Guest blog by Paul
If your laundry is fresh but your washing machine is anything but, let us give you some tips for neutralising whiffs and making your machine last longer.
Over the last few years, detergent manufacturers have removed bleaching agents from their products to avoid colour fading of clothes and to be more eco-friendly. This, along with the silicones and oils contained in fabric softeners & low washing temperatures, has resulted in a perfect breeding environment for bacteria and mould to develop within your machine. Left untreated, this black mould & odour can be transferred into your clothes during the wash cycle.
Because washing at low temperatures will not completely rid your washing machine of mould and bacteria, you will need to run a service wash to deal with this problem. To banish bacteria and to keep your appliance clean and working more efficiently you simply need to run a monthly hot wash at 60°C+ with a cleaning agent. This is designed to breakdown the lime scale, silicone & oil deposits that are coating the inside of your machine. This helps remove the sludge & slime that is feeding the bacteria, causing the musty smell.
We recommend a professional limescale & detergent remover (also recommended by Hotpoint & Indesit) which comes in a 12 sachet pack for just £19.99 – giving you a whole year’s supply when used as above.
Use less detergent – Read the manufacturer’s instructions & use the minimum amount for the size of the load. Using less softener helps prevent future build-up of the silicones & oils. These are added to the softener to lubricate the fibres giving a softener feel, less static & for easier ironing, but the water absorbency of towels is greatly reduced.
A teaspoon of 3 in 1 de-scaler/cleaner can be dissolved in a handheld sprayer with some warm water and sprayed into the detergent dispenser to aid cleaning there (wear safety glasses); an old toothbrush is also helpful (wear gloves), leave to soak then add the remainder of the sachet in the dispenser for the monthly hot wash cycle.
If possible leave the door and dispenser tray open between washes to allow airflow to aid drying out. This may not be possible if you have pets or small children. Wipe around the door seal with a dry cloth. Following these simple tips will make your machine more efficient, better smelling and will hopefully extend the life of your machine.
Order online today or visit your local store to pick up a packet and say bye to bacteria build-up.
Prices correct at time of publication
