How to Disinfect a Washing Machine

Clean and disinfect your washing machine on a regular basis.

It may seem strange because it always has soap and bleach swirling around inside it, but if you have an older washing machine, you may want to think about disinfecting it a couple times a year. Parts loosen up and can be havens for bacteria. First you'll need to clean it, then move to the disinfecting. And it will only require some items you most likely already have in your possession.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup borax
• Bucket
• Nonscratching scouring sponge
• Bleach or vinegar
• Baking soda
• Heavy old towel, bath mat or blanket (100 percent cotton is best)
• Lemon essential oil

Cleaning

1. Dissolve 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup borax with 1 quart of hot water in a bucket.

2. Locate the stuck-on detergent inside your washing machine. Don't forget to check the lid, too.

3. Scrub off all the caked-on soap gently using a nonscratching scouring sponge and the baking soda/borax mixture. Be sure to feel up underneath the opening. This is an area that is often overlooked.

Disinfecting

1. Add 2 cups of bleach or vinegar to the tub of the washing machine. Add 1 cup of baking soda.

2. Add 1/4 cup of bleach to the fabric softener dispenser, if the machine has one.

3. Add 1 cup of bleach to the bleach dispenser, if the machine has one.

4. Run the machine on the hottest, heaviest cycle.

5. Start the same cycle again after the first cycle finishes. Add 40 to 50 drops of lemon essential oil to the tub. Place the heavy old towel, bath mat or blanket in the tub. Run again and use an extra rinse cycle.

Tips & Warnings

• Instead of using the baking soda/borax mixture, you can substitute about 1/3 cup of bleach instead. Make sure the area is well-ventilated if you choose this option.

• The lemon oil is a natural disinfectant.

• Using a heavy item in the second cycle helps remove any extra bleach and dirt from the machine. Cotton absorbs the most water and beats the washer walls the hardest.

References

• How to Clean Things: How to Clean a Washing Machine
• Clorox: Usage Instructions
• Jana's Green Cleaning Services: How to Clean Washing Machine