How to Clean Your Top Loading Washing Machine

Brittany Shaw
by Brittany Shaw
Did you know you’re supposed to clean your washing machine at least 2 times a year? I never knew this little tip so my washer has accumulated years of gunk, disgusting right? This DIY home cleaning project is so easy and only involves 2 ingredients!
Supplies Needed:


1 Quart Bleach


1 Quart Vinegar


Microfiber Cloth


Dirty Washing Machine
1. Fill up your Washer with HOT water, once the washer is filled with water (mine took about 8 minutes) add in a quart of bleach, let your washer machine agitate for about 1 minute, after that pause your washer and let the hot water and bleach soak for 1 hour! After 1 hour is up turn your washer back on to it’s longest cycle and let it run it’s course.
After the first cycle is done, again you are going to fill your washer with HOT water, once the washer is filled with water you will then add in a quart of white distilled vinegar, let your washer machine agitate for about 1 minute, and pause your washer again and let the solution sit for 1 hour! While the solution is sitting in your machine this is the perfect time to grab a microfiber cloth and soak in the solution and start cleaning the nooks and crannies of the washing machine! This includes the inner corners, wash trays, and anything that just looks grungy! After the 1 hour is up turn your washer back on to it’s longest cycle and let it run it’s course!
Be sure to clean the outside of the washing machine too, including the knobs and lid! To cleanse the bleach tray, fabric softener tray and liquid detergent tray let a warm cup of vinegar soak to loosen up any build up and wipe clean!


*Please do not try to speed up the process by mixing vinegar and bleach together as this is meant to be done in steps.
Brittany Shaw
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 8 questions
  • Jo Jo on Aug 04, 2020

    Doesn’t bleach n vinegar mixed together produce a toxic gas that is very dangerous thanks jo

  • Kelly Pompa Kelly Pompa on May 11, 2021

    If you have a water saver top loader washing machine It decide how much water based on the weigh of clothes in washer So how do get a full washer of water

  • Milia Milia on Nov 15, 2023

    How to clean my dirty oven ,even though is self cleaning oven

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  • Jacquienina Jacquienina on Nov 25, 2021

    Recently saw a video on YouTube about cleaning a washing machine with citric acid and oxi-clean. Tried it using the machine cleaning cycle. Much cheaper than buy-in the special machine cleaning products out there.

  • Tawny Leste-Carlson Tawny Leste-Carlson on Nov 27, 2021

    Nowhere here does it say to mix the vinegar with the bleach! She explicitly says not to! Sheesh!!!!

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