How to clean a washing machine with dishwasher tablets?

With heavy use, the internal components of a washing machine lose their original cleanliness over time: limescale and dirt, scale, and mold buildup—all of which have a profoundly negative impact on the quality of the wash. Over the decades, people have come up with countless ways to clean their appliances, but not everyone knows that you can even clean your washing machine using dishwasher tablets.

Cleaning procedure

If you own both a washing machine and a dishwasher, you probably already have a special tablet or at least know where to buy one. For beginners, here's a tip: dishwasher tablets are readily available at any hardware store. Look for 3-in-1 or 5-in-1 products.

Attention! For those who don't have a permanent residence permit, individual tablets are the ideal option. Finding these in large cities isn't a problem; they'll cost next to nothing, and the product won't sit idle. As a last resort, you can order the product from specialized online stores.

To clean your machine this way, follow these steps:

• check that there are no items of clothing or other foreign objects in the drum;
• Place one tablet inside and the other one in the main wash compartment of the detergent drawer;
• Now you need to start the wash at the highest temperature with double rinsing;
• Turn off the spin cycle.

After following all the instructions, wait until the wash cycle is complete, then open the door and allow the drum to air out. This will leave a pleasant, distinctive scent inside the machine. If you don't air out the drum, the chemical smell may become stronger and linger.

How effective is this measure?

There's no universal answer to the question of the effectiveness of this procedure. In most cases, it all depends on the initial condition of the washing machine. The more severe the condition, the more often you'll need to repeat the cleaning. However, after 3-4 cleanings, there will definitely be no trace of dirt and mold left.

Experts also recommend mechanical cleaning of the car in parallel with chemical cleaning. Armed with a damp cloth and detergent, you need to thoroughly clean the rubber parts (the sunroof seal, for example) and other hard-to-reach places. It's a good idea to clean the drain filter separately, just like the drain hose. This will ensure your machine remains in perfect condition.

Special tablets – user opinion

Sennata, Nikolaev

My review is about Oxo tablets, which are designed for cleaning the inside of a washing machine. I'll say right away that I was very pleased with the results and can generally recommend this product, but first things first.

When I got a washing machine, I immediately started paying attention to commercials for Calgon and other products, which showed the horrors that awaited my household assistant if I neglected preventative measures.

To avoid further complications, I immediately went to the store, bought Calgon, and used it according to the instructions for a long time. However, I soon noticed that some laundry detergents contained this substance, so I stopped buying it.

Friends recommended cleaning with citric acid—cheap and effective (125 grams per 5 kg load), but I was a bit worried about the plastic and rubber parts of the machine. It's an acid, after all—who knows what to expect from it? As I said before, I treasured my washing machine and wanted to find a product specifically designed for washing machines and tested by people. I'd heard about dishwasher tablets, but a friend once recommended them, saying that since we have soft water in our region, using them is pointless.

But then one day, I was hanging out on a forum reading reviews of laundry detergents and came across Okho washing machine cleaning tablets. I was intrigued by the eco-friendly ingredients, and the reasonable price was a pleasant surprise. So I decided, why not give it a try? The product description stated that this product would not only remove limescale, but also remove other contaminants and even eliminate unpleasant odors (all thanks to its special formula with active oxygen).

Let me say right away that the tablets are prone to spilling and crumbling. The first time, I didn't realize this and dropped a tablet on the floor when I was taking it out of the package. Granted, these aren't critical issues, but if you're careless, you could end up wasting all your supplies and leaving your machine uncleaned.

Using the tablets is simple: just take one, place it in the drum after removing the plastic wrap, and run a wash at 60 degrees Celsius. For effective cleaning, monthly use is recommended, but I find that completely unnecessary.

Oho does a great job, and regular cleaning every six months is more than enough.

However, I'll repeat that in my region, the water is considered soft, so I can't say how well these tablets work in hard water. And in areas with higher salt content in the water, you'll probably need to clean it a little more often. I'd still recommend trying Ojo, as they're fairly inexpensive and environmentally friendly, and they certainly won't cause any harm.

   

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