How to Clean a Washing Machine Tray

How and what to clean the powder tray in the washing machine?

Plaque and mold often form in the powder tray. How and what to clean the powder tray of the washing machine?

If you don’t clean the powder tray from time to time, you get an unpleasant smell. And the plaque becomes so thick that it is hard to remove.

It has been observed that a clean tray almost no powder residue after washing. But if the tray is already covered with scum, the laundry detergent is poorly washed from it during the wash, and the layer of scum thickens.

In the long absence of cleaning, the plaque can block the hole through which water enters the tray and washes out the powder. As a result, washing takes place without powder and becomes useless. So do not wait for black mold and stubborn plaque to appear. It is better to check the cleanliness of the tray after each wash.

How to Clean the Tray for the Powder in the Washing Machine

The automatic washing machine is one of the most commonly used appliances in the home. Along with the refrigerator, stove and microwave oven it is an integral part of human life. But here is the trouble, mercilessly exploiting his “home helper”, people often forget that it needs to take care of. In this article, the master plumber will tell you how to clean the powder tray in the washing machine.

In some cases, the tray is clogged with detergent so that the water can no longer flow into it and wash away the powder, dirtier only in the tank, discharge nozzles and the drain hose.

Unlike the tank and drains, which are more difficult to reach, the tray is much easier to clean because it is in plain sight. But it turns out that quite a few automatic washing machine users do not know how to pull out the tray at all, and have never thought about cleaning it.

If your machine’s tray is not too dirty, you can clean it without removing it from its seat. But if the dirt is strong enough, then for your own convenience, and for better cleaning, it is better to remove the container. This process may be difficult for beginners, but as you get used to your machine model you will be able to remove the tray with one deft movement of your hands.

The dispenser trays vary from machine to machine. So, before you remove it from your washer-dryer, check the manual for details.

To remove the tray, you usually need to do the following:

Now that the dispenser is in your hands, you can use one of the following ways to clean it.

What to do when washing the powder compartment:

• Do not scrub the trough with excessive force. Doing so may erase the markings in the compartments.
• Wipe the area where the container was removed with a cloth or sponge from the inside. Pay special attention to the water inlet and detergent outlet on the drum.
• If you choose an aggressive cleaning agent, you should work with rubber gloves.
• Trays in vertical-loading machines cannot be removed. The water used to wash them flows directly into the drum. Therefore, you should be careful, otherwise you could cause a little flood.

Remove tray and soak with a stream of slightly hot water. Rub thoroughly with a sponge or brush. For a stronger cleaning effect, they can be covered with dishwashing liquid or soap solution (dissolve shavings of laundry soap in water). Then rinse it again.

If there is still dirt on the dispenser, you can leave it to soak in hot water for a couple of hours and then repeat the cleaning procedure.

It may be that limescale and hardened powder cannot be removed using conventional physical cleaning methods, in which case a chemical cleaning with a special agent can be very helpful.

The following products do a good job of removing dirt from the dispenser and other parts of the washing machine:

• “Eona”, “Dr. TEN”, “Antikalepin” will help with light soiling.
• Frisch-aktiv removes dirt and limescale deposits as well as unpleasant odors.
• Sandokkaeb and Bork K8P (Korean remedies) can handle even very heavy soiling.

Those deposits which are hard to remove can be soaked. Removed from the machine powder tray is placed in hot water with the addition of one of the means, for example, “Domestos”, “Comet”, “Silit”, “Toilet duck”, “Sanfor anti-rust”. Dissolve the product in water (50 ml per 5 liters of water) and soak the tray. After 1.5 to 2.5 hours rub it with a brush and rinse under running warm water.

If there is no household chemicals on hand, or its use for you is unacceptable, you can use folk remedies:

• Soda is an all-purpose cleaner. With small dirt s will be enough to prepare a soda solution (soda and water in the proportion of 1:1), moisten a rag in it and wipe the dirty areas. Baking soda is especially good for fighting mold. If you need to “defeat” stubborn stains, prepare a paste of baking soda and apply it to the entire surface of the tray. Wipe off after 30-40 minutes.
• Citric acid is a traditional folk remedy for limescale. To clean the powder and conditioner tray, citric acid is poured into the compartment and turn on the empty machine. The temperature mode when carrying out this procedure should be from 60 degrees. In addition to the tray, other machine parts can also be cleaned from limescale.
• Vinegar copes well with lime scale. We use 9% table vinegar to treat the tray. Dilute a cup of acetic acid in 1 liter of hot water and soak the tray for 6-8 hours in this solution. After the procedure, wipe with a kitchen sponge and rinse well. True, to soak the whole powder tray, you will have to prepare more than one liter of solution.

