Ordinary maintenance of the washing machine

Periodic maintenance of the washing machine is essential to ensure the correct functioning of an appliance that has now become indispensable in our everyday life.

The washing machine is in fact one of the most widely used appliances in the home, given that nowadays it is practically unthinkable to be able to wash your laundry without it and in an equally effective and efficient way. However, it must be taken into account that the washing machine, to a greater extent than other household appliances, is subject to wear and tear due to constant and frequent use, due to detergents and chemical products used during washing and due to the limestone present in the water. which can easily settle on functional parts or mechanisms.

For this reason, good routine maintenance is required to preserve correct operation and prolong its life as much as possible.

Ordinary maintenance 

The washing machine runs the risk of breaking down, or in any case of seeing its functioning compromised due to the limestone that is deposited, wash after wash, on some parts such as the pump, the heating element and the pipes, causing corrosion.
Even the normal detergents used for daily washing can leave residues which, over time, risk damaging the washing machine.

As regards the presence of limescale, the problem can be prevented by using, for example, an anti-limescale product (to be added to each wash to counteract the hardness of the water) or a specific anti-limescale device directly on the washing machine tap. In practice, an anti-limescale device transforms or keeps the calcium carbonate crystals suspended, preventing them from depositing inside the washing machine, causing encrustations and corrosion.

Speaking instead of natural methods, to prevent encrustations from forming, it is sufficient to add a spoonful of white vinegar or other anti-limescale substances such as sodium bicarbonate or citric acid together with the detergent for each wash. These substances are truly effective natural limescale removers and, at the same time, sanitize and disinfect the laundry.
However, we recommend running a sanitizing cycle from time to time in order to descale and sanitize the entire washing machine.

How to carry out a sanitizing cycle

A sanitizing cycle consists in carrying out an empty wash at ninety degrees, pouring two glasses of white vinegar into the tray or directly into the basket (with the washing ball), or one hundred and fifty grams of citric acid or bleach for even more thorough cleaning .

Other washing machine components to clean

For truly effective periodic maintenance, it is advisable to also proceed with the cleaning and maintenance of some important components of the washing machine: the detergent tank, the filter and the door.

For the detergent drawer, we recommend cleaning with sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water, and scraping off the detergent residues with the help of a toothbrush.

For the filter, open the special compartment and remove it, taking great care to place a bucket or other container underneath in order to avoid flooding due to water leakage.

For the door, the advice is to never close it completely at the end of each wash, in order to air the washing machine as much as possible and avoid the possible formation of mold or fungi inside the drum; if possible, the ideal would be to also dry the rubber of the door to eliminate the classic unpleasant smell that can form inside.

Finally, we recommend cleaning the internal surface of the washing machine with a slightly damp cloth (it is possible to use water or a specific alcohol-free detergent).

Pay attention to the washing temperature

An often underestimated aspect concerns the washing temperatures. Washing at low temperatures can favor the generation of incrustations and microorganisms, as washing cycles below 40 degrees are generally shorter, and the detergent and fabric softener do not have time to completely dissolve.

Furthermore, the microorganisms normally present during washing can only be eliminated with high average temperatures (90 degrees); otherwise they nestle in the washing machine and can later be released during a new wash, taking root all over the clothes.