What are the cleaning methods for washing machines with odor?

Most households have washing machines, and many of them are actually very dirty. Although you can't see the dirt with the naked eye, there may be a lot of bacteria hidden inside. If you put your head into the washing machine, you may smell an obvious odor. Therefore, we would like to remind everyone to learn how to use the washing machine correctly. After each wash, rinse it with clean water in time and wipe the inside to keep the washing machine dry. Especially when the washing machine is not used for a long time, it is best to open the lid to allow ventilation and sunlight to reach in. In addition to these, if you find an obvious odor in the washing machine, you should use the following methods to clean it.

First, the reason why the washing machine has a peculiar smell

The reason why the washing machine produces odor is that it is relatively humid inside the washing machine. If it is not used for a long time, it is easy for bacteria to multiply. Under certain conditions, bacteria will breed and odor will appear.

This is usually because the dirt in tap water, free substances in washing powder, cellulose in clothes, organic matter in the human body, and dust and bacteria brought in by clothes multiply and ferment at room temperature.

A drum washing machine looks very clean at first glance, but you may not know that there is a sleeve outside the washing drum, and the washing water flows back and forth between these two layers. If you pull out the sleeve, you can see that the dirt in the interlayer is very serious. The dirt is composed of scale in tap water, free substances in washing powder, cellulose in clothes, organic matter in the human body, and dust and bacteria brought in by clothes. It is firmly attached to the interlayer of the washing machine and multiplies and ferments at room temperature. Not only do they seriously contaminate clothes during washing, but they also endanger human health.

Therefore, the washing machine needs to be cleaned and disinfected frequently. Generally speaking, a newly purchased washing machine should be cleaned and disinfected every two or three months after being used for half a year.

Second, how to remove the odor from the washing machine?

1. Use a soft cloth dipped in detergent to wipe the inner barrel of the washing machine. Some small areas may need to be brushed with a toothbrush, and then wipe dry with a soft cloth.

2. Disinfect in time. When cleaning, put appropriate amount of water in the washing machine, then pour in an appropriate amount of disinfectant, turn on the washing machine, let the water in the barrel circulate, and after more than ten minutes, the disinfection effect can be achieved.

3. You can use vinegar instead of detergent. Vinegar has a bactericidal effect. Put vinegar on a rag and wipe the inner tank of the washing machine clean. When you encounter narrow grooves, you can use a cotton swab dipped in vinegar to clean them.

4. The small bag that collects fine fluff in the washing machine should also be cleaned in time. It is best to take it out, rinse and dry it after each wash. Do not clean it after a lot of dirt has accumulated, as that will breed bacteria. (Recommended reading: If you don’t clean your washing machine regularly, all your clothes will be wasted!)

5. Adding medical or personal hygiene disinfectant to the washing machine can effectively remove odors.

6. To remove dirt from the washing machine, you can combine both "Chinese" and "Western" methods. The "Western" method is to go to the supermarket and buy special detergent for washing machines. Depending on the age of the washing machine, add an appropriate amount of powder and warm water, soak it for several hours, and then stir it to remove the dirt.

If you can't buy special cleaning agents, you can also use a "traditional" method: depending on the capacity of the washing machine, pour half a bottle to a bottle of vinegar into the inner barrel of the washing machine, add warm water to 3/4 of the barrel height, soak for 2 hours, then start the washing machine and let it run for 10 to 20 minutes. At this time, you will find that a lot of dirt has fallen off in fragments.

Third, keep the washing machine drum clean and dry to prevent bacteria from hiding.

1. After washing clothes each time, you should drain the water in the barrel, then dry the barrel in the sun for a while, and then close the lid of the washing machine after there is no moisture in the barrel. Of course, you can also use a dry rag to wipe off the water droplets and moisture inside and outside the bucket, which can also help eliminate moisture.

2. Remove odors through regular scrubbing and disinfection. After the washing machine has been left for a period of time, it can be cleaned and disinfected with an appropriate disinfectant.

3. Don’t keep the washing machine lid closed all the time. It’s best to keep it open when you are not washing clothes.

4. Different clothes must be washed separately, don’t be afraid of the trouble. For example, children's clothes must be washed separately, adult coats must be washed separately from underwear, and bedding must be washed separately. Although this is troublesome, it can avoid cross-infection of bacteria of different natures.