Washing machine cleaning: tips and maintenance
If your washing machine smells or no longer gets your laundry really clean, a good clean often makes a big difference.
Do it yourself or leave it to us
Cleaning your washing machine or having it serviced
A washing machine that is never cleaned washes worse, starts to smell and breaks down sooner. Below you can read how to clean your washing machine yourself, from the drain filter to the door seal. Would you rather have a technician do it? That is possible too: maintenance costs €50 per appliance, on top of the diagnosis and any repair.
A few minutes a month keep your washing machine in good condition. You get cleaner laundry, fewer smells and less chance of a fault. We have collected the tips our technicians give most often.
How it works, in 3 steps
Prices
How much does washing machine repair cost?
Whether your washing machine won't drain, leaks or shows an error code: you pay the same fixed price, whatever the brand.
A technician finds out at your home why your washing machine isn't working properly. If you don't go ahead with the repair, you only pay for the diagnosis.
If the technician can repair your washing machine, you pay €110. No time limit: even if it takes long or a second visit is needed.
Spare parts are not included. The technician tells you in advance if a part is needed and what it costs.
Chrono surcharge for a visit in the evening, at the weekend or just a few hours after your request.
Second appliance during the same visit? The technician can check and repair it too for €80.
Maintenance as well? The technician can also clean and check your appliance thoroughly, for €50 per appliance on top of the diagnosis and repair.
Prefer remote help first? A video repair costs €49. See all our prices →
How do you clean a washing machine step by step?
These are the six basic steps. Below you can read how to do them.
| What | How often |
|---|---|
| Clean the drain filter | Every month |
| Run a maintenance wash at 90°C | Every month |
| Clean the detergent drawer with warm water | Every month |
| Clean the door seal with a damp cloth | Every week |
| Descale the machine | Every year, with hard water |
| A thorough deep clean | 1 to 2 times a year |
Keep the manual in your language close to the appliance. It shows exactly where the filters are on your model and which cleaning programme the machine has.
How do you clean the drain filter of your washing machine?
Depending on the brand, the drain filter is at the front, at the bottom of the machine, behind a small flap. Coins, buttons and lint get stuck there.
- Turn off the water tap, switch off the machine and unplug it.
- Place a flat dish with a rim in front of the machine, for example an oven dish. A lot of water can come out. Right after a wash, that water can be very hot.
- Open the flap. If there is a small drain hose, remove its cap and let the water run into the dish. Empty the dish in between if needed.
- Carefully unscrew the filter and pull it out. Remove anything stuck in it and also clean the thread and the housing.
- Check that the impeller of the drain pump turns freely, for example with a spoon.
- Screw the filter back in tightly, replace the cap and the flap, and reconnect the power and water.
Tip: then pour 1 litre of water into the liquid detergent compartment and start the drain programme. That way, no detergent runs straight down the drain during the next wash.
How do you keep the water supply clear?
Why should you turn the water tap off and on now and then?
The tap in the wall can gradually clog up with limescale. Turn it fully off and back on every 6 months. That loosens limescale residue and flushes it away. There must also be enough water pressure: count on 10 litres per minute, or roughly one bucket per minute.
How do you clean the inlet hose filters?
- Turn off the tap.
- Select a pre-wash programme, press start and stop the programme after 40 seconds.
- Disconnect the hose from the tap and clean the filter at the top of the Aquastop with a small brush.
- Also clean the filter in the coupling at the back of the machine, where the hose connects to the appliance.
- Reconnect the hose, check that the door is properly closed and restart the programme. Turn on the tap and check for leaks.
How do you prevent bad smells in your washing machine?
Why does my washing machine or my laundry smell?
The warm, damp climate inside the machine and detergent residue are an ideal breeding ground for micro-organisms. They cause a musty smell, in the machine and in your clothes. Washing at low temperatures, especially with too much detergent, makes it worse.
How do you clean the detergent drawer?
Take the drawer out of the machine and rinse each compartment under warm running water. An old toothbrush gets dirt and powder out of the corners. Don’t forget the housing behind the drawer.
How do you clean the door seal?
Check and clean the rubber around the door regularly. Put on gloves if you like and wipe thoroughly between the folds with a damp cloth.
Why run a hot wash?
Wash at more than 75 degrees at least once a month, and certainly when the machine asks for it on the display. Also do a deep clean 1 to 2 times a year with a suitable product against grease, detergent residue and mould. Use your machine’s cleaning programme, or otherwise a cotton programme at 60 degrees or more.
Do you need to descale your washing machine?
