How to Clean Washing Machine
What You'll Need
- 2 cups
- 1/2 cup
- 1
- 1
Step-by-Step Method
Pull back the rubber door gasket and wipe out trapped moisture, hair, and debris. Use a toothbrush and vinegar for mold spots in the folds. This is the #1 source of washing machine odor.
Add 2 cups white vinegar to the detergent dispenser (or directly into the drum for top-loaders). Run the hottest, longest cycle with no clothes. Vinegar dissolves soap residue, mineral deposits, and mildew.
Add 1/2 cup baking soda directly into the drum. Run another hot cycle. Baking soda neutralizes remaining odors and residue that vinegar loosened.
Remove the detergent and fabric softener dispensers. Soak in hot water, scrub with a toothbrush, rinse, and replace. Residue buildup in dispensers feeds mold.
- Do not use bleach and vinegar in the same cycle
- Do not leave wet clothes sitting in the washer (mold starts growing within 24 hours)
- Do not use more detergent than recommended (excess suds leave residue that feeds mold)
- Leave the door ajar after every wash cycle. This single habit prevents most washing machine odor.
- Use only HE (high-efficiency) detergent in HE machines. Regular detergent creates excess suds that leave residue.
- Clean the lint trap filter (usually at the front bottom of front-loaders) every 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Three causes: the door gasket trapping moisture (front-loaders), excess detergent residue coating the drum interior, and leaving the door closed between uses. Monthly vinegar cycles, gasket wiping, and leaving the door ajar after each use eliminates the problem.
Sources & Methodology
Washing machine cleaning methods based on appliance manufacturer maintenance guidelines. Gasket mold is the most common cause of front-loader odor per consumer appliance repair data.
Last reviewed: March 20, 2026