Ever wonder why your clothes smell sour after laundry? Do you know that you actually need to clean your washing machine? It seems counterintuitive, but doing it will result in fresher and cleaner clothes! What we don’t realize is the minerals and soap residues from softeners, and the chemicals from the detergent are often trapped inside our washing machine which then creates a thin film called biofilm, which became breeding grounds for the bacteria to grow and spread.
To prevent that from happening, we should at least clean our washing machine once a month. Most washing machines these days come with an auto wash function, but if yours does not, don’t fret. You don’t need to clean it with harsh chemicals, all you need are white vinegar and baking soda to clean your washing machine. To reduce further build-up, use detergents that don’t leave residues like biodegradable and plant-based detergents.
The Eco-Friendly Way to Clean Your Washing Machine
So how to do it? Cleaning your washing machine is actually pretty easy and straightforward with baking soda and white vinegar. For the first cycle, simply add two cups of baking soda into the empty washing machine. Let it run for a cycle with hot water if available, to combat those stale, moldy odors that were left behind by old detergent.
Once done with the first cycle, you can now add 2 cups of plain white vinegar into the washing machine. Once again, let it run another cycle through with the same setting. The vinegar will help to break down deposits and also remove moldy smells.
Voila! You have your sparkling clean washing machine again! No more sticky or sourish-smelling clothes after laundry!
Why Eco-Friendly Detergent helps
Does that mean using eco-friendly detergent won’t have build-up issues? Yes and no. If you continue to use softeners, residues will continue to build up. Reduce your use of softeners or use vinegar as a softener. Or else switch your laundry detergent to a biodegradable clothes detergent that leaves minimal to no residue. Ecofriendly laundry detergent for sensitive skin like Ecominim® Concentrated Liquid Detergent contains only plant-based ingredients and it is also biodegradable and tested to not leave residues, thus reducing your troubles! Using eco-friendly detergents not only save our time from going through all the cleaning process every month but also contribute in taking care of the environment!
