When you clean your washing machine...

[Trazzletoes]

...how much bleach/ vinegar do you put in it? And do you just put it in the powder drawer?

Thanks.

[crazykat]

I usually put half to 3/4 of a 500ml bottle in. I use the supermarket own one and pour it straight in the drum.

I find it needs a second empty wash cycle to stop marks on the clothes and then I do a dark wash just incase.

[ilovepowerhoop]

I never use bleach. Soda crystals in a hot wash followed by vinegar on a hot wash is supposed to be good at cleaning it out.

The soda crystals website says this:

To clean the drum, remove smells and kill bacteria add two cups of Soda Crystals to the detergent dispenser on an empty cycle and run on the longest hottest wash.

Once the cycle is complete, add 500ml of White Vinegar to the drum, and run another empty cycle on the longest hottest wash. This will eliminate any limescale and detergent from the pipes, leaving your washing machine sparkling and working more efficiently. This should be repeated every 4 - 8 weeks to ensure unpleasant odours and bacteria do not accumulate.

[BovrilonToast]

I bung a dishwasher tablet in on a hot wash!

[Plonkysaurus]

Must try the dishwasher tablet next. I've currently got my washing machine going on at 90 with a load of vinegar in it.

[wowfudge]

I've never cleaned a washing machine other than removing and cleaning the drawer, wiping the gasket and door occasionally. I do live an area with very soft water (no salt needed in dishwasher it's that soft) and I am careful not to overdose washing powder and use a very hot wash once a week for towels.

I also leave the door and drawer open when the machine isn't in use - it's in the futility room so not a problem to do that.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I just put it on the highest setting, the heat kills the bacteria & there's no chemicals going into the environment.

[ihatethecold]

Futility room