Open the porthole – and it stinks. Then it’s time to clean the washing machine. And to change a few habits so that no slime builds up in the drum.
Who does not know it? You open the porthole of the washing machine, and instead of the hoped-for spring breeze, a musty smell hits you. And that’s where the laundry should be washed now? That’s pretty gross. So it’s time to really clean the device. And be careful: if that hasn’t happened in a long time, you can make unpleasant discoveries.
The first thing to do is to remove the lint filter. Many machines are built in such a way that you can still drain the rest of the water at the cap. Since the machine is on the floor, you will need a shallow bowl to do this. If the cap cannot be opened by hand, a pipe wrench can help. However, this must be applied with caution. The actual sieve is usually a bit dirty. If you find a lot of hair, needles, nails or coins in the sieve, this is a sign that you have to clean this place more often. Rinse out the sieve and clean the inside of the cylinder with a brush.
The detergent drawer
The next station is the detergent drawer, which you can pull out for filling. These compartments are usually fixed by a clip fastener on the underside. Press the clip in and you can remove the compartment completely. It often looks pretty greasy here, especially if the detergent is poured in too casually. You need to wash the whole compartment in the sink or in a bucket. Caution: You need a relatively large amount of water to loosen and remove the detergent residue. It is best to repeat the process with fresh water. The compartment itself consists of several parts. It often has a second bottom that catches dripping water. The bottom is also clipped in and must be removed. Detergent slime tends to collect in the cavity. After the drawer, you still have to clean the compartment with a dish brush. The detergent is organic, if residues have turned black, this is a sign that you are becoming more active here.
Tip: If you do not use fabric softener or a prewash cycle, you can put the detergent directly into the drum. Then you will avoid soiling the detergent compartment in the future.
Slime in the drum
Run a cloth around the drum’s rubber seal, trying to get a little between the metal drum and the rubber seal. It is normal for some fibers, hair, and some water to collect in the bottom of the rubber. It is less good if you wipe up a gray slime along the drum. The goo is called “fat lice”. It occurs when you regularly use too little detergent and / or the temperature is set too low. Then your lye is too weak to dissolve and rinse out the sebum and other impurities in the laundry. The laundry doesn’t get really clean and all that remains is that dirt. Two factors improve the lye’s dissolving power: heat and more detergent. Here you need to increase the dose. Also remember that in many programs the real water temperature is not the stated temperature, but is much lower.
+++ Gray sludge in the washing machine – what is it all about? +++
This is prevention for the future, but how do you get rid of the gray slime now? Wipe up what can be achieved with a sponge and rag. Then let the machine run through once in the boiling cycle without items to be washed. Numerous home remedies are recommended for this task, many of which attack the rubber of the washing machine. There are also expensive specialty detergents available, so we recommend simply adding a dishwasher tab or two to the drum. If the pollution was very severe or if you want to be on the safe side, repeat the process.
Choose the right dose
To avoid these problems in the future, you should use the exact dosage of your detergent. It doesn’t help to add more detergent than necessary. But too little detergent leads to slime in the machine and ruins the laundry in the long run. Separate the whites and wash them every now and then at real 60 degrees.
It also helps against bad rumors if you always leave the porthole of the machine completely or at least a crack open. Ultimately, the washroom itself is almost airtight when the door is closed. No wonder that a biotope of its own forms there when the flap is closed and the machine is not used every day.
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