How do I clean my washing machine?

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I do a hot wash with Bi-carb and vinegar once a fortnight. I would do it more frequently but i forget.

[amberj]

How much vinegar and bi-carb?

Will this get rid of the wierd little black flecks that my washing machine likes to cover my clothes in? Does anyone know what these are? And the water that comes out from rinsing smells like something has crawled up the washing machine's butt and died. Its so feral. But my clothes don't smell.

Urgh, lost in the land of washing machine mysteries....

[ShootingStar]

Our washing machine says to use epson salt and hot water. To fill the machine with the hot water.. tip in some Epson Salt, agertate it and let it sit over night.. then run drain it. You may need to run another cycle. Works well for us.

And.. make sure you clean out the lint filter! Jessica.. sounds like your lint filter needs cleaning out too. The black stuff is build up grime and fabric softener.

[Arimeh]

Dan - does your washing machine have its own wash cycle? Just cos mine does - and then it just washes itself.

[diva det]

I asked the washing machine repairman last time he came about cleaning our the washing machine. He said the best things to clean out the machine is with either letric soda or believe it or not- caustic soda!!! in really hot water!!

He said not to use vinegar as it will make the plastic parts in the machine smell of the vinegar!

havent tried it yet as my machine stays pretty clean- dunno how- as its used and abused!

BTW i use biozet powder and he actually thought that i used a liquid as there was no powder residue on the inside when he repaired it and it was very clean!
go figure- its 12 years old too!

HTH
odette

[Pandora]

i was going to say i did a vinegar wash in ours and now everything still smells of vinegar 2 weeks later Im glad we're getting a new one soon

[Danni]

Did you use hot water Ray?

Ive never had a vinegar smell afterwards.... weird!

Those little black flecks could also be slimy bits of mould. You know like in the kids bath toys?

[SugarDust]

we were told to put a cup of powder dishwash in the machine with SUPER hot water aggitate a bit and let sit over night then rinse it out!