Washing Machine Cleaning Cycle
A deep-cleaning treatment that removes odor, mildew, and soap scum from your washer
1 hr 30 min beginner Yields Single cleaning cycle
Ingredients
- 2 cups White vinegar
- 1/2 cup Baking soda
- 1/4 cup Hydrogen peroxide (3%) (for front-loaders with gasket mold)
Steps
- Remove all clothes. Pull out the detergent dispenser tray and soak it in hot water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
- For front-loaders: wipe the rubber door gasket with a cloth dipped in hydrogen peroxide, cleaning inside the folds. Skip for top-loaders.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drum.
- Set the machine to the hottest, longest cycle (or the dedicated “clean” cycle).
- Once the drum fills, pause and add 2 cups of white vinegar. Agitate 1 minute, then soak 30 minutes.
- Resume and let the cycle complete fully.
- Wipe the drum, door seal, and door with a dry cloth. Leave the door open to air dry.
Why It Works
Baking soda scrubs the drum and neutralizes acidic odor compounds. Hot water flushes accumulated soap scum and fabric softener wax. Vinegar kills mold and mildew on contact and dissolves mineral scale in hoses and the pump. Hydrogen peroxide targets the black mold that grows in front-loader gasket folds.
Tips
- Run monthly to prevent odor buildup.
- After every wash, leave the door open for at least an hour to let moisture evaporate.
- Wipe front-loader gaskets dry after every use.
- Use only the recommended amount of detergent — excess feeds mold and bacteria.