Drum cleaning function in an Indesit washing machine

Complex household appliances require regular maintenance and preventative care, especially laundry equipment. Failure to maintain your appliance can negatively impact its performance and cleaning efficiency. For example, if you don't use the self-cleaning cycle in your Indesit washing machine, it will eventually start staining your clothes instead of cleaning them. Therefore, it's not enough to simply wipe down all the easily accessible parts of the washing machine occasionally – you also need to carefully care for the internal components. We'll explain the easiest way to do this, using a special cycle.

We begin the self-cleaning process

Unfortunately, Indesit products don't have a dedicated cleaning function that can be activated with a single button for a comprehensive drum wash. However, this isn't a cause for concern, as this feature is carefully thought out and thoroughly described in the user manual. The help documentation states that the washing machine's key components can be cleaned using an intensive program that heats the water to a maximum of 90 degrees Celsius. How to turn it on?

• Activate the washing machine.
• Check the drum to make sure there are no clothes or foreign objects in it.
• Close the hatch door until it clicks.
• Pour hot water and a special washing machine cleaner into the powder dispenser.
• Select the duty cycle using the programmer and start it.
• Wait for the cleaning function to complete, which usually takes about 80 minutes.

The water heating temperature, as well as the operating time, may vary depending on the Indesit machine model.

Once the program is finished, all you need to do is open the door and remove the detergent drawer to allow the machine and its interior to cool quickly and dry thoroughly. To speed up the process, you can wipe away any moisture with a dry cloth.

However, it's best for the user not to interfere during operation, as the machine handles cleaning perfectly on its own. For example, avoid adding any products not specified by the manufacturer to the detergent drawer. This includes regular baking soda, vinegar, citric acid, and other cleaning agents, which don't improve cleaning efficiency and instead increase the risk of equipment failure.

The drum looks clean, why clean it?

Users often believe the drum doesn't need cleaning at all, as it appears to be in perfect condition to the naked eye. The main problem, however, is that this component is susceptible to mold and various harmful bacteria, which are often difficult to detect.

This happens because after washing, the machine may still contain waste liquid, as well as various contaminants, which can not only contribute to the formation of an unpleasant odor, but can also provoke the development of an allergic reaction in a person.

The drum needs to be cleaned because dirt accumulates not on the inside of the drum, but on the outside, which cannot be seen without disassembling the equipment.

The cleaning function helps eliminate unpleasant odors, allergens, harmful bacteria, mold, and any other contaminants that can seriously ruin a housewife's life. Just wait until the self-cleaning program completes, and your "home assistant" will once again delight you with first-class results, as if it had just been purchased and installed. Therefore, don't neglect such a mundane procedure as monthly cleaning of the washing machine's drum, especially since the machine cleans itself, eliminating the need for manual cleaning.

Products that help improve cleaning

We've already established that you shouldn't add baking soda, vinegar, citric acid, or other household items to the detergent dispenser yourself. For the cleaning cycle, it is necessary to use special household chemicals, which significantly increase the effectiveness of such cleaning. Let's define the most common professional products.

• Beckmann is a German product based on glycerin, non-ionic surfactants, activated carbon, and citric acid. This product is available in both powder and more convenient gel form. It is designed to combat limescale, dirt, mold, and unpleasant odors. Because it works effectively even in hard-to-reach areas, it is recommended for use in the self-cleaning program of washing machines. Regular use of this detergent also extends the life of your Indesit washing machine, as its special components prevent the rubber and metal parts from deforming and failing due to corrosion.
• Tiret is a more familiar product to domestic consumers and can be found in any supermarket. It effectively removes any odors, limescale, scale, and other contaminants. It thoroughly cleans all key components of the washing machine thanks to its formula of non-ionic surfactants, citric acid, and a fragrance that leaves a pleasant lemon scent after use.
• Bosch is a product developed by the home appliance manufacturer itself. Sold in powder form, it combats soap scum, limescale, dirt, mold, and unpleasant odors.

These are far from all the cleaning products that can be found in stores, but they are the easiest to buy, plus they offer an excellent price-quality ratio.

Useful modes of the Indesit washing machine

Now that we've figured out how to activate the self-cleaning program and selected the cleaning product, all that's left is to review the basic washing modes needed each week. These can be roughly divided into classic and auxiliary functions. The former can be found in any automatic washing machine, while the presence or absence of additional features directly depends on the price of the appliance. First, let's look at the basic washing modes.

• Cotton cleaning functions – often found in appliances with three cotton cycles. The first allows for maximum cleaning in 171 minutes, allowing for not only the main wash cycle but also the final wash cycle. pre-soaking, which is perfect for kitchen towels and napkins. The second cycle lacks a pre-wash stage, so it lasts 155 minutes, intensively cleaning heavily soiled items such as tablecloths, towels, and bed linens. Finally, the final cotton cycle, which lasts 147 minutes, effectively cleans colored items using a relatively gentle water temperature of just 40 degrees Celsius.

If you need a different temperature setting, you can always change the heating settings yourself using the CM control panel.

• There are usually two washing options for synthetics. One is for intensive cleaning in water heated to 60 degrees Celsius and lasts 85 minutes. The other is gentle, at 40 degrees Celsius and lasts 71 minutes. The maximum drum load for these modes is often only half the maximum, or about 2.5-3.5 kilograms.
• Wool mode. A separate cycle that gently treats wool and cashmere in 55 minutes, heating the water to a standard 40 degrees Celsius. It also features a reduced spin speed and a minimal drum load—it can wash just 1-1.5 kilograms of dirty items at a time.
• Silk care cycle. Suitable for curtains, underwear, and various viscose items that require extra care. There's no spin, the water temperature is only 30 degrees Celsius, the cycle lasts 55 minutes, and the load capacity remains the same: 1-1.5 kilograms.

Depending on the model of your "home assistant", cotton programs may be called "pre-wash", "daily wash", "intensive wash" and "delicate wash". In addition, the display usually indicates the temperature to which the water will be heated during the cycle. Popular additional functions, most of which are designed for washing specific types of clothing, include the following:

• Jeans. A special cycle for washing denim items at 40 degrees Celsius, with a minimum spin cycle and a load capacity of up to 2.5 kilograms.
• Express 15. An ultra-fast cycle for those who need to refresh less than 1.5 kilograms of items in 15 minutes, using water heated to 30 degrees Celsius.

To protect your items, do not wash silk, wool or other delicate fabrics on this cycle.

• Sports shoes. This option is designed for gentle treatment of sneakers, suede trainers, fabric shoes, and more. Heats up to 30 degrees Celsius, lasts 50 minutes, and holds a maximum of two pairs.
• Sport. A similar delicate cycle, but for sportswear. Load capacity up to 2.5 kilograms, wash time 78 minutes, and temperature setting remain at 30 degrees Celsius.
• An additional and delicate rinse, usually necessary to wash out all household chemicals from the fabric fibers.
• A spin cycle that allows you to quickly spin out items again if the machine fails to do so the first time.
• Draining without spinning is convenient in situations where you simply need to get rid of the used liquid and then immediately begin removing the laundry from the drum.
• Eco. A special mode for saving energy and water, significantly reducing utility bills. It can be activated for just one of the cotton cycles, as well as for cleaning synthetic fabrics.

At first glance, it seems easy to get confused and difficult to understand all this variety of operating cycles, but once you start using your Indesit automatic washing machine, all this information will instantly be imprinted in your memory.

   

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