If you always dose the right amount of detergent, descaling is usually not necessary: detergent contains substances that counter limescale in hot water. Unsure about the dose, very hard water or visible limescale? Then descale the machine with a descaling product. The instructions are on the packaging.
What does limescale do to the heating element?
- The water heats up more slowly.
- The machine uses more energy.
- The heating element lasts much less long and can burn out.
- The machine’s main bearings can also be damaged.
Is your machine no longer heating the water? Read washing machine not heating.
More tips from our technicians
Why does my washing machine make so much foam?
Too much foam forms when you wash lightly soiled laundry, use too much detergent or use old or unsuitable detergent. Foam and water can then overflow from the detergent drawer or leak past the door. Dose according to three things: how dirty the laundry is (about 70% of the dirt comes from the body itself, such as sweat and skin flakes), how much laundry is in the drum, and how hard the water is. With soft water you need less detergent.
What is the best way to load a washing machine?
Leave a hand’s width of space above the laundry at the top of the drum. That is roughly a drum filled three-quarters full. There is then enough water to dissolve the detergent and enough room for the clothes to move. Too little laundry isn’t good either: it isn’t economical and the load easily gets unbalanced, which causes a loud banging noise during spinning. With an overfull drum the door sometimes doesn’t close properly.
How do you keep white laundry white instead of grey?
Wash whites separately and use a detergent for white laundry. Dose according to how dirty it is and the water hardness: with the wrong dose, limescale and soap residue stay behind and the laundry turns dull grey. Close the detergent bottle properly. White towels that have turned grey from limescale can become white again if you wash them with a little citric acid powder or vinegar instead of detergent. Never mix bleach with other products: toxic substances can form.
How do you prevent creases after washing?
Choose the programme according to the care label. A cotton programme washes with little water and spins hard; programmes such as ‘Delicates’ use more water and spin more gently. Respect the programme’s maximum load (weight of dry laundry), lower the spin speed if needed, use a steam programme if your machine has one, and take the laundry out of the drum straight away.
Can I reverse the door of my washing machine?
Usually not. On most washing machines the hinge is on the left, and the electrical parts in the door mean the opening direction can’t be changed. Is your washing machine next to a tumble dryer? Swap them round: the tumble dryer door can usually be reversed. If both doors open away from each other, moving the laundry across is easy.
What does maintenance by a technician cost?
Would you rather have a technician clean and check your washing machine thoroughly? That is possible, at your home.
| Maintenance | Price (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|
| 1 appliance | €119 (€69 call-out and check + €50 maintenance) |
| 2 appliances | €169 (€50 extra for the second appliance) |
| 3 appliances | €219 (€50 extra for the third appliance) |
| With a repair | €50 extra per appliance, on top of the diagnosis and the repair |
During maintenance the technician cleans the filters, the detergent drawer and the door seal, and checks the machine. If he finds a fault, he tells you in advance what the repair costs.
Where do we maintain and repair washing machines?
Our technicians work in Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region, East Flanders, West Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Limburg, Liège, Namur, Hainaut and Walloon Brabant.
Do your technicians have to travel from Vilvoorde every morning?
No. Our technicians live all over Belgium and set off every morning from their own municipality. The parts they need are delivered straight to their homes. That way we get to you quickly, without long drives and often as soon as the next working day.
Is your washing machine broken?
Our washing machine repair page covers all symptoms, error codes and brands. The diagnosis at your home costs €69, a repair €179 in total at most, parts extra. See also all our prices.
Frequently asked questions about washing machine cleaning
The drain filter, the detergent drawer and a hot wash at 90°C: every month. The door seal: every week. A deep clean: 1 to 2 times a year. Descaling is only needed with hard water or if you see limescale.
Maintenance at your home costs €119 including VAT: €69 for the call-out and check and €50 for the maintenance. Each extra appliance costs €50. If you also have a repair done during the same visit, maintenance is added at €50 per appliance, on top of the diagnosis and the repair (together at most €179, parts extra).
Only if you have very hard water, are unsure about your detergent dose or see limescale. Detergent itself contains anti-limescale substances. Limescale on the heating element raises energy use and can make the element burn out.
The warm, damp climate and detergent residue let micro-organisms grow in the machine. Clean the detergent drawer and the door seal, and run a wash at more than 75 degrees every month.
If the machine won’t drain, leaks or shows an error code, book a repair. The diagnosis at your home costs €69. If you choose the repair, you pay €179 in total at most, parts extra, with a 3-month warranty on the repair.
No. If your washing machine is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, contact the manufacturer or the shop where you bought it.
Use the button on this page to choose a day and a time slot yourself. You can also call 02 615 45 20. Give the brand, the model number and whether you want maintenance, a repair or both.