Step-by-step guide on how to descale your washing machine with citric acid

The formation of scale in a washing machine is a common problem that can be solved using special products or using traditional methods.

One popular option is the effect of citric acid. This is not a complicated method, which, however, requires certain knowledge and strict compliance with all conditions.

We'll tell you how to descale a washing machine using citric acid in this article.

Can it be cleaned?

During operation, the washing machine is exposed to detergents and tap water that is not always of adequate quality.

Contaminants washed out of things can also be deposited on the elements of the machine, and high humidity in the drum can lead to the formation of mold on the sealing rubber.

Hard water contains large quantities of magnesium and calcium salts. During the washing process, heating occurs, converting these compounds into carbon dioxide and sediment, which, combining with rust particles and other substances, settles on the tank and heating element in the form of scale.

Cleaning with citric acid is an important and necessary component of equipment care, which must be done regularly.

Advantages and disadvantages of the method

Cleaning the unit with citric acid has its positive and negative aspects, which you should know about in advance.

The advantages include:

• effective cleaning of the drum and heating element from scale as a result of a chemical reaction;
• disinfection;
• health safety;
• absence of harmful impurities;
• the product has no pronounced odor;
• low cost of preventive cleaning;
• buying citric acid in a store is not a problem;
• prevention of mold.

Minuses:

• aggressive action of acid on rubber elements - seals;
• there may be a specific smell;
• acid can damage the elements of the heating element;
• salts that flake off the heating elements can clog the drain.

Determination of product quantity

The required amount of citric acid is determined based on the loading volume of the machine. For a device that is designed for 3-4 kg of things, it would be optimal to use a bag with a volume of 60-100 grams (or, accordingly, several small ones). For machines with a large load of citric acid, you will need from 100 grams.

If, on the contrary, you use a large amount of acid, an overly concentrated solution will be created when water enters. It will cope with scale, but at the same time it will have an aggressive effect on all elements that it comes into contact with. Such contact can lead to rapid wear of parts and damage to the machine.

Stages of work

Cleaning a washing machine with citric acid is easy. But it is important to follow all the steps:

1. Check the drum. It should be empty.
2. Close the door.
3. You need to pour the contents of the package with citric acid into the compartment for detergent on the body - into the compartment intended for the main wash cycle.
4. Set a washing mode that combines a long cycle (at least 1.5 hours) with high water heating temperature (for example, “cotton”, “baby clothes”).
5. Adjust the water heating temperature to the maximum – at least +90?C.
6. Start the cycle.
7. After finishing the washing machine, open the door and wipe the seal dry. If there are also scale fragments underneath, they must be removed.
8. If a lot of scale fragments come off while working with acid, you can run an additional cycle in the “rinse without washing” mode to thoroughly rinse the device.
9. Leave the door loosely closed for ventilation.

Some of the citric acid can be poured directly into the drum.

How to clean a washing machine with citric acid, video instructions:

How often to delete?

If you use your washing machine quite often (several times a week), you should descale it once a quarter.

More infrequent cleaning will not cope with the scale that forms. At the same time, the probability of component failure increases sharply.

Frequent cleaning with acid is also not advisable.. In this case, the scale will be removed promptly and thoroughly, but the acid will have a destructive (and even corrosive) effect on the elements. Especially those that have rubber seals.

Alternative folk remedies

Using available household products, you can effectively descale your machine.

How to remove with vinegar?

Table vinegar contains a high percentage of acetic acid, which can destroy limestone and help remove various contaminants.

For preventive cleaning it is necessary to carry out the following work:

1. Close the washing machine drum, first making sure that there are no items in it.
2. Pour 2 cups of regular vinegar into the washing powder compartment.
3. Set the “cotton” mode or another that allows you to set the temperature to at least +90? C and provides a sufficiently long wash (at least 1.5 hours).
4. Start the cycle.
5. After finishing work, open the drum door for ventilation.

You can use the “pre-soak” setting to ensure that all scale is removed.

The video will show you how to descale your washing machine with vinegar:

Vinegar + soda for old plaque

You can enhance the cleaning effect by using not only vinegar, but also soda. To do this, you need to prepare a special solution from the following ingredients:

• ? glasses of table vinegar;
• ? a glass of soda.

