Talking about how to clean and disinfect the washing machine may seem like a contradiction, yet this appliance must be washed periodically, because it gets dirty.
Yes, exactly, it gets dirty, it accumulates limescale residue - discover how to remove limescale from your water - detergent, lint, lint, thus promoting the formation of mold, fungi, and the proliferation of bacteria.
All this is transferred to the laundry, making it less clean, generating bad odors in the drumand, last but not least, contributes to damaging the washing machine, thus risking its breakdown.
This is why it is so important, as part of routine DIY maintenance, to clean and disinfect all parts of the washing machine, from the drum to the door, including the filter, gaskets, and detergent drawer.
Let's see together how to proceed correctly.
Difference between cleaning and disinfecting
We often use the terms cleaning and disinfecting as if they were synonymous, but this is not the case.
Not from a practical point of view, nor from a regulatory one. In fact, the Ministerial Decree 7 July 1997, n. 274 reports the definitions of cleaning, disinfection, disinfestation, rodent control, and sanitization, highlighting their differences.
In the specific case of interest to us at this time, cleaning and disinfecting do not mean the same thing, and therefore do not indicate the same actions.
More specifically:
- cleaning means those activities aimed at remove dust, unwanted material, or dirt from surfaces, objects, confined spaces, and related areas;
- disinfection activities are those that involve the complex of procedures and operations aimed at making certain confined spaces and related areas healthy by destroying or inactivating pathogenic microorganisms.
In short, cleaning means removing dirt, while disinfecting means killing bacteria, mold, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens.
Having made this necessary distinction, Now let's see how to clean and disinfect the washing machine correctly.
How to clean the washing machine
We said that the term cleaning means removing dirt, therefore cleaning the washing machine is a comprehensive process, which also requires a good dose of elbow grease, sweat, and commitment.
Yes, because nIt's not enough to perhaps run an empty wash cycle with vinegar (that can be useful, but in the end), as you often read on the web, for two reasons: vinegar is not a disinfectant and, although useful for example for removing limescale deposits and bad odors, without manual action, stubborn dirt won't come off.
So, how do we proceed? You need to follow these steps:
- Remove the detergent dispenser from its housing and, using a sponge and a detergent of your choice, start scrubbing in all areas, even the hardest to reach ones (use an old toothbrush for these spots), to remove all dirt, encrustations, and stains;
- remove the filter and, after freeing it from any accumulations of hair, fluff, and other residues, rinse it under running water and clean it thoroughly with a sponge;
- open the porthole and clean the glass and drum, using a detergent that, if possible, also releases a pleasant scent. Scrub carefully, because sometimes the drum looks shiny but is actually dirty;
- pay particular attention to the seals inside the porthole and the drum, because that's where mold, bacteria, and the most stubborn dirt hides. Use a good detergent and scrub vigorously, being careful not to damage the seal;
- Clean the external surfaces of the washing machine, removing dust, detergent residue, or limescale stains.
Now, if you want, you can run an empty wash cycle at high temperatures (60°-90°) with detergent or, if you prefer, vinegar and baking soda.
As already explained above, however, Neither vinegar nor baking soda have disinfectant properties —vinegar isn't able to actually kill germs and bacteria, but at most it can prevent their multiplication, which is why it's used as a food preservative—but by combining them, it's possible to exploit the former's odor-removing properties (without being toxic or polluting) and the latter's abrasive power (being a powder).
All the steps we've listed so far fall into the category “how to clean the washing machine”, but this doesn't mean we've disinfected it.
So, let's see how to disinfect the washing machine.
How to disinfect the washing machine
In the dedicated paragraph, we saw that disinfecting means destroying pathogens, and unfortunately, data-mce-fragment="1">Cleaning is not sufficient for this purpose.
That said, it is essential to clean - therefore, remove dirt - - before disinfecting, to achieve optimal results, because pathogens "feed" on that dirt.
So, how do you disinfect the washing machine? You need to use a specific product, capable, as required by law, of killing at least 99% of pathogens. These products bear a specific wording on the packaging, such as the authorization of the Ministry of Health or the EU or “Medical-surgical device…”. For more information, visit the Ministry's website, here.
If this wording is not present, they are not products of the Ministry of Health. disinfectant, at most they can be useful for cleaning.
Furthermore, it is not enough to spray the product on the surface, in this case the various parts of the washing machine, to disinfect, because the substance must act on the pathogens, and this takes several minutes (at least ten).
Therefore, If you want to disinfect your washing machine, you need to get a specific product (disinfectant, not sanitizing or sanitizing!) that contains the above-mentioned wording. Use it correctly - it's usually indicated on the packaging - acting on the same parts we previously cleaned.
These products often have a higher cost than a simple detergent, but you must consider that the washing machine does not need to be disinfected every day, but a few times a month, so the expense is amortized over time.
Conclusion
As you can see, cleaning and disinfecting the washing machine are two different actions, one preparatory to the other, but to be performed in two separate moments and using specific products.
Remember that this action, therefore Periodic cleaning and disinfecting your appliance prolongs its lifespan, also reducing energy and detergent consumption.
In short, it's better to sweat a little to get truly clean laundry and preserve your washing machine.
If you're thinking about buying a new washing machine, check out our offers in the online store. Click here.
If, however, you'd like to buy a dryer but aren't sure how to choose, we recommend our article "How to choose a dryer: buying tips".