Cleaning a washing machine is an essential part of maintenance and keeping your laundry fresh. Perform the Washing Maintenance Procedure once a month, or every 30 washes, to control soil and detergent that can accumulate in your washing machine.
How to Run the Monthly Washer Maintenance Cycle
Many machines typically come with a “Clean Washer” setting to make your washer cleaning and maintenance a breeze. If your machine has a Clean Washer cycle, run this once a month or every 30 washes.
Doing so will keep mold and mildew from developing an odour in your washing machine. A Clean Washer cycle uses a higher-than-normal water level (to clean above your washer’s typical waterline) combined with washer cleaner (or liquid chlorine bleach) to clean the washing machine’s interior thoroughly. Follow our directions below to learn how to best run the Clean Washer cycle.
How the Clean Washer Cycle Operation Works:
- The Clean Washer Cycle uses more water than a regular cycle to wash above the waterline. Remove all clothing items before using the Clean Washer Cycle.
- Be aware that increased noise due to tumbling, agitation, or spinning will occur during this cycle.
- After the wash cycle has finished, allow the washing machine’s lid or door to stay open for ventilation and proper drying of the washing machine’s interior.
For specific procedures, refer to your use and care manual for your washing machine.
Follow This affresh® Washer Cleaner Cycle Procedure for the Best Performance:
- Empty any clothing, debris, or other items from your washing machine.
- Put an affresh® Washer Cleaner tablet into the drum of the washing machine. Do not place an affresh® Washer Cleaner tablet in the detergent dispenser drawer. For information on cleaning your washer’s detergent dispenser drawer, click here.
- Close the washing machine and choose the clean washer cycle or normal cycle setting.
- Wipe the washer tub if any residue is left behind after the cycle is fully finished.
NOTE: Try not to interrupt your washer during its Clean Washer cycle. If you absolutely must interrupt the cycle, do so using the POWER button. When you’re ready to resume, start a new Rinse & Spin cycle to flush any remaining cleaner from the machine.
The affresh guide is available on the manufacturer’s website.
Or Try Cleaning Your Washer With Bleach:
- Open your washing machine to empty any clothing items.
- Add liquid chlorine bleach (one cup or 236 mL) to the bleach compartment. NOTE: Using more liquid chlorine bleach than recommended above may cause washer damage over time.
- Close the washing machine.
- Do not add any laundry detergent, fabric softener, or other chemicals to the washer at this time.
- Run the washer on a CLEAN WASHER cycle.
Washer Cleaning Tips
- Use high-efficiency (HE) laundry detergents for front loading and applicable HE top loading washers. Follow the recommended amount of HE laundry detergent the manufacturer has indicated. Do not use more than the recommended amount of HE laundry detergents since it can cause detergent to build up in your washer.
- Do not solely use cold water to wash your clothing items. Use warm and hot wash water settings periodically to help control the rate that soils and detergent may accumulate.
- Leave the door or lid open between uses to ventilate and dry out the washer. This practice helps prevent the buildup of odour-causing residues.
