How to Clean a Front Load Washer

Your washers job is to clean your clothes, but what do you do if the machine smells worse than the laundry? Well, then it is time to give it a quick cleaning, to get your machine and clothes smelling nice and fresh.

For this task you can either view our video guide or read our written guide below:

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Regular Household Cleaner
• Scrubbing Brush or Sponge
• Baking Soda
• Vinegar

How to Clean the Dispenser

A smelly washer may be caused by a build-up of detergent or fabric softener residue. To clean this gunk out of your dispenser, pull it to its fully open position, and press down on the release tab. Then you can remove the dispenser altogether. The easiest way to clean it is to soak it in hot water. Then spray it down with a household cleaner, allow it to set, and then scrub it with a brush to remove all the residue. Now it can be put back into the machine, good as new.

How to Clean the Tub

To clean your tub, take two cups of baking soda and put it into your dispenser or directly into the tub. Select the hottest wash cycle possible (if your model has a clean cycle, then set it to this) and run it to the end. Once that is done, do the same with two cups of vinegar. After this, run the cycle one more time with nothing in the tub to rinse out the baking soda and vinegar. All done!

How to Clean the Door Bellows

The Door Bellows will typically collect dirt or residue in the bottom portion over time.  You can clean this part using a simple household cleaner or you can use a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Make sure to rinse it out afterward. At this time you should also make sure the door glass is clean, particularly down on the bottom edge where residue can collect. Use a household cleaner and sponge to scrub away any built-up gunk.

Maintenance Tips

To keep your washer smelling fresh and clean we recommend that at the end of each wash cycle you wipe out the door seal area. Make sure it’s clean and dry. Pull the dispenser drawer out and rinse out any compartment that may have some residue left. Leave the compartment partially open to allow it to dry. Also leave the main door open partway open to allow air to circulate, keeping the drum dry and preventing odors from reoccurring.

Now your clothes will come out smelling better than ever! Alongside these maintenance tips, it’s also important to make sure your washer is in good working condition. If during the course of cleaning your front load washer you discover it's in need of a repair, you can check out our huge selection of washer parts to get it running as good as new again.