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 leave the door open, do the maintenance clean when I remember but the best thing is that we have insurance so when anything goes wrong I can just ring up for an engineer and if they can't fix it, will replace it with a new one. Minimises the panic!

Every month I use the special cleaner on a high temperature, scrubbing around the door to clean off any excess dirt and then leaving the door open for a while, it then smells fresh and clean.

I do 90 degrees wash with soda crystals monthly
I clean the filter every 3 months
I use washing powder for towels and bedding on hot 60 degrees wash
And I always leave the door open
Plus wash drawer for powder/loquid and conditioner every month

Quick wipe round the inside of the door and the seal with a towel after every wash and once a week an empty wash with soda crystals x

I spray the seal now and again with anti-bacterial spray. After a wash I always leave the door and drawer open to air it.

I run an empty wash every now and again, and give it a wipe down with lemon juice every now and again

I live in a hard water area so on the water source there's a filter plus I use the softener tablets each wash to avoid limescale build up. I should run a hot wash cycle but tend to just maintain my washing machine after each load. I dry the seal out each time and also remove the drawer and give that a wipe dry too, I find it gets a mouldy smell and gunk otherwise. I also always leave the door open to let it fully dry and air. I sometimes wipe around the drum with Zoflora to keep it fresh too.

Always leave the door open, dry the seal area after every wash, take drawer out regularly to clean and also run a service wash

Leaving the door open so it dries after use. Once a month I clean out the draw from the powder residue. And an empty hot wash every few months

I clean all the rubbers in the door every month to stop mildew building up from washing left in the machine after the late night wash making clothes smell bad and I give the inlet water pipes at the back a flush through with washing up liquid once a year so any stale mildew doesn't get flushed into the machine with the water and end up on clothes. Also i do a empty wash about once every 2-3 months with some descaler cleaner in it.

I've got 5 kids so my washing machine is on at least 3 times a day with all the sets of clothes, bedding and towels so keeping it clean is a must as I'd be stuck if it slowed down or broke.

I regularly wipe the drum, seals and draw with antibacterial wipes. I use to use vinegar in my old washing machine. My new one has a clean cycle that you use after every 50 washes.

Live in scotland in a soft water area to stop build up of limescale

I always leave the door open after a wash to let it dry out, and I do an empty 90 degree wash every now and then.

Door is usually left open. Detergent tray is taken out fairly regularly and given a scrub. Clothes are normally washed at low temperature with non bio and I wash towels and bedding with bio on a hot wash which seems to keep the machine smelling nice.

keep the door open all the time, do an empty run once a month or a run with just vinegar

Use soda crystals regularly in a pre-wash cycle to freshen it up. Also much cheaper than limescale tablets!

I let it dry out after washing, plus I wipe down the inside after I'm finished for the week. My husband empties the tank and cleans the catch 1-2 times a month. Once or twice a year we do a vinegar and essential oil wash

I always wipe down the glass inner door and around the inner rim after a wash, and then leave the door ajar.
I also rinse it with a 'cleaner' about once every 6 weeks.

I keep a spare rag to hand to tuck into the lining to soak up the excess water that gathers there to prevent the mouldy build up. I clean the detergent drawer regularly and leave the door ajar to air. but other than that not much else.

Drum clean cycle every month - or every 2 weeks in winter with all the muddy things that need washing. I also leave the draw and door open after every wash

I only use washing powder no softener, as liquids make the draw mouldy. I pull the draw and stick it in the dishwasher to clean. A 90 degree wash with nothing in the drum and a bit of white vinegar to keep it clean and odour free.

I always put it on an empty short rinse after every second wash to clean it out

My washing machine is new , I remember a plumber once told my mum washing machines never suffered from lime scale in the days people boiled washed nappie, He said if she ran a hot wash once a month it wouldn't suffer line scale I have always done that . My machine comes with a treatment program and it recommends using it after every 40 washes I do that . I use a little soda crystals. I always leave the door open to air it . I clean the drawer and wiped it over. i also make sure i empty pockets and dont allow any foreign bodies into the machine.

My top tip is: always read threads like this on MN for inspiration/motivation/aide-memoire, and to refine your technique. (And it is lovely to see Custy on this thread.)

I do a regular hot wash using washing machine cleaner. Thanks for reminding me as I haven't done it for a while