How to Clean a Front Load Washer

Front load washers clean clothes well, use less water than top loaders, and take up less space. They also have one annoying flaw. Without regular cleaning, they develop a musty smell that transfers to your laundry. The good news is that cleaning a front load washer is quick and only needs to happen once a month.

Here’s exactly what to do.

Why front loaders smell

Front load washers have a rubber door seal called a gasket that creates a watertight seal when the door is closed. After every wash, water and detergent residue gets trapped behind and inside the folds of that gasket. Combined with the warm humid environment inside the drum, it becomes a perfect place for mold and mildew to grow.

The drum, the detergent dispenser, and the drain pump filter also build up residue over time. Once the smell sets in, it spreads to your clothes, and no amount of fabric softener will cover it up.

The fix is regular cleaning. Done monthly, it prevents the smell from ever developing. Done on a washer that already smells, it usually clears the problem within two or three cycles.

What you’ll need

• A microfiber cloth or old towel
• White vinegar or a washer cleaning tablet
• Baking soda
• A toothbrush or small scrub brush
• Rubber gloves

That’s it. You don’t need specialty products, although washer cleaning tablets like Affresh or Tide Washing Machine Cleaner are convenient if you’d rather not measure out vinegar.

Step 1: Clean the gasket

This is where 90 percent of the smell comes from, so do it first.

Open the washer door and pull back the rubber gasket. You’ll see folds where water and gunk collect. On a washer that’s never been cleaned, expect to find black mildew, hair, lint, and probably a few coins or hair ties.

Wipe the entire gasket with a damp microfiber cloth. Get into every fold. For heavy mildew, use a paste of baking soda and water and scrub with the toothbrush. If the mildew is severe, a diluted bleach solution (one part bleach to four parts water) will kill it, but rinse thoroughly afterward and never mix bleach with vinegar.

Dry the gasket completely with a clean cloth before closing the door.

Step 2: Run a cleaning cycle

Most modern front load washers have a tub clean or self-clean cycle. Use it monthly with either a cleaning tablet or two cups of white vinegar poured directly into the drum.

If your washer doesn’t have a self-clean cycle, run the hottest, longest cycle available with the same vinegar or tablet. Don’t add detergent. Don’t add laundry. The cycle needs to run empty to fully clean the drum.

After the cycle finishes, run a second hot cycle with a half cup of baking soda in the detergent dispenser. The combination of vinegar followed by baking soda neutralizes odors and rinses out any remaining residue.

Step 3: Clean the detergent dispenser

The dispenser drawer is another place where buildup hides. On most front loaders, the drawer pulls all the way out for cleaning.

Pull the drawer out. There’s usually a release tab or button you have to press to remove it fully. Take it to the sink and rinse it under hot water. Use the toothbrush to scrub out any residue, paying attention to the small openings where liquid detergent and softener flow.

While the drawer is out, look inside the cavity where it sits. Mold often grows on the underside of the cavity ceiling. Wipe it down with vinegar or your cleaning solution, scrubbing with the brush as needed.

Let the drawer air dry before sliding it back in.

Step 4: Clean the drain pump filter

This step gets skipped a lot, but it matters. The drain pump filter catches lint, hair, and any small items that fall out of pockets. When it’s clogged, the washer drains slowly and starts to smell.

The filter is usually behind a small access panel at the bottom front of the washer. Lay an old towel under the panel because some water will come out. Some washers also have a small drainage hose next to the filter that you can use to drain water first.

Unscrew the filter (it’s usually a large round plug you turn counterclockwise). Pull it out and clean off any debris. Rinse it under the tap and screw it back in.

Check this filter every three months. On busy households or homes with pets, monthly is better.

Step 5: Wipe down the drum and door

After the cleaning cycles, wipe the inside of the drum with a damp microfiber cloth to catch any loosened residue. Pay attention to the little holes around the drum surface. Then wipe down the inside of the door, including the glass.

Clean the outside of the washer too. Detergent splashes and dust collect on the top and front, and you might as well do it while you have the cloth out.

Daily and weekly habits that prevent smell

Cleaning monthly is the foundation, but a few daily habits make a huge difference:

• Leave the door cracked open after every wash. This is the single most effective thing you can do. Air circulation prevents the moisture buildup that causes mildew.
• Pull out the detergent drawer slightly between washes. Same reason. Let it dry out.
• Wipe the gasket dry after each load. Takes ten seconds with a small towel kept nearby.
• Use less detergent. Most people use too much. Excess detergent doesn’t rinse out fully and feeds mildew growth. Use the high efficiency dose recommended for your machine, which is usually less than the cap suggests.
• Run an occasional hot wash. If you mostly do cold loads, the washer never gets hot enough to kill bacteria. A hot cycle every two or three weeks helps.

When the smell won’t go away

If you’ve cleaned thoroughly and the smell is still there, the problem might be deeper. Mold can grow inside the drum bearing area or in the drain hose, places you can’t easily reach. Run the cleaning routine three times in a row over a week. If it still smells, a service technician can disassemble the drum for a deeper clean, or the drain hose may need replacement.

Stick with the monthly schedule and a clean front loader stays clean. Skip it for too long and you end up doing the deep clean instead.