Love Your Washing Machine

Whether you choose to use modern cloth nappies or not, the fact that you have an infant in the house will make you far more intimate with your washing machine than you have ever been before.

Babies (and small children) are messy by nature and you will find the loads of washing you need to do will seem to double over night. All this work means your washing machine will need some extra special love and care to keep up the pace.

After all, you don’t want your clothes, linen – and especially nappies - to be smellier after the wash than before. Your washing machine could actually be the underlying cause of that dreaded mould or that persistent stench!

Most washing machine repairers and manufacturers recommend a little upkeep every two to three months.

So, what needs to be done?

First things first, fill an empty washing machine with hot water up to the highest washing level available.

When full, experts recommend you add 3 cups of distilled white vinegar (or 2 cups of lemon juice) and 1/2 cup of baking soda to the water. Allow the cycle to run almost completely, then move the dial on to 'spin' right as the water starts to drain – this allows the machine to spin and drain at the same time.

After the water drains, wipe out the inner tub, then follow this with a complete cold water cycle on the setting for heavily soiled clothes.

This should get rid of lingering soap scum or mineral deposits in both the drums and hoses of your machine.

While this is going on, it is worthwhile checking all your hoses for leaks – the last thing you need is a laundry flood!

Then you just need to wipe clean the external parts and use a cotton bud to clean out any dispensers used for fabric softeners or bleach. If you have a top loader, don’t forget to wipe over the rim of the inner tub.

Keeping to this regular cleaning schedule will help prevent mould, scum and ammonia build-up, and ensure your machine works efficiently and effectively.

If, however, your washing machine has been neglected for a while, the above routine may need some chemical help. If that’s the case, you can grab some descalers from any hardware store or supermarket – or even online - and follow the instructions carefully.

We would love to hear any other tips that readers have found to keep their washing machine performing at its best.

© Oz Baby Trends 2012