Do you wash your washing machine? & How?

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I really would like to give mine a 'wash'. Is it necessary? With all the stinky wee & poop that gets washed through it, I figured it would be once in a while so I'm curious as to whether people do it and how.

I wonder if simply a 'strip wash' with no nappies would work? Ie Simply hot hot water and dishwashing liqid?

Help!

[~clover~]

Vinegar would be better. I just use it in every load as softener.
Maybe just an empty load with vinegar in the powder & softener dispensers?

You can also get someone to clean out the pump. My mum used to get hers done every 3 or so years. She used that same machine for near 20 years!

[Kitt3n]

mine has a self cleaning wash, so i guess you could follow the same principles...

it fills itself up with HOT water and you add detergent - when i start doing the nappies in there i'll add some nappy san too.......

then it soaks for about 3 hours and agitates ever so often.

then the first rinse is HOT water again, second rinse just cold.........

[Visitor7]

We too have the self cleaning wash option. But vinegar would be the way to go.

[dusty]

Yep, do a wash with just a bottle of cheap white vinegar.

[Willow]

With our old top loader I used to have to give it a good wash every few weeks - DH is a plant mechanic and the filth and grime would build up really quickly.

I just used a bucket of hot soapy water to wash the top part and then run a hot wash with some vinegar or baking soda.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

So, with vinegar, do i add the water to low and then add vinegar (to the water, how much?)

Thanks!

[Visitor7]

Do a hot wash with 1-2 cups of vinegar.
And from now on, put half a cup of vinegar in your washing. Use it insead of softener.

[The[cookie]Doctor]

Thanks Jodi.
I don't ever use fabric softener . I don't like it!
But I gather than means I can use vinegar as a softener with nappies? Or does the absorbency thing still apply?

[BellyBelly]

OMG! You learn something every day!!! I never knew this LOL

[catherinemoses]

Don't be embarrassed about not using fabric softener Cookiemonster! Apparently it is no good for your machine. Vinegar is the way to go
FYI I accidently washed some of DH's gearbox oil soaked clothes and it made my machine stink. I filled it up with just hot water and bleach and left it to soak over night. then i emptied it and did an empty hot wash with bi-carb and vinegar and it was 'good as new'.

[Visitor7]

I have never been too sure about the use of vinegar with the nappies, so I leave it out. Better safe than sorry.

[Muffy]

doesnt vinegar make your clothes stink??

[Visitor7]

No laura it doesn't. I hang all my washing in the sun, so maybe that helps?

[Muffy]

ah ok , we dont have the right weather to hang out clothes at the moment so i mite try it when the sun comes out!!

[~clover~]

No. My clothes don't smell & I use the line & dryer.
I can smell it in my machine, but not my clothes.
It keeps your machine clean, softens your clothes & whitens your whites.
I swear by it.