Have you ever smelled a strange sewage odor in your bathroom? Don’t worry, in most cases it’s not the smell of the shower or sink, but the smell of the washing machine!
Taking care of your washing machine is essential for a good laundry.
A dirty or poorly maintained washing machine leads, on the one hand, to clothes that are no longer perfectly clean and scented, and, on the other, to a reduction in the useful life of the washing machine.
There are many natural and chemical-free methods to remove bad odors from your washing machine!
Here are the causes that lead to the formation of unpleasant odors.
Laundry – Source: spm
Causes of unpleasant odors.
The causes can be many and are generally the same as those that cause bad odors in the pipes: mold, bacteria, detergent residues or limescale.
In general, the bad smells of the washing machine depend on:
Lime, which can build up in the drum and settle inside the pipes.
Drain pipes: Drainage odor very often comes from deposits and residues of detergent and fabric softener that give off a bad smell.
Bad smelling washing machine – Source: spm
How to prevent your washing machine from smelling bad?
Here are some useful tips, which can be followed on a daily basis:
- Clean or at least dry the gasket after every wash or once a day if you do multiple washes per day.
- Clean the detergent drawer once a month to prevent mold growth.
- Clean the filter at least once a year.
Here’s how to get rid of unpleasant odors in your washing machine with natural products.
drum cleaning
For periodic cleaning of the drum, you can prepare a solution of water and vinegar at home and spray it inside the washing machine.
Vinegar is a natural descaler that eliminates bad odours. You can then proceed with a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth.
If you want to perfume the detergent drawer, you can add some essential oil of your choice. For a fresh scent, lemon essential oil is ideal!
seal cleaning
Seal cleaning is more delicate. The material is rubber and remains of dirt and detergent from daily washing accumulate.
If you want to clean it naturally, you can make a paste with baking soda, lemon, and vinegar. Form a paste that you can apply to the joint.
Then clean with a soft brush or microfiber cloth. Then proceed with the rinse.
To wash
Washing is very important, because it allows you to remove dirt, detergent residue and clean the pipes!
White vinegar
Once a month it can be useful to wash by putting a glass of white vinegar in the detergent compartment, then start a short wash, but at a high temperature, that is, at least 60 °.
The antibacterial action of vinegar will allow you to disinfect your washing machine in a completely natural way.
shall
Once every 3 months you can do a vacuum wash by filling the basket with a kilo of coarse salt, which is also very useful against the lime that forms on the joints and in the detergent drawer.
In this case, use cold water to wash.
citric acid
This citrus compound is one of the best allies in the home and is also great for softening fabrics!
It also has a descaling effect in the washing machine, thus solving the problem of limescale.
Use
Simply dissolve 150 grams of citric acid in 1 liter of water and mix well. Pour half of the mixture (500 ml) into the washing machine tub and start washing.
With citric acid, it is best to wash at a high temperature, preferably 90 degrees.
DIY washing machine deodorizer
Among all these natural remedies, you can also make this homemade deodorant recipe for clothes!
White vinegar in the washing machine – Source: spm
Will need:
- 100 ml of spirit vinegar
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of tea tree oil
- 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
- One tablespoon of baking soda or citric acid (optional)
Use
Add it to the detergent drawer instead of the fabric softener and start washing your clothes as usual. This mixture, combined with proper maintenance, will ensure that your washing machine no longer emits bad odours.
This natural method is also a natural fabric softener and will give your clothes a sweet scent.
But there are plenty of tips for making homemade fabric softener!
Other helpful tips
Try not to use too much detergent, especially powdered detergent. This promotes the accumulation of residues.
When the washing machine is off, you can leave the door open.
When cleaning the filters, make sure the washing machine is turned off and the water taps are closed.
warnings
We recommend that you evaluate the condition of your washing machine with a professional to better understand the causes of bad odours.
Although the products are natural, it is best to make sure you can use them in the washing machine. The models are different and the materials may change.
