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 do an empty wash cycle, wash around the seal and clean out the vent every month!

I always leave the door open after to prevent mould. its on my to do list to give it a clean but life gets in the way! oops!

I run my machine empty without any detergent on a hot wash once a month as the washing machine engineer told me to do it to prevent build up of detergent and scale. I often put a descaling agent in there too. I also clean the drawer regularly. I gave up using fabric softener years ago after finding out that it always caused the machine to go mouldy inside - especially in the drawer area. These days I prefer liquid detergents as the powder used to go solid inside the drawer sometimes and I worried that it might do that inside the machine too. As all the kids clothes tend it be quite dirty from school, park or garden, I put a couple of caps of Sainsbury's Basics disinfectant in with every wash to keep bacteria at bay despite the low temperature washes.

We use Dr Beckman washing machine cleaner every now and again and always leave the door open after a wash.

I run an empty wash with a washing machine cleaner every fow months

I leave the door open every so often and after each wash

My new machine tells me after 40 washes to do a clean, it has a setting and you're not to put anything in with it. I try to leave the door open but it doesn't stay, I wipe the seal down (when I remember) and clean the drawer (when it's so dirty, it takes itself to the sink)

I run a hot wash about once a month, wipe the rubber seal after most washes and check there's nothing lurking in the crevices and leave the door open immediately after use. I clean the glass and outside with antibacterial spray and a cloth. Detergent drawer gets taken out and put in the dishwasher every now and again.

I use Calgon occasionally as I live in a hard water area. I find it very effective!

Always leave the door open and I put a fridge deodorizer ball in there when not in use

I run a very hot wash with some bleach every month and remove the powder drawer and clean that in the sink ( an old toothbrush works well in the nooks and crannies )

my washing machine has a self clean cycle - I run this once a week, I also make sure to clean and dry the rubber around the door once a week too

I use the self clean programme on my machine regularly

Always wipe round the door seal with a dry cloth so it doesn't perish with moisture

I do an empty hot wash now and then with white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. I also add a sterilising tablet in the filter container so that bacteria and mould doesn't accumulate.

Wipe out the machine including seals and drawers each week (or after a extra grubby load!) and do a maintenance hot wash once a month.

I air the machine after each use by leaving the door wide open and I dry down all the rubber to stop mould.
Use a descaler like calgon once a month and don’t fill the machine too full.
I put it on the hottest wash now and again while empty aswell to keep it clean.

Check pockets- a missed coin can do so much damage!
I do a maintenance wash when I remember- so every few months.
I only use liquid detergent- helps avoid clogging.

I leave the door open and use a washing machine cleaner every 6 weeks or so.

Hmm, I never realised I should be treating my machine with such love. I do always leave the door open to stop it smelling horrible, and I only ever use liquid in the drum rather than the drawer so there's no build up of gunk, but my machine is quite new so I might start to look after it a bit more after seeing all these comments.

I do a washing machine cleaner once a month or 2 as live in a hard water area and do it on a very hot wash

checking pockets of trousers etc.
using bio powder as it cleans better and is not worse to sensitive skin than bio detergent
always use the long cycle with at least 3 rinse cycles
use less powder than on the box (we have a foam party if we put in as much as the box says for drum size and water hardness)
wash certain things (towels, bedding) on 60 or higher

Put powder straight into the drum and you never need to de mould the drawer.

Don't let your child use the door as a handy foot hold to climb onto a worksurface.

I use hg washing machine engineer every few months. It's great and really easy to use.

Don't overload, use a limescale tablet, wash out the detergent drawer every know and then. Oh, and don't let DH load washing machine and leave a cord hanging out the door - it definitely ruins the washing machine seal!