Today we can hardly imagine our life without a home assistant - a washing machine. She significantly saves our time and takes care of women's hands, eliminating the effects of detergents and rinses, which can dry the skin and cause allergies.
In the process of using the machine, limescale deposits form on its heating element. This is fraught with low-quality operation of the device and even its failure. To ensure the smooth operation of the machine, you need to descale it from time to time.
What is harmful to the washing machine?
Unfortunately, tap water is very hard because it contains many different salts. During washing, when the water heats up, these substances settle on the internal parts of the machine. Especially a lot of limescale deposits on the heating element. As a result, it takes more and more time to heat up, and it starts to consume more and more energy.
In addition, the use of some powders adversely affects the condition of the machine: the presence of a large amount of chemicals contributes to the appearance of contaminants inside the machine, which hinders its operation.
At some point, the heating element may burn out, and then expensive repairs will be required, and may even have to buy a new "washing machine".
In addition, if the machine has not been used for a long time and has been left with the door tightly closed in a poorly ventilated room with high humidity, mold may form in it. This is not only damaging to home appliances. Mold spores have a detrimental effect on human health and stain the linen during subsequent washing, leaving stains on it.
Timely cleaning of the device will prevent these unpleasant phenomena... And by using vinegar, you can achieve two goals at the same time. You will be able to get rid of limescale and mold, as mold is afraid of acidic environments. Also, this product will help get rid of unpleasant odors and other contaminants that appear after long-term use.
Cleaning with acetic acid
A washing machine is an expensive item and must be handled with care. Therefore, it should be cleaned regularly.
It's easy enough to do it at home. Hardware stores offer a variety of tools that can handle the task easily. Detailed instructions are attached to them. But often these funds are expensive, and many people do not even realize that there are very effective tools that are always at hand, and the price of which is low.
Acetic acid is one of them. Any housewife has this product in the house, and you can also buy it at any grocery store for mere pennies. The procedure is not difficult at all, you just need to do it right.
First of all, the correct dose of the product must be observed. You also need to carefully choose its variety: do not use concentrated vinegar essence.It will not clean up more efficiently, but it can damage the machine. When using a strong concentration of vinegar, rubber parts will suffer, as they will begin to harden, and then they will begin to crumble.
For the procedure, take the usual 9% table vinegar. Two glasses of the product will be enough. You do not need to add any other products or detergents.
Before carrying out the procedure, remove all things from the machine so as not to spoil them, and pour the product into the drum. Then turn on the machine for the longest cycle with the highest temperature. The higher the temperature, the more effective the vinegar is. Therefore, you do not need a rinse mode - it takes place in cool water.
After a while (10-15 minutes), when the water is well heated, the machine should be stopped for a sufficiently long period of time. If you do not run the clipper often, wait 1-2 hours. With frequent use or long service life, the time should be increased. This is necessary in order for the vinegar to penetrate into the small parts of the heating element. Then turn on the device again and wait until the end of the cycle.
If the machine has been in operation for a long time, and you have not cleaned the inside, then the procedure should be repeated. Allow the unit to “rest” for 1-2 hours and start the cycle with vinegar again.
Run a quick wash or rinse cycle to completely wash the inside of the machine and remove any remaining limescale deposits. This will help get rid of the odor that comes with the vinegar wash.
If you decide to start a wash cycle, you can add a little washing powder or softener with a pleasant scent.
End of cleaning
So, you have cleaned the machine from the scale that has formed inside. Now you should finish cleaning - wash those places where the vinegar could not get. For example, dirt accumulates in the tray in which you pour powder and rinse aid. It also needs to be cleaned in a timely manner.
Prepare a deep container. Its depth must be sufficient to submerge the tray completely. Pour into a container of hot water and add 1.5 cups of vinegar. The water must be hot for the vinegar to work better.
Gently pull the tray out of the tray. In products of different brands, the tray can be removed in different ways, so read the instructions on how to do it correctly.
Now lower the tray into the container with the solution and let sit for a few hours. Then use a sponge to clean the tray. For hard-to-reach areas, use a toothbrush or old toothbrush.
When finished, rinse the tray under running water and dry with a clean cloth.
