It might sound unnecessary to clean out your LG washer when it has soap and water in it all the time.
You need to think about all the dirt and grime that your LG washer is dealing with on a daily basis.
Debris and build-up can collect in the inside of your washer, making it less effective, meaning your clothes are not being washed properly.
Detergents and softeners actually build up over time, so taking some time to ensure your washer is clean will ensure it lasts you a long time and continues to wash your clothes the best it can.
Table of Contents
How To Clean an LG Washer?
Cleaning your LG washer is fairly simple and can be done with household ingredients you most likely already have at home, such as vinegar and bleach. Bleach works to kill bacteria and mildew, and then the vinegar can dissolve the mineral deposits and soap scum. Once you have cleaned your LG washer, your machine will smell fresher, and your clothes will be cleaner.
Cleaning Your LG Washer With Vinegar And Baking Soda
Add some white vinegar to a clean spray bottle and spray it all around your washing machine drum.
Let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it over with a microfiber cloth. Vinegar happens to be one of the best cleaning products and is eco-friendly, and doesn’t let off harmful odors.
Vinegar has the potential to cut through hard water deposits, build up, and grease.
Now you can wipe around the rubber gaskets and the seals around the door on both front and top loader machines.
The door seals on front loaders are quite often home to scum, mildew, and gunk. Using your cloth and vinegar, wipe it all away. You might need to let the vinegar sit for a while if there is bad mildew and scum.
Now grab some distilled white vinegar and place it inside the dispenser where you put your detergent and fabric softeners.
Two cups of vinegar are sufficient enough. You can now set the washer to wash on the longest cycle at the hottest temp.
Once your machine has finished with the vinegar cycle, it is now time to add half a cup of baking soda into the drum of the washer and run it again at the longest and hottest setting.
Cleaning The Exterior Of Your LG Washer
Spray some white vinegar onto a cloth and wipe over the outside of your washer and the glass front or top until you can see it shining. Do the same with the control panel and the knobs, as these two can have a buildup of hand oils and grime.
Once you have done that and your washer has finished the baking soda cycle you can leave it open to dry it out completely.
After you have finished a cycle of washing, leave the door open slightly, which can help control mildew by drying out wet spots.
Cleaning Your Washer With Soda Crystals
Soda crystals are still used today and have been for years and years. Soda crystals have the ability to shift stains and dissolve stubborn grease marks.
It is easy to use soda crystals. All you need to do is add 500g of soda crystals to your LG washer drum and then run it again on the hottest and longest cycle you can do.
The soda crystals will rinse the musty smells and stains away from your machine. If you live in an area that has hard water, it can help to add 200ml of white vinegar to your drum before you wash.
Soda crystals and white vinegar together work well to break down heavy limescale.
How To Clean Your Washing Machine With Bleach
If you believe your washing machine could do with a deep clean, then bleach is a good option to choose.
Bleach has the ability to kill bacteria, and it works great to sanitize your washing machine. In order to clean your machine with bleach, you need to add 60ml of bleach into the spot where your detergent goes and put your machine on the hottest cycle.
If your machine allows it consider adding another rinse cycle which will help ensure all traces of bleach have been washed away.
Once the cycle has finished, if you can still smell bleach, it is a good idea to do another hot rinse cycle.
Bleach is highly reactive, so you don’t want to add any other cleaning products with the bleach as it can damage your machine and let off dangerous fumes.
Only add the recommended amount of bleach as the bleach and hot water can create plenty of foam.
Cleaning Out Your Washers Filter
Nearly all washing machines these days will have a filter. The filter is quite often located behind the front of your washing machine.
You might also have a filter inside your washing machine, usually found on the side. These filters are there to catch any hair, small items, and lint that has ended up in the machine.
If your filter isn’t cleaned out often, it will become clogged and can stop your machine from working, and will cause water leakage.
The outside filters should be checked every three months, and if you have filters on the inside of your washer, you need to empty these every few days.
If you cannot find your lint filter, you can refer to the instructions as some are hidden behind panels etc.
Once you have emptied the filter, give it a good rinse and leave it off for about an hour to give it an air out, especially if it smells musty.
De-scaling Your LG Washer
All water supplies have trace amounts of magnesium and calcium. When these are combined, they create what is called limescale.
If you allow too much limescale to build up in your washer, it can make the appliance work harder and less efficiently, not to mention more expensive. If let go on too long, the machine will eventually stop working.
It is vital that you carry out a de-scaling on your washing machine between 3 to 6 months. Go with 3 months if you use your washer every day and 6 months if you use it less.