Cleaning procedure:

1. The prepared solution is poured into the washing powder compartment.
2. 1 glass of vinegar is additionally poured directly into the drum.
3. Set a long wash cycle at maximum temperature.
4. Start the washing process.

A similar recipe will help cope with old limescale.

Whiteness: the risk is not always worth it

One of the home methods for cleaning the heating elements of a washing machine is to use bleach or other chlorine-containing compounds.

Procedure:

1. Close the door.
2. Pour from ? up to 1 bottle of undiluted white.
3. Set the wash cycle to high temperature for a long time.
4. After finishing washing, it is recommended to start the rinse mode in order to better wash away any remaining product and loose scale.

After finishing cleaning, to eliminate the smell of chlorine, you can start the quick wash mode by adding a glass of table vinegar to the powder compartment.

How to clean a washing machine with “White”, video instructions:

If nothing helps, how to remove it with special means?

The use of special means for removing scale will solve the problem quickly and at a high level. Such preparations are developed specifically to combat scale and deposits by exposure to the acid that is present in their composition.

Dr. Beckmann

Product made in Germany. The product is available in liquid form. The product is intended for high-quality cleaning of the washing machine from unpleasant odors, scale, and also to prevent the development of mold.

Using gel and powder is not difficult: they are poured (poured) into the powder compartment and the wash is started at a temperature of +60°C.

A package weighing 0.25 kg costs about 300 rubles.

Contains:

• citric acid (up to 15%);
• glycerin (up to 5%);
• Non-ionic surfactants and other components.

Topper

The powder is intended for descaling dishwashers and washing machines. This product destroys lime deposits on machine parts, but at the same time is gentle on elements made of rubber. Package weight – 125 grams. Price – from 200 rubles.

Application is very simple:

1. You must pour the entire package of product into the empty drum.
2. Set washing to +60°C.
3. Start the cycle.

The prewash should not be run.

MAGIC POWER

The product is intended for removing scale from the drum, tank and heating element. The manufacturer of the product is Germany.

Available in two forms:

• powder (price - from 100 rubles per 0.5 kg);
• gel (price from 200 rubles per 0.5 l.).

The powder contains organic acid. The product in powder form is used according to the following scheme:

1. The empty drum is closed with a door.
2. An anti-scale agent is poured into the detergent compartment.
3. Set the washing temperature to +40°C.
4. They start the machine.

Application of the MAGIC POWER gel form:

1. Pour gel into the machine (a whole bottle if there is a lot of scale, and ½ bottle if there is not enough).
2. Start the washing process at a temperature of +60°C.

10 recommendations on the topic

Expert advice to help you cope with cleaning washing machine as efficiently as possible:

1. In addition to starting a wash with citric acid, it is necessary to manually clean the rubber seal, hose, filter, and also clean the washing powder container.
2. You can check whether there is scale on the heating element yourself without disassembling the washing machine. To do this, you need to illuminate yourself with a flashlight and look up through the holes in the drum. To better see the heating element, the drum should be shaken slightly by hand.
3. When cleaning the machine from scale, you cannot use more cleaning powder than specified in the instructions, as you can damage the device itself - the acid can corrode rubber seals and other parts.
4. The maximum amount of debris and dirt gets into the washing machine after repairs to the water supply system and turning off the cold water, so it is advisable not to start washing immediately after water appears in the system.
5. You can verify the effectiveness of descaling by pointing the drain hose into a bucket or bathtub.
6. If a lot of time has passed between citric acid treatments, loose pieces of scale may clog the filter and drain hose. In this case, they will need additional cleaning.
7. The more often washing is carried out at high temperatures, the more scale will form on the heating element.
8. Washing old clothes and those with lint contributes to the rapid formation of scale, since particles of material, separating from the products, stick to the hot heating element and quickly become overgrown with lime deposits.
9. If the machine begins to make humming sounds while draining water, this may indicate that the drain system is clogged with pieces of loose scale and requires manual cleaning. To do this, stop the washing process and correct the situation.
10. After cleaning with acid, it is recommended to clean the drain filter, which is usually located at the bottom of the front side of the device.

You can learn how to descale various household appliances Here.

Conclusion

Lime build-up on a washing machine not only increases the likelihood of the appliance breaking down, but also increases the consumption of detergents and electricity, and also increases operating time. To maintain the working condition of the machine, descaling must be carried out regularly.