot wash whilst it's empty. Adding half a cup of distilled vinegar to your drum before the maintenance wash is a great way to neutralise any odours.
Nasty smells in your washing machine are caused by a combination of mould, mildew and bacteria. When you put clothes in your machine, body oil, dirt, hair, and scum get trapped in the gasket, seal, and detergent dispenser.
Add two cups of white cleaning vinegar to detergent dispenser. Run the washer through a complete cycle. Run another cycle on the highest level and at the hottest water temperature, this time adding 1/2 a cup of baking soda to the drum. When the cycle is done, wipe inside drum of washer with a damp microfiber cloth.
Add ¾ cup of white vinegar OR ¾ cup non-chlorinated bleach (not both!) to the bleach dispenser or fill to its max level. Allow the cycle to run until it has completed. To ensure that no vinegar remains in your washer, manually select an additional rinse cycle if your washer does not have a 2nd rinse cycle selection.