In the story. How to clean the powder tray in a washing machine

And to make cleaning the powder container removed from the washing machine as easy as possible, you should:

• After each wash, taking the laundry out of the machine, wipe the tray and the gum in front of the drum to remove detergent residues.
• Leave it ajar for a couple of hours to evaporate moisture from this compartment. Thereby not creating conditions for the growth of mold and fungus.
• Reduce the amount of liquid to pour in or pour out. Maybe it stays on the walls of the dispenser due to overabundance. It promotes the formation of lime scale. Installing a line filter will extend the life of all appliances and plumbing.

clean powder, bleach and conditioner container will ensure long and reliable operation of the machine and quality laundry.

How to clean the tray: step-by-step instructions

We recommend cleaning the powder hopper at least once every 2-3 months. If you do a lot of laundry, you’ll need to do it more often. To wash the tray you will need accessible and inexpensive tools at hand: baking soda, vinegar, cotton swabs and napkins (paper towels). It is best to work with rubber gloves, and it is advisable to have a sponge, an old toothbrush, and a metal scraper handy.

The first thing to do is to pull out the powder hopper. To do this, press the locking tab (button) and pull the powder hopper toward you. The place to press is usually marked PUSH. The plastic cuvette should come out quickly and easily if you’ve done it right. Then you need to remove the central button and other removable parts (if any).

After that we take a cotton pad, moisten it in vinegar and wipe the tray thoroughly. If you can’t fight the dirt, use the “heavy artillery,” a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Fill problem areas with vinegar and baking soda and leave to stand for 20-30 minutes. The solution of baking soda and vinegar should frothy and foamy, this is a normal chemical reaction. Use a sponge and toothbrush to wipe hard to reach places (don’t forget to wear gloves, otherwise you risk getting burned). A metal scraper will come in handy for removing rust and stale plaque.

Then wash all the parts of the powder tray in warm water and dishwashing liquid. Then wipe with a cloth and dry. Before you put the tray back, be sure to look inside. There is most likely some mold or mildew in there, too. A sponge soaked in vinegar will help get rid of them. Immediately after cleaning the tray, you can start a new wash.

Details of the process

How to remove the container from the washing machine

Most of the time it is possible to pull the container out of the automatic machine (LG, Bosch, etc.) very quickly. In Ariston and Indesit machines this is much harder to do.

For all other devices, the following scheme of actions is suitable:

find the tray in the central control panel and press the tab;

grasp the tab with your hand and pull out the detergent drawer.

TIP! If you are the owners of washing machines firms Ariston and Indesit, it is quite difficult to do it. This is due to the lack of explanation in the instructions and the complex system of the device.

To pull the tray out of these machines, you need:

Find the cogs at the bottom, interfering with pulling the tray out of the device;

Grease them with a small amount of sunflower oil;

lift the compartment with force, holding it by the housing and not by the handle;

At the same time pull it towards you and move the container slightly forward;

The tray should click and slide down;

Now you need to continue pressing from the top and pulling the container toward you;

Finally, the tray must be removed from the machine.

Washing Methods

There are many options on how to clean the detergent tray. You can use them to quickly bring the container back to its original appearance by cleaning it of dirt.

The easiest way that does not take much time, so you can easily do it after each wash cycle. To do this, you need to:

Carefully remove the tray and rinse it with hot water from the powder;

if this does not help, then it should be dropped into a container of boiling water and left for 10 minutes;

get rid of all dirt with an old toothbrush;

once again rinse all the compartments with hot water;

Using a soft sponge, you can get rid of detergent residue on the walls of the tray;

then wipe the tray with a dry cloth, getting rid of any remaining water;

put the container back in place and leave it to air out for a while.

