How to clean a washing machine

[Rainydayzandmondays13]

At the risk of sounding a bit thick lol how do you clean it. It's getting quite smelly and the clothes come out stinking. Also the drawer you put the washing powder in doesn't come out.

Thank you for any help

[HairsprayBabe]

Put it on a hot wash (90C) empty and that should kill the bacteria that are making it smell.

[BlondiBleach]

If you're in hardwater area you may also need to remove limescale. Hot wash with white vinegar/descaler like kilrock/Calgon

The dispenser drawer also needs to be cleaned separately. You'll find it probably does come apart. If you use liquid detergent you'll find lots of sludge to clean - hot water & a cloth should do it.

[BabyGanoush]

the drawer DOES come out, it usually just needs a slight lift up or down.

You need to put it on empty and wash it at 90C (add a squirt of bleach for proper bacteria killing)

Bacteria cause smells, and bacteria die at 60C, so if you never wash a wash at 60C your machine will stink and harbour more bacteria than if you wash regularly at 60C

(sheets, towels usually wash well at 60C)

[PinkSwimGoggles]

look op the instructions. usually there is a button or lever to take out the drawer.
you can put the drawer in the dishwasher or bucket of water to get it clean.
spray kitchen or bathroom cleaner inside the drawer 'hole' and scrub with bottle brush.

wipe the seal if the drum with hot soapy water.

when that's done do one (or more) empty boil washes. you can add vinegar (great limescale remover) or soda crystals (water softener) directly into drum.

[Rainydayzandmondays13]

That's brilliant thank you so much for the help. I have already put it on an empty hot wash but that was without bleach/vinegar so hopefully that'll do the trick.
The drawer probably does come out but we bought the washing machine second hand so either we weren't given instructions or I've lost them (more probable lol). So will have a good fiddle with it

[PinkSwimGoggles]

most manuals are online, so look up make and midel.

[PrettyBlueDressForTheXmasBall]

If its making clothes smell it probably has a build up of softener and wash liquid and/or powder.

Do a boil wash with 2 cups of soda crystals (69p for 500g bag in home bargains) straight in the drum.

Followed by a boil wash with 2cups of white vinegar (distilled malt is perfect and only 39p in ASDA).

This will kill bacteria and strip away any residue from fabric softener and wash liquid/powder.

To stop it happening again boil wash like this once a month. Or stop using fabric softener and use either white vinegar or dettol laundry liquid instead.