There are two major types of washing machines, the top loader and the front loader. The top loading washing machine is the traditional type of washing machine that are found in most homes. They are called such because the bin where you place your laundry opens at the top of the machine.
On the other hand, front load washing machines were used before mostly for commercial purposes and these were commonly seen in laundromats. Unlike the top loader, the front load machine has a tub which opens at the front, thus the name. However, in the recent years, the front loader has gained much popularity and is now widely used in households.
No matter what type of washing machine you are using, you should give it ample care and maintenance. A previous article talked about cleaning a top loader. This time, this article is going to talk about the proper ways of cleaning a front loading washing machine. Here are some basic tips that will give you a better front loader.
Try draining it completely
Unlike top loaders which can be drained thoroughly, front load washing machines do not drain completely as the drain pipe in the latter is located at its side. With that design, some water is bound to be left inside the washer or tub. Sometimes, these remaining water may be the cause of that funky odor you have been smelling lately. To avoid this, try draining it out completely. If it does not drain out the hose, well, you can try draining it manually.
Let the moisture escape
Make it a habit to always leave the door to the washer open. Unless, of course, you are washing your laundry. Sometimes moisture is trapped inside and it causes the musty smell. Trapped moisture inside the washer is also a very attractive breeding place for molds and mildew not to mention germs and other harmful microorganism.
Use high-efficiency detergent
The kind of detergent you use is also very helpful in cleaning the front loader’s tub. No, I’m not saying that you should scrub the tub with detergent, that may cause in more lime deposits. Anyway, you should try buying high efficiency detergent, which produce less suds and less fragrance because of their high concentration.
Suds are a big factor to why you may have difficulty draining water out of the tub of your front loading washing machine. The detergent suds mix with water and make it thicker. Also, suds that are left inside the tub will harden and will cause lime deposits in the tub. Sudsy water may look cute and all but they cause problems. To avoid these problems, well, avoid the suds.
Wipe the inside of the tub
If you have the luxury of time, you can do this every after you finish doing the laundry. This way, you can be sure that the inside of the tub is really dry and that no detergent suds nor fabric conditioner remnants are there. There may also be some dirt inside the tub which came from your laundry. Clean these dirt and the like unless you want them mixing with your clothes the next time you do your laundry.
You also have to be careful in cleaning each and every nook and cranny inside the tub that may collect water and moisture. Even a little amount of moisture can lead to disaster. Remember, the enemy here are microorganisms. They are the ones to blame for dirty clothes and that musty smell. Clean even the hard to reach areas. However, if you cannot do this every after doing the laundry, you can try doing this twice a month. Then again, the more times you do it, the better.
Clean the drain pump filter
The drain pump filter is one of the parts of the front loading washing machine that receives the dirty work. Over time, you can only imagine how much dirty water and the like accumulated in the filter. Water that is never drained is still there, because where else would they go, right? Suds and all the other dirt filtered from the clothes are also there.
The drain pump filter, which is usually located at the bottom of the machine, can be taken by pulling out the drain plug. Remember to put a bucket or anything else that can catch water underneath the drain hose before pulling it out. Take out the filter and clean it. Doing this, you did not only clean the drain pump, you will also make the draining process faster without all those obstructions.