spores to your clothes.<\/a> There are a few working parts to tackle, so consider each part its own small project.<\/p>\nDispenser<\/h3>\n This part of the washer is usually the dirtiest visually. Over time, fabric softener and detergent build up in these compartments. This looks gross, it can collect bacteria, and it can clog the dispenser so your clothes don\u2019t get all the liquid cleaner it should.<\/p>\n
Remove each piece of the dispenser and run it under warm water. Use a toothbrush to clean the dried-on stuff and get it looking new again. If the remaining compartment has detergent left behind, use water and the toothbrush to loosen the soap. Use a paper towel to scrape out remaining chunks before putting the pieces back into the dispenser.<\/p>\n
Gasket<\/h3>\n The rubber tube that surrounds the opening of the washer\u2019s drum is the gasket. This holds the door closed and makes it water tight. This is especially important to clean because it is often missed by the self-clean mode, and it is where things typically collect. This is where mildew and mold grow, and a dirty seal can cause an issue with the door seal.<\/p>\n
First, pull back the flap of the gasket. Here, you\u2019ll see hair, lint, and all sorts of items you likely don\u2019t want to think about. Using a handheld vacuum, suck out all the loose debris between the flaps. Next, use a toothbrush or paper towel to rub off any stuck-on debris. This is usually where mold will grow, so be sure to look for black spots indicating mold.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the tricky part- cleaning the actual gasket. Wipe it down with a mixture of water and vinegar. Be sure not to leave excess water behind in the gasket. If you do see mold or mildew (or this is your first time doing this and its pretty nasty) soak paper towels in white vinegar or a bleach to water ratio of 1:10. Tuck the paper towels into the gasket, and leave for ten minutes or longer. These are both effective methods for killing mildew and mold. Be sure to wipe the gasket clean after the paper towels have sat.<\/p>\n
Drum<\/h3>\n This is the part of the washer that the self-clean mode handles. If you can\u2019t run the self-clean mode or want to do this manually, start by adding baking soda to the drum of the washer. Baking soda cleans the drum, acts as an abrasive material for clinging detergent and oils, removes smells, and helps the metal tub sparkle. How much you add depends on what you feel like, but an entire box will not hurt the machine (and baking soda is an inexpensive product).<\/p>\n
The next step will be to add white vinegar to the bleach dispenser. While bleach is a good choice for the self-clean mode, vinegar is better for manual cleaning because it reacts to the baking soda. Again, white vinegar is an inexpensive and multipurpose cleaning gem. The vinegar will remove stains, smells, and react with the baking soda to foam and help lift off debris.<\/p>\n
Be sure the setting you use on your cleaning cycle is the fullest and hottest you can set. Also, run an extra rinse cycle to make sure to dissolve any baking soda than may have remained behind from the first rinse cycle.<\/p>\n
After the cycle has run, as with the self-clean mode, you\u2019ll want to wipe away any residue with a paper towel or clean cloth. Leave the door open to air dry.<\/p>\n
Lint Trap<\/h3>\n The lint trap typically is at the base of the washer behind a panel. When you remove this, be prepared to have some remaining water pour out. Keeping a few towels nearby will help for this. Samsung recommends doing this after cleaning the washer as the remaining debris will fall down here.<\/p>\n
The water will be hot no matter if you are cleaning it manually or using the self-clean mode, so allow it to cool for an hour before handling. Turning the cap, the remaining water from the wash will leak out. You can then twist the filter out, usually this is done counter-clockwise. You\u2019ll likely see a filmy layer along with hair and lint on the filter screen. Just as you did with the dispenser parts, rinse under warm water, using a toothbrush to remove all gunk. Once the filter is clean, slip it back into place and close up everything.<\/p>\n
Exterior<\/h3>\n The last step for a deep clean should be to tackle the exterior of your washing machine. Afterall, you want it to look as good as it smells. The best solution for cleaning the exterior of the washer is a soft cloth and mild cleaner. It\u2019s advised in manuals to keep bottles of detergent and items off the top of the washer. This will prevent any scratches from forming and dulling the paint. Once the paint has been scratched, rust follows.<\/p>\n
Wipe the outside of the machine with a dry shammy cloth. If there are detergent or other spills on the front or top of the machine, use water or a very mild cleaner. Windex is great for the front of the window to remove fingerprints and streaks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Two things never seem to be complete on a household chore list: dishes and laundry. When you go to throw yet another load of laundry into the washer, you notice something smells. It\u2019s not the laundry, despite it belonging to your teenage son. This smell is mildewy and a bit rancid. It never seems to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Self-Clean a Samsung Front Load Washer to Get Rid of that Nasty Smell - Two Make a Home<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n