It seems like everyone has a front loader these days. I’ve heard total horror stores of them stinking and then ruining your clothes. While front loaders are more efficient, they definitely are a little higher maintenance than their top loading parents. They need regular maintenance to avoid the dreaded smell–and by regular, I mean at least once a month, if not every two weeks.
You’ll need:
- Vinegar
- Bleach
- Rags/Cloths
Directions:
Start by running an empty load on the hottest setting with vinegar instead of detergent. After the load is complete, repeat the process using bleach. Then, open the doors {it’s really best to always keep the doors open when the machine isn’t in use anyway} and using the rag or cloth, wipe the rubber door seal down with vinegar and warm water. Dry completely. Pull out the detergent drawer and rinse it under hot water. Allow it to soak in vinegar for a bit if it still has detergent build-up.
Overall, the whole process is pretty quick and painless.
How do you clean your front loader?
~Mavis
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Claire Bacon says
I have heard it is not good to use vinegar in the front load washers, true ir false? Generally after I am done with washing, I leave the door open and wipe down the door. Have had mine for almost 2 yrs and I can honestly say I have had no problem with orders. Once in a while I will buy the cleaner made for the front loaders, maybe twice a year.
sandra says
when the door is open the light stays on. how can that be avoided?
Tinkabell says
there usually isn’t a light in a washer only the dryer. I close my washer door somewhat but don’t push it to lock it. I haven’t ever cleaned it but probably should. Good tips. You also need to remove the clean clothes asap as leaving them in the washer for very long adds to the smell problem.
Denise says
The light in my washer goes off after a certain amount of time. Does yours stay on indefinitely?
B says
Thanks Mavis. Liquid laundry detergents have surfactants that leave substance behind in front loaders. To completely avoid that, powder detergent is an option. I own 4 front loader washing machines. Leaving the door ajar as well as the soap dispenser is definitely a must.
KAte says
My mom has had her front loader for 8 years now. No problems. She wipes down the seal after the wash and leaves the door open for it to air dry. No smell.
Jean Barnicoat says
that’s what I do. I’ve had mine 4 years, no smell.
Lynn says
Me too. Had my machine for 5 years. Only leave door and drawer slightly open after every use. Never had an issue.
Lisa says
I always leave the door open when not in use and haven’t had any odor.
Butterflyweed says
While I have heard of people having terrible issues, I have had my front load washer for almost 15 years and have NEVER cleaned it. There is no smell and it works like the day I got it. Maybe different models have more issues? I do however, use it everyday so maybe that is the secret. If you live with a septic system, it is best to do one load a day and not save the laundry and then do 7 or 8 loads one day.
Rosaleen says
I definitely believe is is a design issue in some brands. My mother and I have different brands, but nearly identical-looking front load washers. Mine is at least 6 years old. It self-cleans. There has never been an odor coming from it, even when I wash clothes at bedtime to hang in the morning. OTOH, some friends have to clean theirs weekly or the washer stinks up the whole house. One of the stinky ones has a tube/hose that the friend removes to flush out with bleach. It seems to be the collection point for water and the source of the odor. Washers should not stink. Their purpose is to save work for us, not make more.
Amanda Taylor says
Here in the UK we only have front loaders. I’ve never heard of anyone having a problem with odour and I’ve never heard of anyone having to ‘clean’ their washer on a regular basis because of or to prevent odour. It’s recommended to use a product to prevent lime scale build up but that’s about all.
Amanda S. says
I never clean the barrel of my washing machine. I don’t think there’s a problem with that, although I haven’t looked at it too closely. I don’t notice any smells either. The problem is with the rubber door seal. When my husband and I moved into our house 2.5 years ago, it was COVERED in mold. We bought a new seal on Amazon, and my husband and father-in-law replaced it, which they said was extremely difficult to do. Well, the mold has started again. I always keep the door slightly open after a load (the detergent drawer too), although not too much because my washing machine and dryer are actually in a closet on our main floor so I close the closet door (especially if the dryer is running because we don’t want to hear it while we are watching TV or whatever). That’s probably the problem…not enough air is getting inside to dry it, which causes mold. And I don’t wipe down the extra water after each wash either. Perhaps I should do that. Any suggestions for how to get rid of the mold? I’ve bought the specialty cleaners for front-loading washing machines, and they don’t work.
Anna says
Amanda S…I too am a mouldy front-loader sufferer! Ok, I love my washing machine and frankly any day that I can’t wash makes me slightly unhinged, but I always leave the door open when the washer isn’t being used and I live in the FREAKING DESERT so humidity isn’t a problem and I have mould! Augh!
I have tried wiping the seal, washing on the hot cycle with bleach and I can’t get rid of the problem. Can’t think of the brand right now, but I’m convinced that I am going to have replace the seal.
Vicky says
I’ve never had the stinky problem with mine. I just run the clean cycle program once a month with vinegar and generally leave the door open. I don’t use commercial detergents or fabric softeners–just a little homemade powder and a vinegar rinse in each load. Maybe that helps with some sort of build up?
Shelli says
I had problems with my front loading washer within a few months of purchasing it. Everything came out of the wash smelling like mildew–especially the bath towels. I did some research online and found suggestions to use Whirlout–a jetted bath cleaner–once a month to remove soap scum and buildup in the hoses. I also read in the owner’s manual (after the fact) about a fan that was installed by the company to blow air around inside the machine after the final load was done for the day. There isn’t one button to push to start the fan, but you have to follow a sequence of pushing buttons to get it to turn on. After doing those two things, I haven’t had trouble with the bad stink coming from the washer and our clothes/towels smell much better.
Jean Barnicoat says
while the method used sounds like it would eradicate smells, I think it’s a big waste of water to run two cycles with nothing in the washer
Lynn Dailey says
I just wish I had my old non HE washer back. Seriously. NOTHING gets cleaned after using my Top loading HE washer. I’ve put stuff in the washer, still folded up and guess what….. I pull it out still folded up. I hate the thing and seriously think about getting a old-fashioned wringer washer a lot.
Heather says
I have never had a bad smell and we have had our about 12 years. I always leave the door open after running a load. I do have some gunk build up on the inside of the seal so I will try cleaning it with the vinegar.
Wynne says
I’ve had my LG frontloader for four years without a stink. The door and the soap tray stay open. I run the washer clean cycle about monthly, usually with an Affresh tab. I also clean the filter then per the manual (a minor pain because it involves draining a hose so low no bowl fits under it). Sometimes I carefully clean the door gasket with cotton swabs, because the gasket drain hole can get gunky over time.
Jeanne says
I have had mine for at least 5 years with no smell. I leave the door ajar after using it, and occasionally I will run the “clean tub” cycle with bleach. I use bleach with my whites too, so maybe that helps overall.
Julia says
I hate my front loader. I can’t keep the door shut when I’m done washing or it stinks to high heaven and a “regular” normal wash cycle is about an hour !!! Who has that kind of time. The sanitary cycle is almost 2 hours. I do all my each in the Speed wash cycle. Other tha saving me water, which we pay for, I wish I had kept my old top loader. BTW I have always used white vinaigrette in my wash. It cuts down on odors and acts as a fabric softener.
Sam says
I am in the UK and have a front loader that thankfully doesn’t smell. I am wondering whether I clean it accidentally when doing the white wash as I do still use 60 degrees, detergent and white vinegar probably once or twice a month. Just a thought …