To the washing machine served for a long time, it is necessary to take care of it with the help of special tools that soften the water and clean the parts from scale and plaque. Manufacturers offer a lot of specialized products for both water softening and descaling. Such funds are expensive, but there are their cheap counterparts - folk remedies available for purchase in regular stores. One of these analogs is the most common citric acid. It reacts with the salts and helps get rid of them.
We clean the automatic machine correctly
Before you start cleaning the washing machine with citric acid, you will need to remove all dirt from the rubber gasket. The most convenient way to do this is with a soft cloth. You also need to make sure that there are no things in the drum, otherwise you risk to spoil them - they will lose color.
How many grams do you need?
The calculation of the amount of acid must be made, starting from the volume of the washing machine.
For example, if the volume of your drum is designed for a load of 3-4 kg of laundry, then you will need about 60 grams of powder. As an example, this is 3 bags of packaging 20 grams or 4 bags of packaging 15 grams.
If you use weighted citric acid, which is much cheaper than packaged, then you can pour 3 tablespoons with a slide. If you have a larger washing machine, you need to take more acid. On the volume of 5 kg you need to pour 100 grams.
It is very important not to overdo the lemon and calculate its quantity correctly. Remember that excess can damage the rubber and plastic parts of the machine. And, to the great chagrin, instead of extending the life of the washing machine, you will get the opposite result. In any case, experts advise not to fall asleep more than 200 grams of citric acid at a time.
Getting rid of scale
Scale appears on PETs in the process of washing automatic machines, and the reason for this is the low quality of water with a high salt content. There is also a pattern: the higher the temperature of water heating - the faster the scale builds up. If you allow the formation of a thick layer of limescale deposits, this can lead to breakage of the washing machine, unpleasant odors, or it simply becomes impossible to start the wash program. This is due to the fact that the teng coated with scum cannot work in full force in order to heat the water to the desired temperature, the precipitated salts prevent it.
Step-by-step cleansing with citric acid powder is described in the following instruction:
- Lemon to pour into the powder compartment or straight into the drum. Experts advise to use option number one, since in this case not only the drum is cleaned, but also all the details through which the powder passes.
- The next step is the choice of a program for washing. For better quality citric acid, the program should be at a temperature of at least 60 degrees. More often it is the “cotton” mode, but some washing machines offer 60 degrees in the “synthetic” mode. If the machine has not been cleaned for a long time, it is advisable to perform it at a temperature of 90 degrees. The program must be complete with all cycles, including mandatory rinsing and spinning.
- By selecting a program, you can run. At the end of the cycle, if you have the opportunity to see the water after draining, you will find particles of dirt and sediments that hampered the operation of the machine.
- When work is completed, gently peel back the rubber gasket to check for the presence of scale in it. If they remain, you need to remove them and wipe the gum with a soft cloth. It is better to leave the door open and close it after the device is completely dry.
To scale up as little as possible, it is recommended to clean the “washer” at least once a quarter.
Odor remedies
Often in the washing machine there is an unpleasant smell. It is formed because of the raid on the walls inside the drum and other parts. It can be as lime deposits, and settled fungi, bacteria and mold. Regular cleaning of the washing machine with citric acid will help to avoid this. At the same time, it is quite effective to use intensive rinsing as an additional mode, during which all exfoliated mud particles and flakes are washed out.
Upon completion of rinsing and after you have cleaned everything inside with a soft cloth, the drum and the heating element will sparkle like new, and the unpleasant smell will stop disturbing you.
If the smell does not disappear after cleaning with lemon, then it is recommended to bring the usual whiteness or another bleaching agent to the cleansing procedure. It needs to be poured into the drum, and then to turn on the normal washing mode without laundry at a high temperature. At the end of the drum should be washed with plain water and wipe.
Often the cause of the disgusting smell from the washing machine is the washing powder of poor quality. Therefore, it makes sense to be more attentive to laundry detergents and choose only a quality product.
Reviews
Not every housewife will believe that ordinary citric acid can work wonders and bring the washing machine to a new state. Doubters often persuade the recommendations of experts and feedback from other housewives. Practically all women, who have the opportunity to compare citric acid in action and anti-scale and limescale agents from well-known manufacturers, preferred “lemon”. The results of its use were satisfied the most experienced and picky housewives.
Having studied the instructions for using citric acid to clean a washing machine, many, without hesitation, decided on an experiment. The majority were bribed by the low cost of the procedure, which rarely exceeded 30-50 rubles.
Pleased housewives and the fact that after the first application you could see the result. The drum and the heating element became clean with a beautiful metallic luster, disappeared completely or less unpleasant smell. Electricity was consumed more economically, and the wash cycle was completed faster.
Also, many women agree that cleaning the washing machine with citric acid improves the quality of washing. White linen ceases to have a grayish tint, and colored things are bright and saturated at the end of washing. Housewives who consider their car running in terms of scaling in it note that all the details have been cleaned after the third use of citric acid.
What else can you clean?