When you pull out the tray, you will see that there is also a lot of dirt, rust and powder residues in the compartment. Dampen a rag with vinegar and wash the compartment. This is not very easy to do, because there are many different protrusions and recesses in it. Other non-abrasive cleaners and a brush can be used as needed. Then wipe the compartment clean with a clean, damp cloth. The tray can now be reinserted into it.
Another action required is cleaning the sealing rubber. Underneath it not only dust and dirt accumulate. Mold can form there due to the presence of moisture. It is because of her that an unpleasant smell can appear.
Carefully pull back the rubber and use a cloth dampened with vinegar to remove any dirt to prevent damage. Do not use high concentration vinegar.
Even a small amount of product in the solution will be enough to get rid of mold and harmful microorganisms.
The final step will be to clean the filter and drain pump. The filter can collect dust, fine fabric fibers, wool, and sometimes even buttons and coins. The filter is located at the bottom of the machine. It is usually hidden by a panel.
In the instruction manual you will find instructions on how to remove the panel and open the filter. Before unscrewing it, place a low container under the machine to collect the remaining water.Open the filter cover and remove the dirt. After wiping the hole, you can close it and install the panel back.
If the installation method allows, also rinse the drain hose.
other methods
There are other readily available and inexpensive cleaning products that you can find at home or in your local stores.
Soda cleaning
For example, you can use baking soda to clean your washing machine. You can use both calcined and regular food.
Make a "gruel" with one part water and one part baking soda. Process the drum, tray, tray compartment, sealing rubber with the resulting mixture. Leave the compound on surfaces for about half an hour. Then rub them with a sponge or soft cloth and start the quick wash cycle.
Baking soda is an excellent water softener, so it is advisable to add it when washing.Pour two tablespoons of this product into the tray along with the washing powder. In addition to softening hard water, baking soda helps to deal with stubborn stains on cotton laundry.
However, when washing wool, silk and other delicate fabrics, adding soda is contraindicated.
Citric acid cleaning
The washing machine can also be cleaned with citric acid. It is used both as an independent agent and in combination with soda or acetic acid.
Pour about 100-150 grams of the product into the powder tray (you can add a small amount directly to the drum) and start a long wash cycle with a high temperature. Be sure to remove the laundry from the drum, otherwise the acid will severely damage it.
Do not use lemon juice for descaling. Although it tastes extremely sour, it will not be acidic enough to descale your machine, and you will be completely useless.
Preventive maintenance of the machine
So that your assistant will serve you for a long time without breakdowns, some preventive measures must be followed:
- Wipe the drum, tray and tray compartment dry each time you start the machine. Wipe off the sealing rubber especially carefully. By gently pushing back, remove any remaining moisture and dirt from under it to avoid musty odors and later mold.
- After wiping the tray, do not insert it directly back into the machine to provide airflow to dry the inside of the machine. For the same purpose, leave the door ajar for several hours after washing.
- Remember to use water hardness softeners and anti-scale compounds, especially if you are running a high temperature wash cycle. Use quality detergents from reputable manufacturers.
- Do not exceed the required dosage of detergents. To do this, carefully read the instructions, which are usually found on the packaging.
- Descale the clipper regularly with vinegar, baking soda, citric acid or another cleaner. Remember to clean the filter.
- When putting things in the drum, button all the buttons and turn the garment inside out. Be sure to check your pockets for items that could ruin your clothes or clog your machine.
- Do not wash laundry unnecessarily at very high temperatures. It is with them that intensive scale formation occurs on the heating element.
Do not leave the washed laundry for a long time in the machine, try to immediately take it out and hang it up to dry, or at least transfer it to a basin. A warm, humid environment can encourage the growth of pathogenic microbes, fungi and mold.
Household appliances should always be clean, because the quality of their work depends on this. Now there are many different cleaning agents for cleaning, but experienced housewives prefer cheap vinegar, rather than expensive chemicals.
What problems does vinegar fight
Vinegar is a very corrosive agent that is effective against mold, which often appears in washing machines. The solution quickly "corrodes" plaque and dirt and promotes their removal from the device, and a strong smell can kill the putrid "aroma" in one cleaning. In addition to these positive qualities, it should be noted that the product is cheap and affordable. And the disadvantages of vinegar can only be attributed to its pungent smell, which will have to be weathered for some time.