Clean the washing machine with baking soda

Every home has this product, which is used in a variety of applications, such as baking, cleaning surfaces, washing dishes, and so on.

mix in a container a glass of baking soda and a glass of warm water;

Pour the prepared solution into the tray and leave for 3 hours;

After the specified time, remove the cleaning agent;

Get rid of remaining dirt with a soft sponge;

Rinse the container with warm water and dry with a dry cloth;

Leave the tray open for a few hours to allow it to air out.

Clean the washing machine with vinegar

TIP! Vinegar is also used in a variety of situations and cleaning surfaces is no exception.

Procedure for cleaning the powder tray:

Pour 1 litre of water into a saucepan and bring it to the boil;

Remove from the heat and add a glass of table vinegar to the boiling water;

Pour the obtained solution immediately into the washing machine tray;

Get rid of any remaining dirt with a brush;

Rinse the tray again and wipe it dry.

Citric acid to clean the washing machine

To clean the washing machine tray with citric acid you will need one pack of this powder.

Pour a sachet of citric acid in the tray;

set the mode of fast washing and set the temperature at least 60 0 C;

HOW TO CLEAN SMELLY WASHING MACHINE WITH BAKING SODA & VINEGAR

Start the machine and wait for the end of the wash;

Washing Machine Cleaner

Various household chemicals are also often used to clean the washing machine container. These products help quickly remove mold and dirt from any surfaces.

TIP! When using household chemicals, it is necessary to study the manufacturer’s instructions on the package, as some products can be used only for certain types of materials.

The following products are most often called the most effective:

• “Toilet duck” gets rid of stone and mold, harmful microorganisms, and can also bleach plastic.
• “Silit is excellent for getting rid of lime, limescale and soap scum.
• “Domestos” is good at removing soap scum from the walls of the tray and powder residue, as well as from rust.
• “Dr.Beckmann”. is able to dissolve the dirt, so that it removes itself from the container. In addition, the product eliminates bacteria and unpleasant odors.

You usually need to use the same amount of household detergent. Additional steps only need to be taken occasionally.

Measure out the correct amount of detergent according to the information on the packaging;

Turn on the machine in the mode of fast washing and set the temperature to 90 0 C;

after the end of the cycle run an additional rinse;

Rinse the container with water and wipe dry.

How to remove the detergent compartment from the washing machine

It is possible to clean the powder compartment without removing it from the washing machine. But you can clean the powder tray more effectively if you pull it out.

Pull out the powder compartment very carefully, following the instructions so as not to break it.

The powder tray can crack if you are not careful.

In most washing machines, to reach the powder compartment, you have to push in the tab and pull out the tray.

In some washing machines, such as Indesit and Ariston, it is more difficult to do this. It’s best if you’re first shown how to do it by a washing machine repairman.

A brief glimpse into the nuances: Do’s and don’ts

What to do when washing the powder compartment:

• Don’t rub the tray with too much effort. This can cause the marks in the compartments to rub off.
• The place where the container was removed, wipe the inside with a cloth or sponge soaked in a solution of soda (1 teaspoon per 250 ml of water) or citric acid (10 g per 250 ml of water). Pay special attention to the water and detergent outlets on the drum.
• If you choose an aggressive cleaning agent, you must wear rubber gloves to work.
• In machines with a vertical load of laundry trays do not pull out. The water used to wash them flows directly into the drum. So you have to be careful, otherwise you could have a small flood in the room.

Advice from professionals will help to carry out cleaning with quality and without unpleasant consequences:

• Before you clean the appliance you must check that there are no items left in the drum. There should also be an empty detergent and conditioner compartment.
• Do not use several descalers at the same time, as this increases the likelihood of damage to the elements of the washing machine.
• It is recommended that rubber gloves be worn when cleaning the washer-dryer.
• The powder compartment should be cleaned as needed. Better yet, more often.
• Scaling not only threatens equipment damage, but also increases the running time of the device, the consumption of detergents and electricity.
• After a wash cycle with one of the descalers, the machine should be inspected in the area of the gaskets. It is also necessary to bend them to check. whether under them there are no remains of lime, which peeled off during the run.
• The use of sharp objects and abrasive surfaces to clean the heating element and other elements is undesirable, since these methods have a high probability of mechanical damage to the elements of the appliance.

A lot of useful and important information about the descaling of appliances can be found here.

