This is how you ensure that the laundry continues to smell nice: ‘Keep the machine clean’ | Cleaning Tips

You take the laundry out of the machine and it already smells musty. Even after all the clothes have dried, you think: that was really different a few years ago. “A recognizable problem”, says Marja. She dares to state without batting an eyelid that she has the right medicine. “I have become a bit of a washing machine doctor and I have already been able to help a lot of people!”

According to her, it starts with looking at what the washing machine looks like from the inside. “There is often some blubber in that rubber ring. My diagnosis is then that you have used too much soap. That’s the beginning of all the washing machine problems. At the low temperatures with which you usually wash, the detergent does not dissolve. That will stick to the inside of the drum and that will stink. Especially if you try to solve it with fabric softener. That will be an accumulation of musty smells.”

,, If you suffer from blubber in the rubber ring, buy washing machine cleaner. Available at all drugstores. Read and follow the instruction manual. You probably have to run the washing machine without laundry at a temperature of 90 degrees. Then the caked-on soap will dissolve.”

Also clean the rubber ring where the door sits, if necessary. “After that, you lubricate the rubber very lightly with Vaseline,” says Marja. ,,Then the rubber remains in good condition. Then it is the turn for the container where you have to put the detergent. That often looks so gross. If all goes well, there will be a clip at the bottom with which you can loosen it. Clean that bowl with hot water and a dish brush. It may even be boiling hot to properly remove all soap residue.”

Finally, Marja notes that most washing machines also have a cover on the bottom of the machine. ,,If you press that, it will come forward and you can release it. It contains a funnel and a filter that catches dirt. You have to change it once a month. If it is very dirty, you can remove the hair and other dirt with a fork or hook. Only when you’ve done all that can you put the dirty laundry back in the machine and everything will be as clean as the first time you used the machine.”

“Of course everyone washes in their own way, but I do have a tip that I can recommend to everyone”, says Marja confidently. ,,It saves money and the clean laundry remains fragrant. For starters, I always use washing powder. That is easy to dose – two tablespoons per wash – and less fat than all those liquid products. Put the washing powder in the compartment intended for the detergent.”

,,Then the next secret remedy is white vinegar. Just one of those cheap bottle of white vinegar you can buy at the supermarket. Put about two coffee cups of white vinegar in the compartment intended for the fabric softener. The laundry is always cleaned thoroughly, which saves costs and waste. Everyone who does it is delighted with how clean and smelling the laundry comes out.”

Marja also thinks that you should give the dryer some attention now and then. ,,In any case, you should not stuff it too full, in my opinion. It then takes so long until everything is dry and it does not benefit the quality of clothing. Some things will dry better if you just hang them out. Anyway, you have to take out that dust rack every now and then. That’s the thing on the inside of the door that acts as a filter. I clean it consistently after every turn. Usually just with a toilet paper or I wet my hands and then I wipe off all the fine dust. Then you throw that away.”

Does more need to be done? ,,Yes! Because at the bottom there is again a cover with a longer slot. Also empty or even clean that if necessary. By the way, you have dryers that connect to the drain and dryers that have a water container that you can pull out. Don’t just throw that water away. You can put it in a bottle and transfer the water from that bottle to the iron as needed. It is water without lime, so that is better for ironing. In fact, they are all tips that will save you money. Maybe that’s why I’ve built so many friendships with people who follow these tips. They can now all invest their money,” concludes Marja with a wink.

Do you want to ask Marja Middeldorp a question? Send an e-mail to this address ([email protected]) with your name. Check out more cleaning tips below.