You can use table vinegar to clean your washing machine.
Any cleaning agent should only be used in certain dosages. This also applies to vinegar: at an excessively high concentration, it aggressively affects the rubber elements of the machine. At first, they become hard, and then completely break, leading to serious damage. This does not improve the cleaning performance. At the correct concentration, the product does not harm any part of the machine.
From my own experience, I can say that vinegar is in many ways superior to other cleaning agents, since its solution does not corrode the skin as much as chemicals, and the smell, although sharp, is safer for the body than professional drugs. Although you can't stand over the machine and breathe in vapors.
Instructions for using vinegar to clean the washing machine
Vinegar can be used to clean both the inside of the appliance and the outside.
To clean the inside of the machine, do the following:
Pour solution into all sections of the powder tray
Fabric fibers, small debris and scale particles get into the drain filter, they must be removed
Vinegar perfectly removes even very "old" scale To remove external contamination, do the following:
Scale and other types of contamination can be successfully removed with one concentration. Do not experiment with increasing it - you risk being left without a car at all.
Vinegar can be replaced with any professional product (for example, Calgon), but it is not a fact that chemistry will be more effective. Be that as it may, remember the most important rule - do not use several tools at the same time: work items will literally melt from such cleaning. From folk remedies, soda and citric acid are very effective. They can be used in place of vinegar or at the same time for maximum effect.
Vinegar and soda is a "killer" mixture for any scale, and together with citric acid, dirt will have no chance Every household appliance must be looked after and preventive cleaning from dirt must be carried out from time to time. This is necessary in order for the home helper to serve as long as possible. The washing machine is no exception, which is why a reasonable question arises: "How to clean the washing machine with vinegar?" It is not difficult to clean a washing machine with vinegar, but you need to take into account all the advantages and disadvantages, as well as the possible consequences of this method.
During the use of the washing machine, due to the high temperatures on the metallic elements of the structure, scale or plaque may form, which increases the degree of heating of the device during use. This is due to a decrease in the throughput of water, which simply cannot "break through" due to scale. In addition, such a situation significantly increases electricity consumption.
It is important to know: the formation of limescale can soon completely remove the device from its working state due to strong heating.
Cleaning the machine with vinegar. Detailed instructions for the procedure
So, how to clean a washing machine with vinegar. The process of cleaning the machine with vinegar is as follows: 
- The first step is to check if there are things in the drum, since they can quickly deteriorate from exposure to vinegar (paints can fade).
- It is recommended to wear protective rubber gloves before cleaning, as a few drops of vinegar can irritate the skin.
- Next, you need to take a 9% vinegar solution (it will take about 200-250 milliliters, depending on the size of the container for the washing powder) and pour it into the container for the powder.
- Now all that remains is to turn on the washing machine, select the delicate wash mode and set the maximum time. After completing the wash cycle, let the appliance ventilate and wipe it down. It is important to know: in order to reduce the concentration of the bite, you need to take a standard 70% solution (5 teaspoons) and dilute it with 100 milliliters of water.
It is important to know: if there is a pungent smell from the cleaning agent used, then read about how to get rid of it in the testament of this article below.
Advantages and disadvantages of this cleaning method
Cleaning the washing machine with vinegar has its positive and negative sides. Vinegar is a powerful remedy.
Its advantages are that:
- Vinegar is a good cleaner for stubborn limescale and deposits.
- This substance can kill strong odors and mold, which can be caused by scale.
- Vinegar costs much less than similar products.
The disadvantages of this cleaning method include residual and excess odor, which is quite difficult to get rid of. Therefore, in order to minimize it, you need to put the device into rinsing mode several times, and the place where it stands must be ventilated. In order to get rid of the smell, you can use additional flavoring or odor-absorbing substances.
It is worth remembering that vinegar must be used sparingly, as its excessive concentration can lead to destruction of the rubber elements of the machine.
It is important to know: if you take into account the benefits of using vinegar, then we can conclude that this is almost an ideal descaler.
Cleaning trays with vinegar
Limescale and plaque can form not only in the inside of the device, but also on the outside - these are trays for pouring washing powder or adding liquid soap. To completely remove plaque, pour 100 milliliters of 9% vinegar solution into the tray and the same amount of hot water. The solution is left for 8 hours and then drained, the tray is wiped with a dry cloth and dries for several hours.