A brief glimpse into the do’s and don’ts

What is recommended to do when washing the powder compartment:

• Don’t rub the tray too hard. This can cause the marks in the compartments to rub off.
• The place from where the container was removed, wipe the inside with a cloth or sponge soaked in a baking soda solution (1 teaspoon per 250 ml of water) or citric acid (10 g per 250 ml of water). Pay special attention to the water supply and detergent outlets to the drum.
• Choosing aggressive means for cleaning, it is necessary to work in rubber gloves.
• Trays do not need to be removed for machines with vertical load. The water used to wash them flows directly into the drum. Therefore, you should be careful, otherwise you can arrange a small flood in the room.

Methods of cleaning

There are a large number of ways to clean the powder compartment. They all make it possible to easily get rid of dirt, and return the part to its original appearance.

Mechanical cleaning

The easiest way to clean the powder tray in the washing machine mechanically. It does not require a lot of time, so you can carry out the work after every wash.

• Carefully remove the tray and rinse its compartment with hot water.
• If you could not get rid of the dirt in this way, the container is placed in a basin with boiling water.
• Approximately 10 minutes later remove it.
• Use an old toothbrush to remove dirt from all hard-to-reach places.
• Rinse the compartments of the tray again with water.
• If traces of detergent are left on the walls of the container, they are cleaned off with a soft sponge.
• After that, the powder container is wiped with a dry rag to get rid of any residual moisture.
• The tray is inserted into the device and left ajar for several hours.

Folk remedies

Since the advent of modern household appliances, housewives have begun to think of various methods of cleaning the tray and dispenser for powder in the washing machine. This work can be done in dozens of ways, which use effective and inexpensive folk remedies.

You can find this food product in every kitchen. It is used for various jobs (e.g., baking, washing dishes, or cleaning any surfaces from dirt).

• Pour 1 cup of warm water into the dishwasher reservoir.
• Pour the same amount of baking soda into the liquid.
• The components are mixed thoroughly.
• Place the dishwashing solution into the dishwasher drum and let it sit for three hours.
• After the specified time, the cleaning agent is removed.
• Use a soft sponge to get rid of any remaining dirt.
• The container is washed with warm water and wiped with a dry cloth.
• Then it is kept open for several hours.

Vinegar

This is a versatile tool that is used in various household chores. It will help even if the powder compartment is clogged or has mold in it.

To clean the container perform the following operations:

• In a small saucepan bring 1 liter of water to a boil.
• The boiling liquid is removed from the fire and mixed with 1 cup of vinegar (9%).
• The resulting hot solution is poured into the container compartments.
• After about 6-8 hours the liquid is drained out.
• The tray is rinsed with warm water.
• Use a brush to remove dirt left in hard-to-reach places.
• Rinse the container again and wipe it with a dry cloth.

Citric acid

This crystalline substance can be used not only to clean the tray or conditioner tank in the washing machine, but also the entire working system of the device. 1 pack of citric acid is enough to do the job.

• In the powder container poured citric acid.
• Remove all clothing from the drum of the appliance.
• Using the settings menu, set the temperature to at least 60ºC.
• Set the fast wash mode.
• Turn the appliance on, and wait for the selected program to complete.
• Afterwards the powder container is rinsed with warm water and wiped dry.

Household chemicals

A variety of household detergents are often used to clean the tray. These can quickly rid the tray of dirt and mold. In this case, you need to carefully read the manufacturer’s recommendations, as some chemicals can be used only for cleaning one type of household appliances. Some of the most effective cleaners include the following:

• Toilet Ducker. It not only destroys mold and harmful microorganisms, but also bleaches plastic.
• Silit. This substance perfectly copes with soap scum and lime deposits.
• Dr. Beckmann. The detergent dissolves the dirt well and removes it from the container. Beckmann also kills bacteria and prevents unpleasant odors.
• Domestos. Removes powder residue and cleans soap scum from the walls of the tray perfectly.

often than not, the method of application of household chemicals will be the same. There are only a few situations in which you will need to perform an extra rinse.

• According to the instructions on the package, measure the required amount of the substance.
• It is placed in the tray.
• Remove all items from the machine.
• The appliance is set on the “rapid wash” mode and the temperature is set to 90ºC.
• As soon as the appliance beeps to indicate that it has finished its work, turn on the rinse.
• The container is then rinsed with water and wiped of any residual moisture.