The Great Appliance Clean-Up: How to Clean Your Washer and Dryer

For a more in-depth cleaning, start the hottest cycle available. Once the tub fills with water, add two cups of bleach and allow the cycle to complete. When finished, open the door to allow the washer to air out.

For those nasty, stinky washers, do the above. Once completed, mix 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup water together and pour into the detergent compartment in the detergent drawer. Next, add 2 cups of white distilled vinegar to the washer drum. Run the hottest cycle and allow the baking soda and vinegar to do it’s magic. Once finished, scrub the inside of the drum with a non-abrasive sponge (the blue ones) and clean the inside seal of the washer. The seal is where the majority of the nastiness from the front load washers come from.

Keeping your front load washer clean

Now that you’ve removed the gunk from your front load washer, it’s time to keep it clean. Luckily, this is not hard to do. After each laundry batch (whether it’s one load or 10), wipe the inside of the seal, removing any water or debris. Next, leave the door open for a few minutes to allow the washer to air out. Finally, clean around the detergent drawer to wipe up any spillage that may have occurred. That’s it. Easy peasy.

How to Clean Your Washer and Dryer: The Dryer

While cleaning your top load or front load washer, you can begin cleaning your dryer.

First things first, clean the filter

We all know that you should clean your lint filter after every load but most of us don’t. Clearly those of us who don’t haven’t seen this video.

Ok, now that you’ve seen that, MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN YOUR LINT TRAP AFTER EVERY LOAD.

Luckily, this is the easiest thing you will clean. Simply pull out the lint trap and remove any lint. If you haven’t cleaned your lint trap in awhile, grab a rag and wipe down the lint trap. If you haven’t cleaned your lint trap in FOREVER, then grab a vacuum hose and suck out any remaining lint inside the lint trap compartment. Wipe the entire compartment down with a damp rag and replace the trap. That’s it!

How to Clean Your Washer and Dryer: Conclusion

Cleaning your top load or front load washer and dryer is one of the easier tasks you will have. This easy maintenance will not only keep your washer and dryer functioning properly, but will keep your clothes smelling their best.