Last week we made a post about maintainining your dryer so this week we're going to take a look at every dryer's other half, the washer. Just as your dryer needs maintaining, so too is it important to check on your washer's health and cleanliness to avoid any unnecessary damages and unwanted odors. Let's take a look at a few easy ways for anyone to keep your washer as fresh and clean as the clothes you take out of it.
1. Cleaning the tub and hoses
Have you ever opened your washer and smelled something like mildew or sewage? Washers are, obviously, constantly wet. Unfortunately this can cause bacteria and mildew to run rampant through your washer. The absolute first tip to keeping your washer healthy is by cleaning it out. The best way to do this is to use a scoop of Oxiclean powder(any store brand will work as well as long as the ingrediants on the back list Sodium Percarbonate) and the juice of a fresh lemon. Toss the Oxiclean powder directly in your tub and the lemon juice into your detergent dispenser and run your washer on the hottest cycle, some washers even have a Clean Washer setting. The Oxiclean will mix with the water creating Hydrogen Peroxide and help clean and sterilize the tub and hoses. At the same time the lemon juice not only helps with smells but the citric acid in it clings to bacteria and minerals that burrow into any microcracks in your tub lining, drawing them to the surface and allowing the Oxiclean to do a better job. After running the cycle, if you notice any lingering Oxiclean smell you can run the cycle once more with more lemon juice. We recommend doing this every three months or so, depending on how often you use the washer.
2. Keep the door open!
After cleaning the washer, leave the door open! This also goes for after every load. A washer can take on smells the same way our clothes can. If you were to take off your wet clothes after running home in a thunderstorm and you put those clothes in a water tight space like a rolled up trash bag or a storage box, can you imagine how bad the smell would be after a while? It's the same thing with your washer. By leaving the door open after every wash your giving your washer a chance to air out and evaporate all that left over moisture and denying bacteria a chance to stagnate into mildew. While this is important for top loaders, it's absolutely essential for front loaders. The rubber boots on the inside of the door of these washers is a huge breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria. The boots and inside of the door can also be a trap for hair that can build up and cause leaks by breaking the seal of the boot to the door, because of this we recommend wiping the door and boot with a towel as well as leaving it ajar.
3. Be aware of your load sizes and how much detergent you use
Just like your dryer, load size is just as important to your washer. By overloading the washer you're preventing the washer from moving your clothes around and being able to clean all of the items in your load. If that wasn't bad enough it can cause major wear on your washer. Much like a car, wash tubs are supported by different types of suspension rods, springs, or shock absorbers, and when you add too heavy of a load your putting alot of strains on those parts and wearing them out much quicker then average. For front load washers, a recommended load size is enough to fill half the tub while still allowing you to see the top half of the back wall. For top loaders, generally no more then half to 3/4 of your tub should be filled. Just as bad as too much laundry, is too much detergent. Most people know that too much detergent can cause oversudsing and can lead to leaks but it can also cause soap scum to build up on your washers tub shell, eventually causing the same oversudsing condition or leaving an oily residue in your future loads. For washers with the HE (high efficiency) logo on them, 1-2 teaspoons of HE detergent is recommended, while other washers not bearing that logo can use 1-2 tablespoons of detergent.
4. Check your hoses
The hoses on the back of your washer can be a source of major headache if they arent checked periodically. Water hoses for washers come in two main types, rubber and braided steel. If you have rubber hoses, these can degrade and crack over time, leading to potential flooding. If you do notice cracking we recommend you replace these hoses as soon as possible for braided steel hoses. Braided steel hoses are much more reliable. Typically they last upwards of 20-30 years. That being said braided steel hoses do use rubber seals at both ends to prevent leaks. You can check these seals by periodically checking both ends of the hose for any significant amount of water or rust. Drain lines can be another issue. While its usually unlikely for a drain hose to rupture or crack, it's still a good idea to look it over at the same time as your supply hoses. The biggest issue for drain lines is movement. Drain lines should be inserted in your wall no more then 6 inches and then ziptied to one the supply hoses for safety.
5. If you suspect a problem, call a professional
While washers may not have the same need for professional maintenance as dryers, it can certainly help avoid future issues to have a professional appliance tech come and check things like your internal hoses and suspension, every 6 months to a year. And of course if your washer is making a sound or not behaving correctly please call us at (719)546-0442. We at Royal care about you and your family's safety and well-being, and are here for you if you have any problems. This month only we are offering 5% off any appliance work when you mention our blog and this weeks code, WASHER24. Code not valid after business close Friday 4/5/24.
Comentarios