The reason it gets musty smelling is that it stays wet as it is building up, resulting in the smell everyone loves to hate. So one of the easiest ways to alleviate this problem is to leave the washer door open when you aren’t using it, giving it a chance to dry out. Another thing to try is to remove the clothes from the washer to the dryer asap when they are done washing. I know, I know, I forget all the time too! But the reality is that it really will make a difference in how your washer smells.

Another good idea is to wipe down the inside glass and the front of the door weekly. I like to use a microfiber cloth and vinegar. As you likely already know I am a big advocate of distilled vinegar. I also like to use it as a fabric softener. That’s right! It softens my clothes and helps clean the washer at the same time!

But the time will come when you have to break down and clean that gasket. Not the most appealing job, but very necessary. The easiest way I have found to do it is to take a measuring cup full of hot water and just pour it in. It will make all that gunk and hair collect at the bottom and then you can easily remove it. I’m a big believer in gloves for this particular job!

Now if your machine is top load, you will want to go ahead and run the empty washer on a full cycle set to hot water and using bleach. A toothbrush works well to clean the agitator and around the top, and inside edge of the machine. These ideas will give your top load a really good cleaning.

Your washer really isn’t that hard to clean and maintain, but remembering to do it is half the battle!