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The 3 secrets to a fresh washing machine and dryer
Your washing machine and clothes dryer can house some pretty gross grime, which can cause your clothes to smell slightly less fresh than you’d prefer. There are three main ingredients experts recommend to kill any lingering germs in these appliances: bleach, baking soda and vinegar.
Here’s how to use each.
Bleach:
Only use bleach in your washing machine. Make a solution of 10 cups of water to 1 cup of bleach and put it in a spray bottle. Spray down the tub, letting it sit a minute to loosen the ick. Then, use a slightly abrasive cleaner to scrub the tub and agitator with a sponge, respraying the bleach solution if necessary. Also scrub and wipe down the lid. Follow this up by running one cycle of your washer using 1 cup of bleach in hot water. You can use the same process with a front-loading washer, but make sure to spray down and scrub the rubber seal around the door, inside and outside, to remove mildew there.
Baking soda:
Combine 1/4 cup of baking soda with 1 quart of water. Use this solution to scrub down the inside of the tub; then run one cycle with hot water. You can also add 1 cup of vinegar to this solution to further disinfect the machine.
Vinegar:
Vinegar is best for the clothes dryer because bleach may linger and then stain clothes. Use water and vinegar, or even just dish soap and water, to wash down the inside of the dryer. Let it dry, and then run on hot for a few minutes. (You can throw in towels if you don’t want to run it empty.) Make sure to clean the lint filter thoroughly each time you use the dryer, too.
Tags: appliances, clean, cleaning, dryer, maintenance, washer
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Hey guys–
If you are going to publish an article like this on current washing machines, you have to recognize that front-loading, energy-efficient washing machines have a serious problem with mildew in the rubber valves in front of the machines. You need to address what owners need to do to mitigate this problem, things like leaving the doors to their washing machines open, and special treatments for the O-valves in front of their washing machines, which is where the mildew accumulates. Your advice is seriously out-of-date!
I agree with GSC. I have told my friends numerous times that they need to leave the front loaders open. They seal when shut, not like a top loader that can air out naturally because the top flap doesn’t seal. Front loaders usually have a “CLEAN” cycle too – and it’s not for your clothes. Follow directions in the manual. Also, a weekly wipe, and I do mean wipe CLEAN, of the O-rings inside and out with clorox or other similar wipes. Wipe the ‘window’ on the inside too. It gets surprisingly grimy and you will see that when you clean it. No need to waste money on those expensive front loader cleaning products. Just use a little common sense and your front loading washing machine will stay fresh.
Re: Anacin coupon
Hi:
I saw the Anacin coupon on this page but when I opened it to print it (for $1.00 off) I noticed the expiration date is TODAY, 9/30/12.
I am unable to get out to the stores today and was going to use it when I go shopping one day this week but coupon would not be valid after 9/30/12. Is there any way to get this coupon with a later expiration date? I saw it for the first time today so would appreciate a new Anacin coupon with a later exp. date on it.
Thank you,
Lin
Hi Lin, thank you for your comment. We are looking into it and will have a new coupon soon.