What to do with your washing machine every month so that it works well for many years

Hard water, small particles from the laundry, and organic contaminants such as mold and bacteria are not conducive to clean internal parts of the washing machine. Due to their accumulation, it can even break down. That is why the appliance needs regular maintenance, which can significantly extend its service life. However, you need to know how to clean your washing machine properly and how often to do it.

OBOZREVATEL has collected all the key tips for home maintenance of your washing machine. Repeat these procedures once a month or several months and it will last much longer. You most likely already have the means to care for the appliance at home.

Cleaning the filter

Every washing machine is equipped with a filter that collects solid particles that end up in the water during operation. These can be fabric fibers, animal hair, hair, small items from pockets, sand, etc. Over time, it becomes clogged with such dirt and this leads to a deterioration in the quality of the machine. It takes longer than the programmed time, spins out clothes worse, starts vibrating strongly, or does not unlock the door for a long time after the cycle is complete.

To clean the filter, remove the panel behind the filter cover. It is usually located at the bottom of the appliance. For machines with a vertical load, it is located in the drum. You can find out more from the instructions for your model. Before unscrewing the lid, place a thick cloth or a bowl under it. There is always a small amount of water in the filter that will need to be collected. Unscrew the lid slightly, wait until all the water has drained, and twist the filter completely. Clean it from dirt, rinse it thoroughly under running water and screw it back on. Then reattach the panel.

Descaling the heater and drum

The tubular electric heater (TEG) and the washing machine drum are affected by salts in the tap water. It settles on them in the form of scale. And the harder the water, the faster it accumulates. It is difficult to determine its presence because scale accumulates on internal parts.

You need to descale your machine regularly and often enough to prevent the formation of a thick layer. It can be dealt with when the amount of scale is small. When a lot of it accumulates, the dirt should be removed mechanically, which requires disassembling the appliance.

Acidic products work well with salts contained in water. Therefore, you will need citric acid to clean the machine. You can also take any chlorine bleach. It will, among other things, disinfect internal parts.

Pour the acid into the detergent compartment. You will need about 2-3 tablespoons of the product. The bleach is poured into the drum. For one cleaning, you need to take 100-200 ml of liquid. After that, you need to run the longest wash cycle with an additional rinse while selecting a high temperature. There should be no clothes in the machine as acid and bleach can damage them irreparably. This rinse should be done about once every 3-4 months.

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