erica

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freelance illustrator, designer, and idk buncha stuff

@kuraine's wife

avatar by karu

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does anyone have a good way to clean a washing machine that was never cleaned/maintained by the previous tenants? i got little pucks to clean that the manufacturer recommends but they're pretty ineffective and i'm fucking tired of our clean clothes smelling like old water


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in reply to @erica's post:

ah geez. we dealt with this exact same thing. we started doing very hot cycles with a lot of vinegar/bleach and it helped a lot. there is also a chance that there's water leaking somewhere inside and it's just keeping the inside moist when it's not being used. you probably already know this but leaving the door open (with a fan pointed at it, ideally) can help a ton

i opened the door just now and yeah it was unusually humid in there so... cleaned the door out and gonna give it another good wash cycle w/ the door open afterwards to see. if it doesn't help then i gotta get the machine fixed prolly :(

I saw you tried taking it apart to deep clean it, but have you tried also steam cleaning it during that part? Also do you use fabric softener? If so, that stuff is nothing but not good for a washer and can make it gross and icky fast, so don't use it if you do or else it'll just cause it to develop that stench again.

If it wasn't cleaned at all before by the past tenant, which sounds like the case:

Very hot water, as powerful of a cycle as the machine has, and the max amount of bleach the washer will let you use; some machines have limits like "Maximum Amount: 1 Cup" or similar, so check the manual if you have one.

You can do it again whenever you notice the smell return, but, with a lot humidity, it can come back more often as well. Opening up the lid and giving a sniff will tell you when it's time, too. Sure, it will look like you're trying to get high on your washing machine, but taking a deep breath before tossing your clothes in will save you from getting that "stagnant" stank all over them.

I maintain my front-loader by regularly running vinegar through the detergent and fabric softener boxes.

The goal is to make the water be a good solvent for the gunk that's accumulated throughout the machine, as well as to kill any smelly microbes that have started living there.

(BTW I really feel the need to add, even though you probably already know, but maybe somebody is reading comments that doesn't know: some folks are recommending bleach, and that will also do the trick! But folks, please be aware that while bleach definitely absolutely kills everything that might be living in your machine, it is a much more powerful solvent than vinegar, absolutely will damage colored clothes, and if mixed incorrectly will generate chlorine gas. Absolutely do not use vinegar in conjunction with bleach, because that will make chlorine gas, and chlorine gas is deadly.)