Baking soda is most often used as a means to clean the washing machine from mold. As a rule, its accumulation can be found behind the rubber seal. Also, traces of fungal formations can be in the compartment for washing powder. Before starting the procedure, it is necessary to mix soda powder with water in equal proportions. It is necessary to soak the cleaning cloth with this solution and wipe the drum, sealing gum and powder tray. This is a way to clean the machine from the fungus without much effort and physical effort.
Soda ash acts more aggressively on precipitated salts, compared to food. That is why it is highly recommended to wear rubber gloves when working with her. Direct contact with the substance may cause skin irritation.
Before starting the purification, it is necessary to mix one part of soda ash with the same amount of water. The resulting mixture wipe the drum and the rubber cuff, then leave for 30 minutes. After this time, contamination is removed with a sponge with soda solution. The final operation is the launch of the “quick wash” mode with an empty drum.
Whitening is another way to get rid of mold and soap deposits. To get started, you need to pour a 1 liter bottle of liquid into the drum and turn on the longest wash mode with the highest temperature. As a rule, it is 90-95 degrees. After heating the water to the maximum temperature, you need to have time to pause and leave the machine for 1 hour, and after the time has elapsed, continue washing. At the end of this cycle, it is necessary to start the machine a second time in the “quick wash” mode and wash at 30 degrees, the whiteness will be removed at this time.
Bleaching is found in whiteness. However, if the whiteness needs to be poured in the amount of one liter, then in the case of bleach it is enough to fill up 1 cup. It should be borne in mind that bleach has a very strong odor, and also reacts with salts, highlighting harmful fumes. Therefore, when using it, it will be necessary to open the windows and, if possible, the door.
Bleaching powder is usually combined with citric acid cleaning. In this case, the effectiveness of the procedure increases, the laundry washed after it is not covered with dirt. Use this method is recommended no more than once every 2 months, so as not to spoil the details of the machine.
If the fungus has already thoroughly settled inside your washing machine, then it makes sense to use copper sulphate. This is one of the old means to combat mold in places of high humidity. Copper sulfate is a blue powder of a crystal-like appearance.
It is necessary to prepare a solution in the proportion of 30 grams of vitriol per 1 liter of water. We rub the cuff with the prepared agent and leave it alone for a day, and then rinse it thoroughly with detergent and clean water. This method can be used as a cardinal solution to the existing problem of fungal formations, and as a prophylactic agent.
Oxalic acid helps to get rid of bad smell and lime deposits. The tool is poured into the drum for a 30-minute wash. The quantity must be calculated on the basis of the volume of the washing machine, however, as is the case with citric acid. Oxalic acid is stronger than citric acid, so the exposure time is less, therefore, with the amount of it you need to be careful.
To clean the washing machine, you can also take 2 cups of ordinary vinegar, pour it into the machine and turn on the longest wash at the highest temperature. As in all other cases, the launch of the “washer” must be carried out without linen and any detergents. After 5-6 minutes after the start, you must pause and leave the machine alone for an hour to “soak”, and then complete the wash.
It is recommended to wash off the remaining product using the quick wash mode. After draining this cycle, the rubber seal, the drum and the door from the inside must be wiped with acetic water, that is, a solution of water and vinegar in equal shares. Then wipe the surface well with a soft cloth.
After the cleaning procedure with vinegar, there may be a specific smell that can be removed by airing and / or using an additional idle wash with laundry detergent with the addition of a fabric softener.
Care Tips
In addition to the care of the drum and the heating element, you must properly care for other parts and parts of the washing machine. This will help to preserve its beautiful appearance for a long time and increase its service life.
It is necessary to ensure that the machine was properly installed on a flat horizontal surface, and was also connected to the water supply and electricity. Accordingly, the hoses and electrical cables must not be damaged or twisted. Water or any other liquid should not drip onto the surface of the machine.
If there are any stains on the outside of the case, they should be removed with a sponge and detergent. For these purposes it is quite suitable gel for washing dishes. Special attention should be paid to the door, since the main accumulation of dirt occurs in the gaps around it. For more effective cleansing, you can use an old toothbrush.
After that, you can begin to clean the powder compartment, in which residues of detergent and rinse aid often linger. For convenience, it would be better to pull the compartment out of the car, provided that it is provided for by its design.
Filter cleaning
As you know, in washing machines-automatic there is a filter that is necessary to prevent clogging of the drain hose with mud clusters and hair. If the filter is cleaned occasionally or completely neglected by this procedure, then there will be a not very pleasant smell. Also in this case increases the risk of car breakdown.
Experts recommend cleaning once every three months, that is, once a quarter.
Step by step this event can be described as follows:
- First remove the cover of the panel behind which the filter is located.
- It is necessary to take any bowl or other container into which liquid will flow from the emergency opening.
- Drain the water from the drain hose.
- In some cases, for better cleaning of the drain hose, it must be removed.
- Keep in mind that the drain hose must be empty before you pull the filter out of it.
- It is imperative to remove all hairs, fluff and other dirt from the filter.
- Do not forget to look into the hole for the filter. There may linger dirt and even small items.
- Clean the hole.
- Put the filter in place.
Citric acid perfectly destroys the smell and dirt inside the washing machine. How to clean this technique? This can be found in the following video.