How to Take Care of Your Washer and Dryer

Co-authored by Chris Willatt and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 20, 2021 References

Washers and dryers are some of the most expensive appliances in your home, and they get a ton of use. Although it can be easy to crank out loads of laundry without thinking about your appliances, your washer and dryer do need some regular maintenance to stay in working order. Thankfully, using them correctly isn’t hard, and cleaning them doesn’t require a ton of effort either!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Using Your Washer and Dryer Correctly

1
Place your machines on flat, even ground. If your washer or dryer are sitting on uneven ground, it could throw them off balance when you use them. Set a level on top of your washer and dryer to make sure that they’re not tilted at all. If they are, scoot them back and forth until you find a level area.^{[1]
X
Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source}
- If you can’t find an even area of your floor, you may need to push a piece of cardboard under one side of your machine to keep it balanced. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s better than leaving it tilted.
2
Use about 1/4 of a capful of laundry detergent. For a typical large load of laundry, you don’t need a lot of detergent. Fill up the cap of the detergent about 1/4 of the way, then dump it into your detergent tray if you have one or straight into the washer if you don’t.^{[2]
X
Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source}
- Using too much detergent can cause soap residue to build up in the washer, making it less effective.
3
Choose liquid fabric softener instead of dryer sheets. Dryer sheets can cause excessive buildup in your dryer, causing it to run less effectively. Try to use liquid fabric softener during your wash cycle instead of dryer sheets to improve the function of your dryer.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- To avoid fabric softeners all together, try putting wool balls in your dryer with your clothes to make them softer.
4
Pick a cycle for the size and strength of your clothes. Washers usually have a lot of options, and you can choose based on what you’re washing and how large the load is. For delicates and small loads, you can pick a delicate cycle. For towels and blankets, you can choose a heavy cycle. For everyday clothes, pick a normal cycle.^{[4]
X
Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source}
- Using cold water to wash your clothes uses less energy than hot water does.
5
Transfer wet clothes to the dryer as soon as they’re done. Once your laundry cycle is done, open up the washer and either hang your clothes or transfer them to the dryer. Keeping wet clothes in the washer for too long can create mold, and it might make your clothes smell bad.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- If you do leave your damp clothes in the washer for more than a few hours, you may need to run them through a wash cycle again to get rid of the smell.
6
Leave the door open when you aren’t using your washer. If you have a top-loading washer, leave the door up so the drum can dry out. If your washer is front-loading, prop the door open with a sponge or a small towel to let it air out.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Chris Willatt
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 1 July 2019.}^{[7]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}
- Shutting the door of your washer can trap in moisture, leading to mold and mildew.^{[8]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Chris Willatt
  House Cleaning Professional
  Expert Interview. 1 July 2019.}
7
Wash dirty items before you dry them. Dirty clothes, even if they’re wet, can coat your dryer in mud or grime. Always wash your clothes first before you put them in the dryer to avoid making your dryer run inefficiently.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- If you’re trying to dry a dirty item quickly without washing it, try hanging it on a clothes rack in the sun for a few hours.
8
Avoid overloading the dryer with large items. Just like your washer, your dryer has a maximum load capacity, and overloading it can lead to damage. If you have a lot of wet items to dry, consider splitting them into 2 loads or hanging some up instead of putting them in the dryer.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
US National Park Service
Agency responsible for the maintenance and promotion of national parks and monuments
Go to source}
- Overloading your dryer will also make your load take much longer to dry.
9
Clean the lint trap of your dryer after every load.. Once your dryer load has finished, pull the lint trap out and use a brush or a handheld vacuum to remove all of the lint. Shine a flashlight into the trap itself to check if there’s any lint stuck, and use a vacuum to clean it out if you see any.^{[11]
X
Expert Source

Chris Willatt
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 1 July 2019.}^{[12]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}
- Cleaning out your lint trap after every load is super important. If lint builds up in your dryer, it could start a fire.
- Cleaning your lint trap will also make your dryer more efficient.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Cleaning Your Washer and Dryer

1
Wipe down the washer’s door and gasket after every use. The gasket is the seal on your washer that holds the door tightly closed. After every load of laundry, grab a clean, dry towel and run it over the door and the gasket to get rid of most of the moisture.^{[13]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}
- If mold and mildew builds up around the door or the gasket, it can prevent the washer from closing or sealing properly.
- Try keeping a few clean towels next to your washer for convenience.
2
Clean your washer’s gasket and drum once a month with vinegar. In a large bucket, mix equal parts of warm water and white vinegar. Dip a damp rag into the solution, then use it to scrub the gasket and the drum. You can also use this solution to clean the exterior and detergent dispenser, if your washer has one.^{[14]
X
Expert Source

Chris Willatt
House Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 1 July 2019.}^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Vinegar is a mildly acidic cleanser, so it works to kill mold and mildew.^{[16]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Chris Willatt
  House Cleaning Professional
  Expert Interview. 1 July 2019.}
3
Run the washer without any clothes 2 to 3 times per year. Set your washer to the hottest setting and add in a normal amount of detergent. Let it run through a complete cycle to wash the drum and the inside of your washer without any clothes in it.^{[17]
X
Research source}
- If your washer is especially smelly, you can do this a second time using ¹⁄₄ c (59 mL) of white vinegar instead of detergent.
4
Vacuum the dryer duct once per year. Disconnect your dryer from the power source and carefully pull it away from the wall. Unhook the duct from the back of the dryer and use a vacuum to clear out the inside. Then, reconnect the duct and plug your dryer back in.^{[18]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}
- While you’re back there, you can also vacuum behind and underneath your dryer to get rid of any lint trapped in the area.

Warnings

Always clean the lint trap after using our dryer to prevent fires.^{[20]
X
Trustworthy Source
Consumer Reports
Nonprofit organization dedicated to consumer advocacy and product testing
Go to source}

Thanks!
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0