How to Clean a Washing Machine: Deep Clean Front and Top Load Washers

A washing machine cleans everything except itself. Detergent residue, fabric softener, lint, and minerals from the water all build up inside the drum, seal, and filter over time, and once that build-up gets damp between washes, it turns into mould, mildew, and the musty smell that ends up on your "clean" laundry.

For most washing machines, a proper deep clean has two parts: run an empty cleaning cycle using the method approved for your model, then hand-clean the places the wash cycle cannot reach well, including the detergent dispenser, rubber seal, filter and lid area.

The quick way to clean your washing machine

1. Empty the machine and check its manual.
2. Run the Drum Clean, Tub Clean, or hottest approved empty cycle.
3. Clean the detergent drawer or dispenser.
4. Wipe the rubber door seal on a front loader, or clean around the lid and agitator on a top loader.
5. Clean the washing machine filter if it is accessible.
6. Wipe the drum dry and leave the door or lid open for a few hours.

Choose one cleaning method that is allowed for your machine. Do not combine several cleaners.

Signs your washer needs a deep clean

Clean your washing machine when you notice:

• a musty odour from the empty drum;
• black or grey marks inside the rubber seal;
• detergent residue or grey flakes on clean laundry;
• soap scum, fabric softener or grime in the detergent drawer;
• slower draining;
• bad smells returning soon after a wash.

A machine clean can tackle build-up in the drum, but it cannot remove a coin from the filter or wipe mould from behind a rubber fold. That is why the full routine matters.

Before you add a cleaner, check the machine instructions

This is the step many washing machine cleaning guides skip.

Manufacturers do not all give the same advice. Bosch Australia advises against using vinegar because of possible damage to rubber parts.

Samsung Australia says not to add detergents or cleaning agents during the Drum Clean or Tub Clean cycle on the models covered by its guidance.

LG Australia recommends using anti-limescale tablet directly in the drum during its recommended maintenance cycle. This can be especially useful in hard-water areas. Our washing machine cleaner tablets contain citric acid to help dissolve limescale and hard-water mineral deposits, while zeolite targets the calcium and magnesium that cause limescale build-up.

The practical rule is simple:

Use the cleaning cycle and cleaner combination approved for your exact washing machine.

Search the brand website using the model number when you cannot find the paper manual.

Front loader vs top loader: where build-up hides

Front load washers and top load washers need similar cleaning steps, but the problem areas differ.

Step-by-step guide to clean a washing machine

Step 1: Run an empty machine-clean or hot cycle

Remove all laundry and check the drum for tissues, coins and other debris.

Use the dedicated Drum Clean, Tub Clean or Machine Clean setting when your washer has one. Follow the manual on whether to add a cleaner.

If there is no cleaning setting, use the empty hot wash recommended by the manufacturer.

Step 4: Clean around the lid and agitator on a top loader

A top loader does not usually have the same door seal, but grime can collect around the lid, tub rim, detergent dispenser and agitator or impeller.

Use a damp cloth and soft brush to clean around the lid and other reachable edges.

Do not remove the agitator unless the manual says it is a user-serviceable part.

Rinse a removable lint filter and return it securely before the next wash cycle.

Step 5: Clean the washing machine filter

A cleaning cycle cannot remove solid objects trapped in a pump filter.

Many front loaders have a small access panel near the bottom. Before opening it:

1. Switch the washer off and unplug it.
2. Let any hot water cool.
3. Put a towel and shallow tray in front of the panel.
4. Drain the emergency hose first if there is one.
5. Unscrew the filter slowly.
6. Remove lint, hair, coins, and other debris.
7. Rinse and refit the filter firmly.

Filter locations vary across load washing machines. Some top loaders do not have a user-accessible pump filter, so do not force a panel open.

Step 6: Wipe and air the machine

When the cycle finishes, wipe the drum, door glass and any remaining residue with a clean cloth.

Leave the door open or lid ajar for a few hours when it is safe around children and pets. Leaving the detergent drawer slightly open also helps moisture escape.

This helps prevent mould, mildew and unpleasant odours between regular cleaning sessions.

Washing machine cleaner vs a DIY cleaning solution

White vinegar and baking soda are popular because they are already in many homes. Often blogs present vinegar and baking soda as a one-size-fits-all solution for keeping a washing machine clean and fresh.

The problem is that this online advice often treats every washer as if it were built the same way.

Can you use white vinegar?

Use vinegar only when your appliance instructions allow it.

Some brands permit diluted vinegar for a particular part, while Bosch advises against using it in the washing machine because of the rubber components.

Do not assume cups of distilled white vinegar are suitable simply because another front loader owner used them (on a different machine).

Should you combine vinegar and baking soda?

It may create plenty of fizz, but that does not necessarily mean stronger cleaning. Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. When combined, they begin to neutralise each other, as explained by the American Chemical Society.

Rather than mixing the two, choose one cleaning method that suits the type of build-up and is approved for your washing machine.

What about bleach?

We recommend skipping bleach. It is one of the harsh chemical nasties Lucent Globe is designed to help households avoid.

A dedicated washing machine cleaner offers a simpler way to target detergent build-up, odours and hard-water deposits without reaching for bleach.

How often should you clean a washing machine?

For many households, cleaning the washing machine once a month is an easy routine to remember. We recommend using one cleaner tablet once a month.

Clean it sooner when the washer smells, the door seal shows mould, the detergent dispenser is coated in residue, or the machine displays a cleaning reminder.

Between deep cleans:

• remove wet laundry when the cycle finishes;
• leave the door or lid open when safe;
• wipe water from the rubber seal;
• use the recommended amount of detergent;
• clean the detergent dispenser before heavy build-up forms;
• check pockets before loading the machine;
• remove pet hair after washing pet bedding.

Why does the washing machine still smell after cleaning?

Where the odour is strongest can show what the hot cycle missed.

• At the door: Recheck the rubber seal and its folds.
• At the drawer: Clean behind the detergent dispenser.
• Near the bottom: Inspect the pump filter for debris or stale water.
• Like a drain: Check the drain hose position and drainage errors.
• Only on clean laundry: Review detergent use and whether damp clothes sit in the drum.

If water remains in the machine, the filter will not open, the seal is damaged, or a drain smell keeps returning, arrange appliance or plumbing help rather than adding more cleaner.