How to Clean Your Washing Machine: Front and Top Loader

Short answer: Wipe the door gasket and detergent drawer, clear the pump filter, run an empty hot wash with a cup of white vinegar or a washing machine cleaner tablet, run a second empty hot wash with half a cup of baking soda, then leave the door and drawer open to dry. Front loaders need all of it; top loaders can usually skip the gasket.

You need: white vinegar or a washing machine cleaning tablet, baking soda, an old toothbrush, a few cloths, a shallow tray or towel for the filter. Time: about 20 minutes of work, plus two wash cycles.

Why the machine smells in the first place

A washing machine looks clean because it is full of water and soap all day, but that is exactly the problem. Detergent residue, fabric softener and lint build a slimy film in the places that never fully dry: the rubber door gasket, the detergent drawer, the drum’s hidden back surface and the pump filter. Add warmth and a closed door, and mold moves in. The smell on your clothes is coming from there, not from the clothes.

Cold washes make it worse, because nothing ever gets hot enough to kill the growth. That is why every full clean here uses the hottest cycle the machine has.

Step 1: Clean the door gasket (front loaders)

Pull back the folds of the rubber seal around the door. You will usually find black or grey grime, hair and sometimes a sock in there. Wipe it all out with a cloth dampened with warm water and a little dish soap, working an old toothbrush into the folds. For black mold, use a cloth with diluted bleach or undiluted white vinegar, let it sit a few minutes, then wipe and dry. Check the drain holes at the bottom of the seal are clear.

Top loaders do not have this gasket, but wipe the rim under the lid and the top edge of the drum, where lint and softener collect.

Step 2: Clean the detergent drawer

Most drawers lift out when you press a tab at the back. Take it to the sink and scrub it with hot water and the toothbrush, especially the softener compartment, which is usually the worst. Then clean the cavity the drawer slides into; mold loves the roof of that space. If the drawer does not come out, do what you can with the brush and a cloth.

Step 3: Clear the pump filter

On most front loaders there is a small door at the bottom front. Behind it is a round cap. Put a shallow tray or a folded towel under it, because water will come out, and unscrew the cap slowly. Pull out the filter, remove the lint, coins and hair, rinse it, and screw it back in firmly. A blocked filter is the usual cause of a machine that drains slowly or leaves clothes wetter than it used to.

Many top loaders have no user filter, or have a small lint trap near the top of the drum or on the agitator. Your manual will say.

Step 4: Run an empty hot wash with vinegar or a cleaner

With the drum empty, pour about one cup of white vinegar into the drum (not the drawer) and run the hottest, longest cycle the machine offers. Some machines have a “drum clean” or “tub clean” program; use that if you have one. If you prefer not to use vinegar, or your manual warns against it, drop in a washing machine cleaning tablet and run the same cycle.

If the machine already smells strongly or you can see mold, use bleach for this cycle instead, following the amount on the bottle, and skip the vinegar. Never put vinegar and bleach in the same wash.

Step 5: Run a second wash with baking soda

Sprinkle about half a cup of baking soda straight into the drum and run another hot cycle. The baking soda lifts what the vinegar loosened and leaves the drum smelling of nothing, which is the goal. When it finishes, wipe the inside of the drum and the glass with a dry cloth.

Step 6: Leave it open to dry

This is the step that keeps the smell from coming back. Leave the door and the detergent drawer open between washes so the machine dries out. If the door is in a walkway and must be shut, at least prop it open for a few hours after the last load of the day.

Keeping it clean

Run a hot drum clean once a month, with vinegar, a tablet or bleach.
Use the amount of detergent the packet says, or less. Extra soap does not clean better; it feeds the film.
Go easy on fabric softener, which is the main ingredient in the slime.
Wipe the gasket when you see grime, not when it turns black.
Take wet laundry out as soon as the cycle ends.

Common mistakes

Mixing vinegar and bleach, which releases a harmful gas.
Using vinegar in every load, which ages the rubber parts.
Running the clean on a cold or quick cycle, which does not get hot enough.
Forgetting the filter, so the smell comes back in a week.
Shutting the door tight the moment the laundry comes out.

FAQ

Why does my washing machine smell like mildew?

Water and detergent residue sit in the door gasket, the drawer and the drum between loads, and the warm, dark, damp space grows mold. Front loaders are worse for it because the door seals tight. Cleaning those parts and leaving the door open between washes fixes it in almost every case.

Is vinegar bad for a washing machine?

Occasional use, a cup or two in an empty hot wash every month or two, is fine for most machines. Using it in every load is not a good idea, because the acid can harden rubber seals and hoses over years. Check your manual; a few makers say not to use it at all, and a cleaning tablet is the safe alternative.

How often should I clean a washing machine?

A drum clean once a month, the gasket and drawer wiped whenever you notice grime, and the pump filter checked every few months. If the machine already smells, start with a full clean and then keep to the monthly routine.

Can I use bleach instead of vinegar?

Yes, bleach works well on mold in the drum and gasket. Use it on its own, never mixed with vinegar, and run a rinse cycle afterward so none is left for your next load of clothes.