Life & Style

Banish mould and limescale from washing machine with £1 'game-changing' item


One of the most common issues with washing machines is a damp, mouldy smell that can sometimes develop if the machine is not cleaned regularly enough.

Cleaning the washing machine is a chore that many households forget about but, if left too long, can cause your washing to develop a smell of mildew.

Mould and limescale can grow quickly on the inside of the washing drum – but there’s one cheap household item that will banish these pesky problems with ease.

According to the Mrs Hinch Army Cleaning tips forum on Facebook, the best way to get rid of mould, mildew and limescale in your washing machine is soda crystals.

Multiple people recommended a hot wash with some soda crystals in the drum, as well as packed into the rubber seal.

While some commentators said they would put on the empty wash at 90C, others said that it just has to be above 60C for the trick to work.

Carlyne McHugh said: “Soda crystals packed between rubber and a mug’s worth thrown into the drum. Then set the machine on an empty hot wash, at least 60 degrees.

“My washing machine had really bad mould and limescale in the seal and drawer and soda crystals were game-changing. The stuff vanished in one hour on the hot cycle.”

Sue Clarke insisted: “Soda crystals in every other wash will tackle the mould and even limescale. Wipe out the drawer and seal after every wash.”

Cleaning experts at Dri Pak recommend using 500g of soda crystals in the main drum to “eliminate” mould and limescale in just one cycle.

However, they claimed that for those who haven’t cleaned their washing machine in a long time, a second cycle may be required

A 2kg bag of soda crystals retails for £2 in Sainsbury’s. As only 500g of the product needs to be used at one time, this cleaning tip works out to £1.

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