How to Clean a Washing Machine: Drum, Seal, Drawer and Filter

How to clean a washing machine, when it is the thing that is supposed to clean everything else? A musty smell, grey marks in the door seal or a slimy detergent drawer are the usual signs that it is time. The good news: the whole job is four steps and needs no special tools.

Below: the door seal, the drawer, the pump filter and the drum, in the order that makes sense. We do not sell cleaning products, so our advice on cleaners stays general: what your machine tolerates is in its manual.

Before you start: safety and what you need

Switch the machine off and unplug it before any step you do by hand. Wear gloves when you use cleaning products, keep the room aired and never mix different cleaners, especially chlorine-based ones with anything else: mixing can release harmful fumes.

What you need:

• Old towels and a cloth, plus a soft brush or an old toothbrush.
• A cleaner your manual allows. Many manufacturers name a dedicated cleaner or programme. Household remedies do not suit every machine, so check first.
• Something flat for the filter water. More on that in step 3.

Step 1: the door seal

The rubber seal around the door is where most of the smell starts. Water, lint and hair collect in its folds and stay there between washes.

1. Open the door and gently pull back the fold of the seal, all the way round.
2. Take out whatever you find: hair, lint, coins, a lost sock.
3. Wipe the folds with a damp cloth and a little of your cleaner, then again with clean water.
4. Dry the seal with a dry cloth. A dry seal is the best protection against the smell coming back.

Do not scrub the rubber with anything abrasive or sharp. A damaged seal can leak, and that is a job for a service technician.

Step 2: the detergent drawer

Detergent and softener residue builds up into a sticky layer in the drawer and in the recess behind it, and mould likes exactly that spot.

1. Pull the drawer out. On many machines it comes out completely once you press a release tab, often in the softener compartment; your manual shows where it is.
2. Rinse it under warm running water and brush out the corners and the softener insert.
3. Look into the empty recess and wipe the walls and the top with a cloth or brush.
4. Let the drawer dry before you slide it back in.

Read also: Washing Machine Not Draining? How to Clean the Pump Filter · Housewarming Gifts That Suit Any New Home: Decor Ideas

Step 3: the pump filter, briefly

The pump filter behind the small flap at the bottom front catches what gets through the drum: lint, hair, coins, hair clips. When it clogs, the machine drains slowly and can smell. The catch: the moment you unscrew it, the water left in the machine heads for the floor.

We have a separate step-by-step guide on how to clean the pump filter when the washing machine is not draining. The short version: unplug, lay down towels, put something flat under the flap, unscrew the filter slowly, clean and rinse it, screw it back in until it stops and check that it does not leak.

For the "something flat" we print catch trays that slide under the flap. Brand names are given only to say what they fit: these are not original manufacturer parts.

All three are printed from PLA in black, white, grey or sakura. For other brands we honestly have no tray shaped to fit: a flat baking tray and towels will do.

Step 4: clean the washing machine drum

The drum comes last, because the cycle rinses out whatever you loosened in the seal and the drawer. To clean the washing machine drum:

1. Check that the drum is empty and that nothing is stuck in the holes or behind the paddles.
2. Choose the drum-clean programme if your machine has one. If not, run the hottest programme without laundry, as your manual recommends.
3. Add the cleaner your manual allows, in the dose and compartment it gives. One product, never a mix.
4. After the cycle, wipe the drum and the seal dry and leave the door open.

An honest note: an empty hot cycle freshens the machine, but it does not fix everything. If the smell or dark spots come back quickly, or water stays in the drum, the cause may sit deeper, for example in the drain hose or the pump. That is worth a technician's look.

How to keep the machine clean for longer

• Leave the door and the drawer ajar after washing so the inside can dry.
• Take the laundry out straight away rather than leaving it in the drum for hours.
• Empty the pockets before washing. Coins and hair clips end up in the filter.

The trays live in our Practical Home collection, next to other small helpers. For the bathroom there is also the sheep toilet paper holder: a standard roll becomes a sheep about 14 cm tall that stands on its own, with nothing to drill. If you would rather decorate than clean, have a look at Home Decor.

Questions about cleaning a washing machine

How often should I clean my washing machine?

The manual gives the interval for your model. Outside that routine, clean it whenever it starts to smell, the seal or the drawer looks dirty, or the machine drains slowly.

Which cleaner should I use?

The one your manual recommends, for example a dedicated washing machine cleaner or a drum-clean programme. One product at a time, never a mix.

Are your trays original Bosch or Samsung parts?

No. They are Kahaus products, printed by us in Poland. Brand names only show which machines they fit.

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