How to get rid of an unpleasant smell
The main disadvantage of a vinegar peel is an unpleasant smell that remains for a long time. Things can absorb it. In order to prevent such an unpleasant situation, it is recommended that after cleaning with vinegar, pour soda into the drum of the washing machine, as it perfectly absorbs foreign odors.
It is important to know: in order to get rid of the annoying smell, you can pour a detergent with fragrance into the drum and start a soft wash program. The water, together with the detergent, will be heated to the required temperature (up to 65 degrees Celsius) and remove the pungent vinegar smell. It is recommended to repeat this procedure several times.
Preventive measures
In order to prevent the formation of scale and the appearance of plaque, it is advisable to carry out simple preventive measures at least once every few months, which include:
In order for the washing machine to serve as long as possible, the following recommendations must be followed:
- Most home appliance repairmen strongly discourage the use of widely advertised products for special cleaning from plaque, since they are ordinary water softeners in their composition, and in most cases, manufacturers of washing powders add specific chemical elements.
- During washing, you should not heat the water to the limit values \u200b\u200b(this is 75-85 degrees Celsius), since it is high temperatures that contribute to the appearance of scale. The optimum temperature level is 50 degrees Celsius.
- The drum and other internal elements of the washing machine must be cleaned every two months. It should also be remembered that it is not recommended to wash too worn out and old things, as pieces of fabric, buttons, threads, etc. can get inside the drum and filters, clogging them and impairing their functioning. Do not forget to check the washing machine drum immediately after washing in order to identify small elements before they enter the filter.
Alternatives
If vinegar is not at hand, then it can be replaced with the following substances: 
- Soda not only fights superb odors, but also removes scale and plaque.
- Citric acid is a concentrated cleaner that allows
quickly clean the washing machine. - Coca-Cola is the most widely used cleaner, which simply needs to be poured into a drum and boiled.
Conclusion
Cleaning the washing machine with a bite acid should be carried out as needed and scale build up. The main rule in carrying out this procedure is the correct dosage of the bite and timely cleaning. In order to carry out as few cleaning procedures as possible, it is recommended to regularly do preventive cleaning of the washing device.
To keep your home appliances in order, you don't have to spend on expensive store supplies or call a specialist. It is quite possible to cope on your own, if you know how to prevent scale. In this case, a ridiculous amount will be spent.
It would seem that there is nothing difficult in cleaning the washing machine with acid. In theory, almost all housewives know how to do this. But in fact, if you miss some points, you can ruin the unit and make it even worse than it was.
Each product and each method of cleaning a washing machine has its own pros and cons. Acetic acid alone cannot harm household appliances. But sometimes small oversights lead to premature wear of the unit. Therefore, before making a choice in favor of the most affordable and inexpensive means, you should weigh the pros and cons and make the right decision.
First, it is worth finding out why many experienced housewives strongly advise getting rid of scale with vinegar, and not any other alternative remedy. The strengths of acetic acid include:
- Availability. For many, the question of the price of a cleaning agent for home appliances is decisive. And rightly so - it is better to clean the washing machine with improvised means than not to clean it at all and bring the device to a deplorable state. A bottle of vinegar can be found in every home, and if not, it is very expensive in the store and is always available. Therefore, if you compare it with professional cleaning products in terms of cost, then vinegar will undoubtedly benefit.
- Versatility. With vinegar, you can remove more than just limescale on the heating element of the washing machine. This substance copes well with mold, eliminates the smell of sewage, which often begins to come from the depths of the unit. In addition, it is suitable for cleaning the laundry detergent tray and exterior surfaces.
- Efficiency. Vinegar really does an excellent job of doing its job and dissolves even very dense scale deposits on the internal elements of the washing machine. If you use it correctly, the machine will be in perfect condition with minimal costs, and no blockages will occur with pieces of loose lime.
Those users who usually used commercial products to care for their washing machine were pleasantly surprised after the first experience with vinegar. It turns out that it is really not at all necessary to spend a decent amount on an expensive composition - you can get by with a penny vinegar solution and get the result no worse.
