The hidden tricks that can save your washing machine and dishwasher from rust and residue

Are you neglecting your primary cleaning machines right before Christmas hits? We can fix that

You might be attending to the door filter in the tumble dryer, but the base of the machine may hide another for heat pumps and condensers. Picture: iStock

Most of us probably take a lash at the fridge once a month. I mean, wafting the door open several times a day, a reeking cabinet, and failing foodstuffs are impossible to avoid. 

But what about your other large appliances? Are you loving them or leaving them to age prematurely? Overall, the most sustainable machine is the one you already own. 

Here’s a quick guide to keeping these vital servants showroom fresh and winging along for Christmas.

The Dryer: That Second Filter

We all know about the top visible filter set in the tumble dryer, which is generally set inside the door. However, there’s a second filter unit built into many machines, and it’s crucial to clean this out regularly to maintain a dryer’s optimum performance. 

If you have an older heat pump or condenser dryer, look for a panel at the base of the front fascia. Pop this off, and there might be a filter housing, often with a sponge and fabric design. This should be cleaned out at least weekly and the fabric elements rinsed and dried about once a month. 

If you have a condenser or heat pump dryer with a reservoir, keep in mind that the lines serving the collector will always retain a little water. Closed permanently, these can really start to stink. Take all the filters out, give them a tap and rinse where needed, leave them to dry out and prop the door of the machine open to let it air.

Washer & Dishwasher: Monthly Deep Cleaning

Short, low-temperature washes of 20C – 30C degrees are increasingly effective with the latest enzyme ingredients in modern washing powders. Sadly, these chill, eco-friendly cycles can play havoc with your washing machine and dishwasher, leaving waste pipes and the unseen surfaces of the drum and cabinet slimy, raving with bacteria, mould and accumulated limescale.

This gung is not only interfering with sanitising our clothes but can form a barrier to seal off surfaces in the machine from fully drying out — a haven for rust to snack on the metal. Carry out a monthly cleaning cycle on the machines or routinely use a product (additives like Calgon) to keep the machines from hoarding stinking residue. 

Don’t accept stink from your washing machine or mouldy smells from the laundry, go after the source with a deep clean. Picture: iStock

Alternatively, for a lean, green super clean, choose either 2-3 cups of white vinegar in an empty hot cycle, or a cup of bicarbonate of soda. Don’t combine bicarb’ and vinegar for this job, and expect a second go for a sadly forgotten machine. 

Just as with condenser-style dryers, parts of your washing machine and your dishwasher will inevitably remain damp after use. Air them after every cycle, leaving the door propped a few centimetres. The air flow from the drain outside will whip through pipes, drains and the cabinets — freshening it all up.

The Washing Machine: The Coin Trap

We all leave rubbish in our pockets that’s flung around and, in some cases, ingested by the washer. Most of this detritus will end up lodged in what’s termed the “coin-trap”. 

The trap is something you should check out around every four to six weeks, or any time the machine is not wringing the clothes to creaky, or it refuses to empty. 

Slip off the base panel (generally it’s just held on by two clips). On the right or left side, you will find a screw mechanism and a short bit of rubbery pipe with a tiny bung. Refer to your machines PDF (archived online) to be clear what’s what. Don’t do anything yet. Get a large bath towel. Snuggle this up around the machine front, covering the floor. 

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On the towel, place a shallow tray (plastic tea trays are ideal) and get a 1 litre plastic jug and a small bucket. Open the bung and direct any water into the jug, dumping the liquid into the bucket as needed, using your thumb to seal the pipe between fills. 

Expect the wastewater to pong. When it runs dry, put the rubber bung back firmly, then unscrew the coin-trap, fidgeting out any garbage in there. If you cannot get it off, use two small, flat offcuts of wood to grab the spool. Don’t overtighten the cap when finished. Replace everything and put the panel back.

Washing Machine:  Seal & Drawer Service

The rubber seal on your washing machine is a notoriously weak and grubby point. Given enough pressure and neglect, it will detach and tear. Before this, it’s yelling for attention — blackening up visibly and chock full of bitty rubbish. 

Every two months, put on a rubber glove, winkle it open, and delicately run two fingers around the seal, working the larger clumps of hair, detergent, and nasties to the bottom edge. Lift them out with a piece of kitchen towel. Then take a solution of very hot water and washing up liquid for a preliminary clean. 

If there is still a black staining to the seal, we need something a little stronger (even a cleaning cycle can fail these shrouded areas). Neat white vinegar applied to the stains can often work but wipe it off with clean water as it is acidic. If you have a steam cleaner with a focus-head, these are fantastic for an eco-friendly job. 

I like a malleable paste of bicarbonate of soda and water with a drop of lavender essential oil (remove the paste completely on finishing as it could otherwise add to a blockage). 

Then disassemble the detergent/fabric softener drawers to the manufacturer’s instructions, giving them a hot, soapy rinse and dry before putting them back together. If you do have a cleaning cycle (60C to 90C) run that to disinfect the drum as far as possible.

• Note: Do not remove the washing machine paddles, no matter how some TikTok influencer prattles on – they are not designed to be taken out.

Dedicated to Dishwashers

According to a recent study by appliance insurer Domestic & General, 25% of UK householders have never cleaned their dishwasher. There’s no reason to believe we are any better. We expect way too much of the dirty-dish drawer. 

There are three areas to tackle — the door seal, the spray arms, and the dishwasher filter/strainer on the base of the machine. 

Start with a reasonably clean machine, running it with a standard tablet or pod, on any really hot cycle (a cleaning cycle if you have one). Use a bottle or tablet to de-scale the machine, or if you’re green minded a cup of vinegar (no dishes please) or half a lemon smeared in toothpaste in the top basket (a more pleasant odour). 

In a short cycle you can even use a sprinkle of baking soda — but don’t use vinegar/lemon and bicarb’ together. Once the cleaning cycle is finished, remove all the baskets and plop them into really hot soapy water if they are still greasy.

The paddles in your washing machine should not be removed, but the spray arm of your dishwasher certainly can. Clean this feature every two to three months. Picture: iStock

Now get your proprietary general cleaning spray or a solution of 1:4 white vinegar and water and spray the edges of the door and the rubber door seal. Take a small tooth-brush or a pinkie finger in a rubber glove and run it into and through the seal to remove bits and bobs of grot. 

The soft scrub side of a sponge cleaner is perfect for the plastic and chrome of the interior edges of the door. Every machine has a large filter in the base sieving off the wastewater, and this should be rinsed and cleaned in hot soapy water at least once a week. 

If water is continually pooling here, check the line carrying the wastewater is not blocked. The filter usually pulls apart into two pieces and screws in and out of the base of the dishwasher (refer to your model’s manual). 

The spray arms (1 or 2) are also removable, and you can poke out any dirt with a wooden tooth-pick. Rinse them off, and replace, before letting the entire cabinet dry out — door propped open.