Cleaning a Washing Machine

When we moved into our house we decided to buy the washer and dryer from the previous owners. One: it was way cheaper than buying new ones and two: it would have been a pain in the ass to move them upstairs (that is where our washer and dryer is).  Since we moved in I said I should clean the machine. I had not done it yet. I finally did it a few days ago. Man, I am embarrassed to show some of these photos because I can't believe I went this long without cleaning it. Never again.

My machine is an older, top loader. I got in all cracks and crevices that I could. There is a space between the outside of the machine and the barrel that just collected all kinds of grime as did the middle of the machine. I used cleaning wipes and cotton swabs to clean those areas. It was long overdue.

I used The Laundress Machine Cleaner that I have had for years, not sure if they even sell it anymore. If you know me or have been following along for a while you know I LOVE The Laundress products. I also used vinegar and baking soda, which is a very common thing to use. You use equal parts vinegar and baking soda (1/2 cup), run the washer on the hottest, longest cycle. Some sources say let sit for an hour and agitate. 

For the dryer I just wiped it down. Although I get lint out of the lint trap after each use, there was lint pieces in the bottom and side of the lint trap so I removed that as well. 

This took some time to do, but man am I glad I FINALLY did it. I never felt like my clothes were dirty after being washed and cleaning the washing machine isn't always something you think to do.

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