After some time, we’re finally back to talking about our beloved washing machine ! An indispensable, comfortable, high-performance appliance… but which can also give us a hard time, especially when we notice bad smells, there are traces of mold or even notice the presence of limescale!
There are many natural remedies for cleaning the washing machine . But today I thought I’d talk to you about the ones that I always use , and that over time I’ve been able to see that they really work , at least for me.
Hydrogen peroxide for quick cleaning
Discovering hydrogen peroxide and using it in an alternative way has helped many of my cleaning tasks. Before, it was always in the pantry with medicines and plasters, and years ago I never would have thought that it could be useful for blood stains on the mattress or mold in the shower .
Given its disinfected but delicate properties (I use the classic supermarket hydrogen peroxide, at 3% ), it is also useful for quickly sanitizing the washing machine and preventing mold from appearing in places such as the gasket .
I simply put it on a damp microfibre cloth and, with the washing machine switch off , I clean the entire inside of the drum, also dabbing well into the seal . I rinse with a clean cloth, then let it dry completely.
A small gesture that always helps me : I try to leave the door ajar at the end of each wash, in order to avoid the accumulation of humidity. I usually always have a rag in the laundry ready to wipe up any excess water in the gasket.
Citric acid for empty washes
One cannot fail to mention citric acid when talking about cleaning the washing machine . This compound is one of the truly valid remedies for cleaning the house. And it’s incredibly versatile!
Even a simple solution with 150 g of citric acid in 1 liter of demineralised water can be used for many things, for example:
- as a rinse aid for the dishwasher
- as an alternative to industrial dishwasher care
- as a natural softener
- as a drain-dissolving solution .
And of course let’s not forget the use of citric acid as an ecological washing machine cleaner ! Simply pour half of the solution instead of the detergent, half directly into the drum . Then you need to start a vacuum wash at a higher temperature . At the end of the wash, open the door and let it air. So goodbye limescale and bad smells!
But if you want, you can also put 200g of pure citric acid directly into the basket. It is important that the wash is long and at high temperatures, to have an optimal result.
Percarbonate for sanitizing
One of the remedies that I never miss is sodium percarbonate . Its whitening nature, in contact with hot water, releases oxygen, also promoting a sanitizing action. Its main use is to whiten clothes without using bleach :
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It is no coincidence that when I have to wash tea towels , sheets or other light-coloured items with resistant fabric, I always put (depending on the load) one or two spoons of percarbonate directly into the basket . Percarbonate is at its best as an additive, but it needs a temperature above 40 degrees to release oxygen. At the end of the wash, the tea towels return to a pure white.
But I found that the sanitizing properties of percarbonate could also be useful for cleaning the washing machine drum in general. So I thought: why not use them in a vacuum wash?
I inserted just two measuring spoons of percarbonate directly into the basket and started the empty wash at 90 degrees. Washing at high temperatures already helps to sanitize the entire washing machine. The presence of percarbonate will enhance this effect.
Small practices for a washing machine that is always like new
Over time, some small practices that I have learned have helped me to always keep my washing machine in excellent condition:
- always keep it , and I mean always, dry. In this way I almost never notice a smell or mold stains;
- use, when possible, washes of both the right temperature and the right duration . Short washing often does not mean more appropriate washing. Indeed, the dirt may not go away and may settle on the washing machine itself.
- moderate the quantity of ecological detergents and prefer quality ones.