How to disinfect the washing machine: the necessary care for an indispensable appliance
To have a clean and fragrant laundry and to make the washing machine last a long time it is important to disinfect it every now and then: a simple operation that you can do even with ingredients you have in the pantry. And if you love flawless laundry and you want clean and fragrant clothes, don't miss this video in which we reveal the simple but unsuspected tips to get perfect laundry every day and every wash!
How to disinfect the washing machine: for perfect hygiene
We have probably never done as many machine washes as in this difficult period of the pandemic. A "fundamental weapon in the prevention of Covid-10 contagion is cleaning; linen, gowns, masks, dresses, handkerchiefs, towels: we put everything in the washing machine even after using them for half a day, precisely because we know that water and soap and washing at least 60 ° in the washing machine are essential to reduce the risk of contagion. These good habits, such as washing our hands and face every time we return home or contact other people and disinfecting potentially contaminated surfaces, we should always use them, not only in the period of Coronavirus, to avoid infections, dermatitis, herpes and other pathologies. We are all fighting against dirt, because even in "normal" periods it can favor mold and therefore the proliferation of bacteria invading our immune system. In this war in the name of cleaning you must not neglect your appliances. The hot temperature and humidity inside the washing machine promotes mold and bacteria and consequently also bad smells. If the water in your area is very hard, you should do everything to remove its deposits. In addition, dirt residues also accumulate in the seals and filter. You must be more careful if you wash rugs or covers soiled with pet hair or work coats: sanitation in these cases becomes essential. If dirt accumulates too much, it can also permanently ruin this appliance. So, take care of it.
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How to disinfect the washing machine: chemical and natural remedies
Cleaning the washing machine can be done with chemicals or natural remedies. The drum, door seals and filter must be thoroughly cleaned. Before washing with the washing machine empty, these parts of the appliance must be thoroughly cleaned. To cleanse it naturally, vinegar and baking soda are essential. Set the temperature to 90 ° and pour the vinegar into the soap dish or basket. The vinegar will act against mold, limescale and bad odors. To remove limescale more effectively, use baking soda, adding a teaspoon to each wash for a perfumed sanitizing effect. If you think the filter is clogged, you can do a vacuum wash with bleach, after checking the condition of the filter. Remember to wash white cloths after this treatment, as bleach residues may remain in the drum and ruin a load of colored cloths. Obviously, in addition to the more home or natural remedies, there are specific industrial ones for mold and limescale. If you want to sanitize a washing machine with the door up, you can stop an empty wash in the middle and, when the drum is full of water, pour some vinegar or bleach into it (depending on the type of dirt). After about sixty minutes, restart and complete the wash. If you have used bleach, then do a short cycle at 30 ° afterwards, to prevent residues from remaining in the next wash. At least once a year clean the filter, unless your washing machine includes self-cleaning among its functions. If not, with the help of the instructions, extract it and degrease it, working with a toothbrush. The gaskets, on the other hand, must be cleaned very often, as residues of dirt and bacteria lurk in those folds. A paste of bicarbonate and lemon will be very effective: scrub it with the toothbrush, rinse and then dry the gasket thoroughly, as should be done after every wash, as humidity is a breeding ground for germs.
The best products for deep cleansing of the washing machine:
Omino Bianco Sanitizing Washing Machine Additive - find out on Amazon
Lysoform Sanitizing Laundry Detergent - is on special offer on Amazon
Napisan Disinfectant Powder Additive - on Amazon at a special price
SEGMINISMART Effervescent detergent for washing machines - you can find it on Amazon
How to thoroughly clean the washing machine
Residues of dirt and limescale and mold will ruin your washing machine over time, reducing its life and your laundry becomes less and less fragrant and clean. The natural products used for many years in every home do not crack your hands, do not leave strange smells on your laundry, do not give allergic reactions and are cheap: baking soda, apple cider vinegar or white wine, essential oil of lavender or lemon, harmless and non-polluting. With these same ingredients you can also prepare a solution to be dispensed with a nebulizer also for the external parts such as the body and the porthole, adding Marseille soap without chemical additives. To clean the basket well, you can also pour a glass of white vinegar with bicarbonate in the tub and another with only vinegar in the basket together with a few drops of essential oil. Then start the vacuum wash at 60 °. In this way you can easily sanitize and disinfect the basket. Or every three months in a vacuum wash just the tray is full of water, pour in a liter of white vinegar, restart, turn off after 5 minutes to allow the vinegar to act and then complete the wash. Together with the vinegar, add a few drops of lemon or lavender essential oil. The basket will thus become fragrant and descaled from limescale. About thirty minutes before each wash, spray the basket with a mixture of water and lemon, to ensure a nice scent It is also important to clean the detergent drawer well, which will probably be a little blackened by dirt residues, which you can remove with a hot water dispenser and a toothbrush.
Disinfect the washing machine: Hydrogen peroxide, bleach and coarse salt
You can disinfect your washing machine by adding 40-volume hydrogen peroxide to the detergent compartment for an empty washing. Coarse salt also works great. Drop a kilo of salt into the basket, wash without cloths even at medium temperature.
To extend the life of your washing machine, don't neglect cleaning the filter and pipes. At least once a month, carefully clean the filter: rinse it under running water and remove the residues with a brush. At least once a year it is necessary to carry out maintenance on the loading and unloading pipes of the washing machine, so that it is not subject to costly or irreparable failures. Last advice: you can also add the detergent in the basket with the measuring cup or with the famous plastic "ball", also because in this way less soap is wasted and the laundry is cleaner. Instead, the softener is preferable to put it in its small department in the drawer, from where it is added to the wash automatically at the appropriate time. do not use too much of it, as it tends to decrease the drying capacity of bathroom linen and with its "protective" effect it makes it difficult to remove stains from fabrics.