It is important that you de-scale your machine with a proper descaling tablet to ensure it does the job correctly.
What Causes Musty Smells In My LG Washer?
Build-up and grime can cause a musty smell, that’s for sure, but most commonly, it is due to leaving your clothes in the washing machine sitting wet for ages.
Damp clothes in a confined space will create a musty smell, and mold can grow within 24 hours.
Some washing machines have a delay function, so you can set the time for when the washer starts, which will avoid the washing being left in the machine too long.
Also, avoid leaving the clothes in the washer overnight. If you tend to forget, them try to set the alarm to help you remember to get the washing out of the machine.
How To Remove Mold From LG Washers
Mold is common in washing machines and certainly in front loaders all around the rubber seal.
You can make a mildew cleaner in a few different ways that will help with the mildew problem.
2 cups of water mixed in with ¼ cup lemon juice and ½ cup hydrogen peroxide works well to combat mold, and if used regularly, it helps to prevent its return.
2 cups of water with 1/ cup distilled vinegar and ¼ cup lemon juice works well if you prefer not to use hydrogen peroxide.
How To Use Your Cleaning Solution
Whichever one you decide to use, all you need to do is place it in a spray bottle and mist it over the mold.
Those who attempt to clean the mold need to ensure they are wearing the right protective gear to protect them; mold is harmful to breathe in as the mold spores can get inside your lungs and cause all sorts of health problems.
Once the solution has sat on the mold for a few minutes, you can go ahead and get a cloth or a toothbrush and clean it thoroughly.
You might need to try different recipes to find the one that works for you. Once the seal is free of grime and mildew, put the same solution inside the drum and do a run-through to ensure there is no mold growing in the pipes.
Avoid Commercial Cleaners If You Can
If the musty smell persists, then you might have mold growing deep down behind your washer drum. For this, you will need a qualified washing machine specialist to take the machine apart.
Sometimes commercial cleaners and detergents are not the best things for your washing machine.
Occasionally harsh chemicals are used which are not good for your skin and the washing machine.
Making your own washing machine detergent can stop nasty residues from being left in your washer, and no more worrying about what ingredients are hidden inside.
Here are some ingredients that are often used in homemade cleaners and detergents.
Baking soda is good for removing stains and removing nasty odors. Washing soda is an alkaline compound that works with baking soda to remove the stain. It also helps with the hard water problem.
Castile soap works well to remove dirt, and because it is made with vegetable fats, there is no worry about it damaging your septic system or your machine.
Salt is a common household ingredient and works well to reduce mineral build-up and softens hard water.
White vinegar is a good fabric softener, and you can always add a few essentials oils like eucalyptus if you like scented cleaners.
Tips To Keep Your Washing Machine In Fresh, Clean Order
Many people look at their clothes and think it’s an extra dirty load I will add some more detergent, but in fact, this is not a good idea.
Adding more detergent than what is recommended actually does more harm to your machine and leaves residues on your clothing that can stain.
If you feel you need more cleaning power, you can add stain removers and sanitizes to the cycles and make sure you wash in the extended cycle at the hottest level, which is actually designed to kill bacteria.
Every few weeks, look over your washer and check certain components like the agitator and the rubber seal and give them a good wipe over with your cleaning solution.
Ensure your filter is cleaned often, and always use a good quality detergent or one you make yourself.
Importantly never overload the washing machine. This will make the washer work harder and burn out the motor. It will wear the washing machine down faster, and your clothes will not be washed properly.
Conclusion
Now that you know exactly the right way to clean your LG washer, you can say goodbye to dirty stains, mold, and musty smells.
People don’t realize how dirty their machine actually gets. We tend to think because it fills with soapy water and washes clothes, the machine is really clean, but it certainly isn’t.
If you get a second-hand machine and don’t know when it was last washed, it is a good idea to get a de-scaling tablet and let it sit in the washing machine or use a product called scalex to help remove build-up and give your washer a deep clean.
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Clean An LG Washer
Can I Buy Professional Cleaning Tablets For My Washing Machine?
These work just as well as natural cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda. If you are using your washing machine water to water your grass, then it is important you use a more natural cleaner as commercial ones will be harmful to your plants.
How Often Should I Clean My Washing Machine?
If your machine has a cleaning cycle on it, which is often called tub clean, then use this once a week. If not, give it a wipeout, and the seals once a week if you are doing a few loads a week. If you hardly use your washer once a month, cleaning is sufficient enough.