Basic Washing Machine Maintenance Tips

Many people take their washing machines for granted. When it's working fine, you'll throw your clothes in it without thinking about what type of maintenance it requires. Although your washing machine may work as it should for a couple years, parts can break or it can stop working if you don't take the time to properly care for it. Whether you own a front-loading or top-loading washing machine, you need to know how to properly maintain it; otherwise, you could be left washing your clothes by hand.


Check Water Hoses

Typically, most washing machines pull the water used to wash clothes through a warm and cold water hose, which are both located on the back. Over time, these hoses may rust or become loose, causing your machine to leak water. When this happens, your clothes won't became as clean, and it can even cause damage to the flooring underneath. Take a minute to pull your washing machine away from the wall  and closely inspect both the cold and warm water hoses for any noticeable damage. If it's missing a clamp or couple of screws, you can probably fix this without much effort. However, it's the hose is rusted or rotted away, you'll need to replace them before the water begins to spill out.


Washing machines usually have four adjustable knobs on the bottom of them. If these knobs aren't adjusted to create a level surface, your washing machine may jump around violently during the spin cycles. Not only can this be a nuisance, but it can also damage nearby walls and furnishings. For this reason, it's recommended that you frequently check your washing machine to ensure the knobs are set to a level surface. Even if you adjusted them when you first brought your washing machine home, frequent use can change their settings.


Even if your washing machine is working the way it should, you should still give it an occasional deep cleaning to help remove any bacteria or germs that are living inside it. You can do this in either one of two ways — by running an empty load with a small amount of vinegar and warm water, or you can clean it by running an empty load with warm water and a couple cupfuls of bleach. Both of these methods are proven to help remove bad smells and germs, which is something everyone should be trying to do.