How To Sanitize Your Washer And Dryer

Close up view of a modern, front loading, clothes washer and dryer.

Did you know cleaning your washer and dryer is a must, especially if someone in your home has been recently sick? With just twenty dollars and a few hours of your time, you can have a sparkling clean and sanitized washer and dryer. Take a look to see how you can clean these appliances!

What You Will Need

To properly clean your washer and dryer, you will need the following:

  1. Rubber gloves
  2. Scrub brush
  3. Cleaning cloths
  4. Old towels
  5. A bucket
  6. Chlorine bleach, pine oil, phenolic disinfectant, or quaternary disinfectant
  7. Water

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Time To Clean

Bacteria, debris, fabric softener, and so much more can be found in your washer and dryer. There are a few ways to make sure your appliances are being cleaned properly and here’s how to do that.

  • Sanitize Your Washer With Chlorine Bleach – The first thing you will want to do is make sure your washer is empty and then set it to the hottest temperature setting. Add one cup of chlorine bleach and set the washer to a full cycle. Allow it to run the entire cycle without stopping. When the cycle is over, mix ¼ cup chlorine bleach and one-quart water. You will want to scrub any and all areas that seem to have debris or any buildup. Once you are done with that, set your washer to the rinse/spin cycle and let it run. Lastly, take a solution of bleach and hot water and clean the outside of the washer.
  • Sanitize Your Washer Without Chlorine Bleach – If you are not a fan of bleach, there are other ways you can clean your washer. You can use pine oil, phenolic disinfectants, or quaternary disinfectants. The cleaning is the exact same as the chlorine process, just with different products.
  • How To Sanitize Your Dryer – The first step to cleaning your dryer is to remove any lint from the lint screen with gloves. Next, you will need to mix ¼ cup of chlorine bleach, or other disinfectant products, with one quart of water. Use a cloth or a soft bristled brush with your cleaning solution. Wipe down all areas of the dryer making sure each area is clean. Once you have cleaned your dryer, go over all areas you cleaned with a cloth dipped in water. Toss some old towels or rags into the dryer and set it to high. Run it for 10 minutes and remove any residue from the cleaning solution. Last but not least, clean the outside of your dryer and you are all done!

Disinfecting your washer and dryer is a great way to ensure germs are at an all-time low in your household. This process is simple and fairly quick. You will feel great to know the two most important appliances in your home are germ-free.

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