A simple, budget-friendly way to freshen your washing machine, reduce musty odors, and help remove detergent residue.
🧂 What You Need
- ½–1 cup baking soda
- 2 cups white vinegar
- A clean microfiber cloth
- An old toothbrush or small cleaning brush
🧼 How to Do It
- Empty the washing machine completely.
- Sprinkle ½–1 cup baking soda directly into the empty drum.
- Run the machine on its hottest, longest cleaning cycle available.
- When finished, add 2 cups white vinegar to the detergent dispenser.
- Run another hot cycle.
- Wipe the door, rubber gasket, detergent drawer, and inside edges with a damp microfiber cloth.
- Leave the door or lid open to air-dry completely.
💡 Important Tip
Don’t mix baking soda and vinegar together in a container—their reaction mainly neutralizes each other. For cleaning, use them in separate cycles.
For front-loaders: Pay special attention to the rubber door seal, where hair, lint, detergent buildup, and moisture can collect.
🌿 Result
Your washer should smell fresher and have less visible residue, while regular cleaning can help prevent that unpleasant “musty washing machine” smell.
Recommendation: Do a washer-cleaning cycle about once a month, and leave the door/lid open between washes whenever possible.