Best way to clean a washer and dryer?

**conman1395** · 08-17-2015, 01:18 AM

I just moved into my apartment. Single apartment with a washer and dryer. The washer and dryer obviously aren't clean of lint and residue. What's the best way to clean these? I never use fabric softener - even on my clothes. So I want the washer and dryer to be clean for my towels and clothes.

It's a non-HE top load washer.

Thanks,

Connor

**aim4squirrels** · 08-17-2015, 07:10 AM

IPA wipe the barrel of the dryer. I'd use full strength. You can wash the screen in the sink and allow to air dry.

Run an empty load in the washer with a cup of bleach to disinfect it, and pull out the soap and fabric softener dispensers and wash them if you can.

Remember, these things are designed to clean clothes, they shouldn't be too dirty to start.

I do understand the need for due diligence not knowing the history of the machine, though.

**PA DETAILER** · 08-17-2015, 07:17 AM

They make washer cleaners. Find it in the detergent section in the store. Dryer i just wipe out with a good APC. They also make dishwasher cleaners.

**VISITOR** · 08-17-2015, 02:37 PM

there are several brands of this type of washer cleaner and it's recommended to use them at least once a month. for the dryer if you have a long attachment on a vacuum, check inside the lint trap and see if you can get in there and vacuum any out...

**oldmodman** · 08-17-2015, 04:03 PM

I did a "restoration" on a friend's washer & dryer. They were included with a house she bought.

I put two bottles of CLR in the washer and let it sit in the (front loader) tub for half a day.
Then let it start the drain cycle and stopped it so the CLR could do it's magic on the pump and hose assemblies.
Then let it run a full "load" with hot water to wash it out.
Then poured in a gallon of vinegar and did the same thing with that.
And finally put in ten cups of baking soda with hot water and let it run for half a wash cycle then turned it off and let it sit overnight. Came by in the morning and turned it on and let it finish the was, rinse cycle.
After all that the built up sediment, calcium, and horrible smell of mold were all gone.
It smells, cleans, and after a little Menzerna love, looks like a new washer and dryer.
All I did to the dryer was to buy a new dust trap filter and wipe the entire inside of the machine out with a wet towel to grab all the lint. Also cleaned out the exhaust ducting too.

**conman1395** · 08-17-2015, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by oldmodman

I did a "restoration" on a friend's washer & dryer. They were included with a house she bought.

I put two bottles of CLR in the washer and let it sit in the (front loader) tub for half a day.
Then let it start the drain cycle and stopped it so the CLR could do it's magic on the pump and hose assemblies.
Then let it run a full "load" with hot water to wash it out.
Then poured in a gallon of vinegar and did the same thing with that.
And finally put in ten cups of baking soda with hot water and let it run for half a wash cycle then turned it off and let it sit overnight. Came by in the morning and turned it on and let it finish the was, rinse cycle.
After all that the built up sediment, calcium, and horrible smell of mold were all gone.
It smells, cleans, and after a little Menzerna love, looks like a new washer and dryer.
All I did to the dryer was to buy a new dust trap filter and wipe the entire inside of the machine out with a wet towel to grab all the lint. Also cleaned out the exhaust ducting too.

Oh wow. Well mine isn't smelly or anything, just a lot of built up residue (which would probably cause smells soon).

I ended up using one of those washer cleaning packets and it seemed to clean it out very well.

For the dryer I did exactly like you said - wet towel to pick up lint and then an APC wipe down as well followed by another wet towel wipe down to ensure the APC residue was removed.

I played basketball quite a bit today so I have laundry I'll be doing tomorrow to run through some wash cycles.

Now I'm noticing a cigarette smoke smell in my apartment and also found some cigarette butts on my balcony so there's another issue that I'll deal with.

Other than an ozone machine any tips for that? I figured I'd do a few cans of Ozium and then burn some incense if needed for a while. They put new carpet in and painted the walls too (I think) so that will hopefully make it easier to get rid of.

**PA DETAILER** · 09-07-2015, 05:35 AM

Used the tide last night with stellar results.
Washing Machine Cleaner | Tide

**conman1395** · 09-07-2015, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by pro 4x

Used the tide last night with stellar results.
Washing Machine Cleaner | Tide

I used it and it worked well. I also bought a baby bottle brush yesterday to clean my lint trap out and it worked great.

**PA DETAILER** · 11-22-2015, 06:31 AM

Used the tide when we got into the new place last month. Makes the whole house smell great! LOL

**jfelbab** · 11-22-2015, 08:48 AM

Re dryer: When I bought my new dryer it was shutting down after a load with a airflow failure. Turned out the vent pipe was full of lint. I disconnected the vent and used a shopvac with a long flexible extension hose to push it down the vent. You'd be surprised at how much lint gets past the lint filter over time and gets stuck in these vent pipes. I also picked up a long brush for cleaning out the dryer vent/lint filter area.