As for the shortcomings, most often housewives complain about the pungent smell of acid. It remains in the drum of the machine after cleaning and can be absorbed into laundry that will be washed after descaling. But this is hardly a significant drawback and a reason to stop using vinegar. You can simply turn on the machine after cleaning for an additional rinse, and then ventilate it.
You can also hear complaints that after several cleanings with vinegar, the rubber elements of the unit became worn out, hardened and burst. This can really happen. But only if, in pursuit of sterility and an instant effect, the dosage was exceeded, or the descaling procedure is carried out too often.
Step-by-step cleaning of the washing machine with vinegar
The great advantage of just this method of cleaning the automatic washing machine is that at one time you can remove all scale and dirt even on the internal parts of the machine that are difficult to access. How to do it according to all the rules?
- First, you need to prepare the washing machine for the descaling procedure. Preparation consists in examining the drum and removing all the things that are in it. Sometimes a child's sock or scarf goes unnoticed. Basically, this is not a disaster. Some even advise putting old towels and rags in the drum for a smoother cleaning. But experts do not recommend doing this. Vinegar attacks and destroys tissue. Fibers, falling into the filter, will nullify all your efforts and the meaning of cleaning in general. Therefore - all things must be taken out.
- Now it's the vinegar's turn. It should not be poured into the drum, but into the compartment for the washing powder.
- After that, the highest water temperature and the longest wash cycle are selected. It is not worth saving here. Limescale forms during high temperature washing. But it is also destroyed only with this. if you choose a quick wash with a temperature below 65 degrees, there will be no effect.
- And now for the most important point. You need to wait until the water is filled up and heats up, combines with vinegar and the washing phase begins directly. After this has happened, we press pause - and we forget about the typewriter for an hour. Do not be afraid, nothing bad will happen to her.
- An hour later, we unpause the machine and wait for the complete completion of the wash. Hurrying will also reduce the effectiveness of cleaning - the wash must go through completely. If you turn off the appliance before rinsing, the pieces of dissolved lime will remain in the filter or drain hose. That is, cleaning will not be complete and high-quality, and may lead to breakdown of the washing machine.
After finishing washing, be sure not to be too lazy to remove the drain filter and rinse it under running water. If the machine has not been cleaned for a long time, and a lot of scale has accumulated on the heating element, the pieces of lime will probably remain in it. They need to be removed. That's all there is to descaling the machine. Now a little about how to use vinegar to clean the outer surfaces and accessible items.
External cleaning of the washing machine with vinegar
not pure vinegar is used for this procedure, but its solution. It will be enough 500 ml of warm water - a tablespoon of vinegar is dissolved in it. In the resulting liquid, a sponge or linen napkin is moistened and all accessible parts of the automatic washing machine are carefully wiped.
It remains controversial whether or not it is possible to wipe the rubber seals on the door with vinegar. In contact with acid, rubber loses its elasticity and becomes rough. The tightness of the lid may break, and the seal itself will very quickly begin to crack and burst.
But such a nuisance threatens only if you use a concentrated acid solution. If you wipe the seals with a weak vinegar solution, everything will be in order.
For reliability, after all the external elements of the washing machine have been processed, you need to close the drum and turn on the fastest washing mode. This is necessary in order to get rid of the residues of the cleaning agent on the parts of the unit, eliminate the smell and wash out the pieces of lime that may be stuck somewhere.
This completes the cleaning of the washing machine. After the quick wash cycle is completed, you need to open the drum, wipe the machine dry and leave to ventilate.
The most common question that interests almost all users is how often the machine should be cleaned with vinegar. You can answer it this way: the more often and more intensively household appliances are used, the more regular cleaning should be. But at the same time, the unit should not be exposed to acid more than once every two months. Otherwise, rubber and plastic parts wear out quickly.
Vinegar can be used not only to remove scale, but also to prevent scale formation. To do this, it should be added to the detergent for washing, but only in small quantities.
But combining vinegar with other descaling chemicals is strongly discouraged. This can lead to the most undesirable consequences: a chemical reaction will begin, and the internal parts of the machine will simply melt.
If it seems to you that there is too much scale, and it has not all disappeared after cleaning, it is better not to experiment with explosive mixtures, but to repeat the procedure after a few weeks.
