Share your best tips for keeping your washing machine in tip-top shape with Fairy Non Bio - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

Keeping your washing machine in good condition is vital step to having fresh, clean clothes...who knew?! Fairy Non Bio would like you to share all your methods and tips on how you keep your washing machine clean and in tip-top shape.

Here’s what Fairy have to say: “With the amount of washing we all do, we need to keep our faithful machines in tip top condition to keep it running for the long haul. Whether it is running a powder wash or a hot cycle every now and again, we would love to know your tips!”

Perhaps you give everything in the machine a wipe down after every wash? Do you have a schedule for how often you do an empty load? Or maybe you have some home remedies that you turn to that you think work brilliantly?

Whatever your methods are, share them on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck.

MNHQ

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I live in a really hard water area so I do a empty wash cycle with a descaling treatment monthly or thereabouts. I used to use a calgon in each wash till I realised my dc was allergic to the stuff and my washing machine service dude told me it wasn’t worth it.

I always leave the door open after a wash.

I do an empty hot wash now and again and always leave the door open after a wash to let it dry out.

I do a very hot wash with a dishwasher tablet in the drum. This helps to degrease/gunk everything.

I don't do it nowhere near as often as I should but I do my a washing machine treatment every so often and run it empty on a hot cycle.

Buy*

I do look after my machine

The door is constantly open. I do a hot empty wash regularly but not as often as I'd like - as I keep forgetting
The door inside and rubber seal gets a wipe daily to keep it dry and the dispenser drawer a good hand wash and scrub with a brush every now and then.

Previously I used descaling sachets from Hotpoint but not anymore.

One of my friends kisses her machine every time she uses it!

I like to keep on top of keeping my washing machine clean & hygienic, considering that it gets alot of use. After every use I leave the door open to air and about three times a week I clean all inside the door seal etc with a cloth. Every fortnight I put it on a hot wash with an empty drum using a treatment especially for keeping the inside hygienic. It leaves it smelling really fresh.

I've had mine 10 years and it seems to be thriving on neglect

I have a few tips -
leave the door ajar so it dries out after washing.
every 3 months or so add half a mug of white vinegar in the drum and a few tablespoons on bicarbonate of soda to your soap dispenser and put on a quick wash. works a treat.

I leave the door open after use, and run a hot wash every so often

Regular hot wash, and using washing machine cleaner periodically seems to work

I do a hot wash when I remember, either empty or with vinegar.

I wish I'd wiped the seal every time from new though, as mine is really manky.

I do a regular hot wash with white vinegar. I also muse sure I check it thoroughly before I put it on as it’s one of dds favourite hiding places. Last week I found a pillar candle and a handful of mini shredded wheat in there.

Mine has a 'drum clean' setting so I use that maybe twice a month, I always keep the door open and after every couple of washes I wipe round the inside with an anti bacterial wipe

I live in a very hard water area so use soda crystals in every wash.

Once a month (ish) I do a 90 degree wash with vinegar in the drum.

Erm nothing. Well I leave the door open after every wash but that's so I can put washing straight in instead of it being on the floor.

Powder, not liquid
Less residue and bleaching agents stop mould growth

You're reminded me to do a maintenance wash - I just never remember. The only thing that I do is leave the door open after a wash to prevent it from getting too pongy

I always leave the door ajar when I'm not using it, put a limescale prevention tablet through the machine every so often (too expensive to do it every wash) and I clean out the drawer of mould etc from time to time.

@voyager50 use soda crystals instead of those anti limesce tablets, much cheaper!

I leave the door open between washes, and of course I use Fairy non - bio and have done so for many years. My washing machine is about twenty years old so I'm obviously doing all the right things!

I leave the door open between washes. I occasionally take the drawer out for a scrub and pour some boiling water down the hole. I also do a maintenance wash on 90 with just vinegar whenever I feel like things are getting a bit stinky or gunked up.

I leave the door open to let it dry/air during the day but shut it when DC are about as they swing on it! I do run an empty hot wash and wipe the seal every so often.

I had a cheap washing machine for over 10 years because I looked after it . Every 3 months I ran an empty hot wash with s descaler , wiped round the rubber seal and washed out the drawer. I regularly emptied the filter too . I've been doing the same with my new machine too