Maintenance is an important step in caring for each appliance in your laundry room – the washing machine and dryer. Washing machine maintenance will keep the machine in good condition, whether you have a front-loading high-efficiency washer or a conventional top-loading machine. Prevent wear and tear, water leaks, plumbing problems, and related repairs when you inspect and clean washing machines regularly.
Thomas & Galbraith offers washing machine maintenance tips that help Cincinnati area homeowners protect their clothing and laundry machines. Learn how to spot signs that point to the need for machine maintenance, such as odors and damaged hoses, steps for monthly maintenance tasks to clean your washer including how to clean the lint trap and replace the door gasket, as well as proper ways to use washing machines every time you wash a load of clothes.
Washing machine maintenance tasks should be completed regularly to keep your washer and dryer in great shape. If you perform machine maintenance infrequently, it’s helpful to know the signs of impending washer issues so you are able to correct them before they cause damage and require that you contact a professional to make repairs.
When you notice these issues from laundry machines, make time for maintenance right away:
On a monthly basis, it’s important to inspect washing machines and complete maintenance care to clean the appliance and minimize wear as much as possible.
Washing machines have one hose that supplies the appliance with hot water and another hose for cold water. These water hoses are made from rubber, PVC, or stainless steel and last approximately three to five years. A separate drain hose removes wastewater from washers, which is made from corrugated plastic – the drain hose will also last about five years.
Even though washer hoses usually last up to five years, damage and leaks could occur at any point in time which is why it is critical that you inspect every hose for issues each month. Search the supply and drain hoses for damage, including bulging, kinks, cracked rubber, and fraying. Replace hoses when damage is noticed or before a hose reaches five years of age.
Follow these steps when it’s time to replace your water hoses:
A washing machine may move a few inches from its spot in the laundry room due to vibrations from the spin cycle if you overload the appliance or because of uneven footing. Your washer should sit a minimum of four inches away from the neighboring dryer and each surrounding wall in your laundry room. This positioning provides space to limit hose kinks that could cause water leaks or damage to rubber and plastic components.
If your machine has moved during operation, reposition it and adjust its legs for level footing. Clockwise turns will lower the washer leg while counterclockwise turns will raise the leg.
Fabric fibers from clothes and linens enter the water as you wash loads of laundry. Lint can clog the drain or move into your plumbing pipes, leading to blockages that require professional service to clear. Washers have a trap that prevents lint from washing down the drain, protecting your plumbing.
Each month, remove and clean the lint filter trap to keep the machine in good condition as well as your drain lines.
Some washing machines have disposable filters. If this applies to your machine, simply remove the filter, throw it away, and install a new one on a monthly basis.
High-efficiency washers do not have this component. Instead, lint is caught by a self-cleaning pump in the washer. This part should be checked each month and cleaned as needed to remove fabric fibers.
When you fail to clean washing machines, they form odors caused by mold and mildew as well as the residue left behind by detergent and fabric softener. Eliminate smells left behind by detergent and fabric softener residue and the lingering, damp odor of mold or mildew growth when you clean the washer monthly.
Follow this cleaning process to remove residue buildup from mineral deposits as well as leftover fabric softener and detergent:
In addition to monthly maintenance for washing machines, there are things you can do every time you run loads through the appliance that help protect it from wear. These washing machine maintenance tips help you take care of your washer in between cleanings.
Washing machine maintenance keeps your laundry appliances in good shape and helps to protect your home’s plumbing drains. When you are in need of plumbing services for your Cincinnati home, call Thomas & Galbraith for quick, reliable service.