As an alternative means, you can no longer use vinegar, but other also available and quite effective substances:
- citric acid;
- baking soda or soda ash;
- copper sulfate.
And for prevention, do not forget to add an emollient to the washing powder with every wash - at least a tablespoon of the same soda. Then the laundry will be softer, and the scale does not form so quickly, and the washing machine will last much longer.
Household appliances such as a microwave oven, stove, refrigerator, washing machine must be cleaned and looked after in a timely manner.
There are a lot of special tools that are stuffed with the shelves of household chemicals stores. However, experienced housewives do not recommend rushing, buying something, and first trying vinegar - an improvised tool that is found in almost every home.
How to use it correctly to clean the washing machine, let's figure it out.
Cleaning the machine: step by step instructions
Attention! Some visitors to our site report that acetic acid can harm the washing machine! Responsibility for any application is entirely yours. You can find feedback on the use of this tool in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Cleaning the inside of the washing machine with vinegar is performed as follows:
- First you need to check the drum for the presence of things and remove everything, if any. Some things can become unusable from vinegar.
- We take 9% table vinegar and pour 200-250 ml into the compartment of the powder tray where the powder is poured.
Before cleaning the machine, wear rubber gloves to prevent accidental contact with vinegar on your skin, which can dry it out.
- We turn on the machine, select the longest wash cycle at high temperature (from 60 to 90 0 С) and start.
- After a while, when the water in the drum heats up, press the pause button on the washing machine and leave it for an hour and a half.
- We turn on the machine to complete the cycle.
- Now it is obligatory to remove scale residues.
- Moisten a cloth (50 ml of vinegar per liter of water) in a weak vinegar solution, wipe the drum and rubber cuff.
- We start a short wash cycle without detergents and cleaning agents in order to surely rinse out all the remains of scale and vinegar particles.
- Wipe the internal parts of the machine, including the powder tray, with a dry cloth.
Note! To get 200 ml of 9% from 70% vinegar, you need to take 24 ml of vinegar (5 tsp) and add 176 ml (12 tbsp) of water to it.
You can also use vinegar to remove limescale and stone deposits from the powder container. To do this, pour hot water (90 0 С) into the container and add 250 ml of 9% vinegar. A tray is placed in this solution and left overnight. Choose a container so that the container fits well and the water completely hides the compartments of the tray. After soaking, the container can be cleaned with a sponge, then rinsed and wiped off with a dry cloth.
You can use baking soda and vinegar gruel to clean the container. It is necessary to apply the gruel for a long time, and then, using an old toothbrush, remove plaque and rinse the tray. After wiping it dry, reinstall it.
Vinegar cleaning: pros and cons
Cleaning the washing machine with vinegar has its positive and negative sides. Vinegar is a powerful remedy. Its advantages are that:
- it copes well with scale on the internal parts of the machine;
- destroys unpleasant putrid odors and the smell of stagnant water;
- costs several times cheaper than specialized cleaning products.
The main disadvantage of using vinegar is its pungent smell. Therefore, to better wash it out of the machine, you can set an additional rinse. And the room in which the washing machine is installed must be well ventilated. In addition, when using vinegar, the dosage must be observed. After all, high concentration vinegar can negatively affect the sealing gum. From him the gums get rough, and then they break.
Alternative cleaning methods
Another effective and inexpensive tool that helps clean the tray, drum and cuffs of a washing machine is. It helps to kill mold and mildew. In addition, baking soda eliminates unpleasant odors.
From specialized tools, to clean a washing machine, you can use:
- Anti-scale;
- Filtero;
- Dr. Beckmann;
- Descaler;
- Frau Schmidt cleaner;
- Five Plus;
- AntiKal.
This is just a small list of the tools you can use to clean your washing machine. Today manufacturers offer their own cleaning products, for example, Bosch, Electrolux, Candy, etc. have descaling products. Cleaning with these products should be carried out strictly according to the instructions indicated on the package. And as for the effectiveness of each of them, then you can surely find out only by trying the remedy. And only by trial you can find the one that suits you both in quality and in price.
So, you need to clean the washing machine with aggressive chemicals, including table vinegar, once every six months. But for prevention, some means can be used with almost every wash, for example, or Alfagon. Take care of your car's cleanliness and it will last you much longer.