I Cleaned My Washing Machine for the First Time in Years and Now It’s Like New—Here’s How I Did It

I’m writing this article anonymously because I feel an immense amount of shame regarding how long it had been since I last cleaned my washing machine (read: not once since purchasing). It was one of those things that I just kept putting off until I was sure I would need to buy a new one and start over. But, before I broke the news to my husband that we would be investing a hefty sum into a new front load washer, I decided to give the whole cleaning thing a go.

I’ll be honest with you—it wasn’t pretty. Half the problem was the fact that we have a long-haired dog who sheds his winter coat for 10 months out of the year (you tell me how that is possible). I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say, there was a lot of fur, a lot of grime, and a lot of holding my breath through the process, but it was worth it. And I lived to tell the tale. I used this article as a jumping off point, but definitely tailored my cleaning process to my specific machine. Here are all the details on how I finally cleaned my front load washing machine. Do some research on your model before determining how to clean your washing machine.

What You’ll Need

White cleaning vinegar (you’ll only need a few cups)
Old (but clean) rags
Bowls
Kitchen gloves
Toothbrush
Baking soda

Step 1: Clean Detergent and Softener Drawer

As you might imagine, mine was a gloopy mess. I removed the whole drawer and took apart the pieces. I filled my sink with a mixture of hot water and white vinegar (probably about half a cup) and let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes. I scrubbed the remaining residue, rinsed, and let it air dry while I tackled the new few steps.

Step 2: Clean the Gasket

This was by far my least favorite part. I used a rag dipped in vinegar to thoroughly wipe down the inside of the rubber gasket where all kinds of fur, mold, and other unidentifiable grime had taken up residence. I applied the vinegar pretty liberally and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it clean. I found that method to be helpful as far as dislodging the yucky stuff. After the gasket was clean, I gave it one more wipe-down with a damp, warm cloth.

*Note: Make sure you’re working in a well-ventilated area so those vinegar fumes don’t get to you. They can be quite potent.

Step 3: Clean the Interior of the Door and the Exterior of the Machine

I used vinegar on the inside part of the door, but opted for good old-fashioned Lysol All Purpose Cleaner for the exterior of the machine. By the time I was finished, it looked brand new.

Step 3: Clean the Filter

There’s a little door at the bottom of my washing machine that says, “Clean filter once every two months.” Shame. This is where I was sure to follow the instructions from the manufacturer to a T: Unplug the unit from the electrical socket, take out the tubing, remove the cap, drain water into a bowl (keep an extra one or two nearby for backup). I’m going to pause here and tell you how stinky that water was. My toddler and husband even commented and they’re both typically blissfully unaware of strange odors of any kind.

Once the water had been drained, I left the cap off the tubing and removed the filter cover and filter itself. I used the flashlight on my phone to peer into the drain pump to make sure there wasn’t anything clogging near the back. Then I returned to my sink full of hot water and vinegar and gave the filter a good soak and subsequent scrubbing with the now labeled “washing machine” toothbrush. Once it was dry, I snapped it back in place, put the caps back on both the tubing and the filter, and closed the filter cover. You’ll want to make sure everything is closed and secured properly or else your machine could leak or malfunction. Again, especially for this step, be sure to consult your owner’s manual on the proper technique for cleaning.

Step 4: Replace Detergent Drawer

I reassembled my detergent and softener unit and slid it back into the machine. I’m writing this as its own step just so that you can feel the accomplishment of completing another task. These little victories in life are important.

Step 5: Run on Highest Setting

Add two cups of vinegar to the detergent slot, then run on the highest setting, with the hottest level of water. Listen to that swish, swish, swishing and pat yourself on the back because you’re almost there.

Step 6: Add Baking Soda

Once the vinegar cycle is finished, add ½ a cup of baking soda to the machine—directly in the drum. Run on the highest settings again.

Step 7: Give It One Last Wipe Down

You will be tempted to skip this step as I was. It was 9 at night and my alarm was already set for my 5:15 wake-up call the next morning. I managed to get myself out of bed and wiped the drum down with a dry cloth and was glad I did. A few flips of the towel and I was able to wipe away the last remaining sediment.

Be sure to look up your owner’s manual before committing to a cleaning process for how to clean your front load washing machine—and do keep in mind that it’s a completely different cleaning process for a top-load.