How to clean the washing machine from scale with citric acid?

Without a washing machine, it is impossible to imagine a modern comfortable life. But, unfortunately, very often this type of equipment breaks down, and repairs are expensive. The most common cause of damage is scale formed on the heating element of the machine.

In order to find out if there is a similar formation on the components of your machine, find a heating element under the drum. Most often it is shifted to the right or left side. In order to take a closer look at it, take a flashlight and point it at the holes in the drum of the machine. Turn the drum a little with your hand so that the light from the flashlight lies exactly on the object you need. Did you see grayish formations on the heating element? Well, then this article is for you.

Hard water with impurities of various chemicals, residues of powders and other detergents - all this leads to a breakdown of the washing machine. Salts from potassium, magnesium and powder residues settle on the surface of the heating element and other parts of the equipment, due to which scale forms over time. Since this is a solid precipitate of salts, it will not work to clean it with a rag with a detergent.Over time, the layers of scale become more and more, which leads to a breakdown of the mechanism and poor-quality washing, because clean linen does not smell like air conditioning, but the waste products of bacteria.

To maintain the stable operation of the equipment, it is necessary to clean it once every 4 months, however, in regions with especially hard water, it is worth cleaning it more often. You can not abuse the "intensive wash" mode, because it increases the amount of harmful salts that enter the surface of the heating element. Why scale damages the mechanism? The fact is that a heating element covered with a layer of scale transmits heat much worse:

1. Water in such conditions heats up several times slower.
2. There is an excessive loss of electricity.
3. The heater itself overheats too much.
4. The outlet valve of the machine becomes clogged, leaks water worse and breaks.

But it is not at all necessary to come to such a radical decision as throwing away equipment, because everything can still be fixed. Workers who have to change parts overgrown with sediment will consider it the fault of the oversighted owner, so the repair will cost you a tidy sum.

In this article, you will learn how to descale a washing machine.

One of the most famous and effective ways to clean the machine from scale is citric acid. It can be purchased at any grocery store or supermarket. Citric acid is a powder packaged in sealed bags.

In addition, citric acid is well rinsed and does not settle on clothes in the future, unlike its "colleagues".

To clean a washing machine designed for 3-4 kg of laundry, you need to spend 60 g of citric acid. If your machine has a larger amount of laundry, make simple calculations based on this formula. But it is important not to overdo it with the addition of acid, otherwise it will corrode the rubber parts of the mechanism and may damage its other components. To carry out cleaning, pour citric acid crystals into the detergent compartment and turn on the wash. Choose the highest temperature (60-90 degrees is fine).

Washing should last 1.5-2 hours. At this time, citric acid will react with scale and completely corrode it. Later you will be able to see in the pipe how much of it was washed off the heating element.

Using this method, you will be convinced that such a budget method works no worse than specialized anti-scale products.

In addition to getting rid of plaque, "lemon" is often used to combat mold. 2-3 tablespoons of acid are poured into the tank and the intensive wash mode is turned on. An acidic environment is detrimental to the fungus and eliminates it. In addition to "lemon", there are other ways to deal with scale.

One of the most effective methods. In addition to cleaning, it also removes unpleasant odors and fights mold that settles in the interior of household appliances. A plus is the availability of vinegar, because it can be purchased at any grocery store. To clean with this tool, you must follow the following rules:

• add two cups of 9% vinegar to the liquid compartment;
• set a long wash time with hot water;

• when the water inside the machine mixes with vinegar, interrupt the wash;
• after an hour, resume the wash cycle;
• after cleaning, turn on the rinse again to remove the smell of vinegar and plaque particles;
• Wipe the drum dry with a rubber cloth and leave the machine door half open to allow any remaining moisture to evaporate.

This is a very effective method, but it should not be abused. You can use it once every 6-7 months. The disadvantage of vinegar is that it has a very strong smell, so after cleaning you will be forced to ventilate the room. If you choose too high a percentage of vinegar, the liquid can tear the sealing gum during cleaning.

Means such as citric acid and vinegar are the most effective and safe for the human body. Of course, specialized products act directly to combat this problem, but in addition, they can harm with their fumes or residues on clothes (after all, very often they are not so easily washed off the tank).

The most famous household chemicals include Calgon and Alfagon. The principle of their use is very simple: just add the product to the machine with each wash.

"Calgon" is known for its advertising to everyone, even a small child. But is this tool such a reliable protection for your typewriter? It turns out that with prolonged use "Calgon" forms a harder layer of stone on the tubular heater, similar to cement, which is much more difficult to get rid of than scale. As a result, the heater burns out even more. Of course, this tool really softens the water, but is there any use for this with such consequences? You decide.

This chemical agent works on the principle of citric acid. The only difference is that it costs a little more and has its drawbacks, but we will talk about them a little later.

The composition of this substance contains an acid that corrodes layers of salt deposits. Add the substance to the dry powder compartment and turn on the wash without laundry. The tool works almost immediately. But back to the "pitfalls":

• firstly, acid can corrode rubber parts of the machine if you run the wash for 60-70 minutes;
• secondly, it is not very useful for them to breathe;
• thirdly, it can settle on fabric fibers.

"Antinakipin" effectively removes scale, however, if the liquid corrodes machine parts, it will need additional repairs. Therefore, with such a substance you need to be very careful.

To prolong the life of your washing machine, we recommend that you adhere to the following rules at home:

• Use special water softeners, for example, the above "Calgon" or "Alfagon".
• Items that are too worn should not be washed in the washing machine, as fabric particles settle on the internal parts of the machine. They clog in the filters, which leads to an unpleasant smell in the machine, poor filter performance, and, ultimately, a complete breakdown of the mechanism.
• Ventilate your machine regularly. Train yourself to leave the machine door open to allow moisture to evaporate.
• After washing, wipe the machine with a dry cloth to get rid of unnecessary moisture on the edges. Don't forget the rubber padding around the door: it's under it that bacteria and mold accumulate.
• It is not recommended to leave wet laundry in the drum, because due to high humidity, mold and fungus can form in the machine. Place freshly washed laundry in the basin immediately, and there are special containers for dirty laundry. The cleanliness of the machine should not be neglected, because the quality and duration of work depend on it.

• The powder tray must be thoroughly rinsed with a cleaning agent. The remains of a dried product, pathogenic bacteria - all this also affects your health and the operation of equipment.
• It is not recommended to wash things at too high a temperature. This overheats the machine and damages its components. It is better to use a medium wash temperature, and leave hot water for more "critical" situations, for example, when you need to get rid of mold. As you know, in addition to alkali, it does not tolerate hot water.
• Follow the instructions for washing powders. It is best to use “gentle” mixtures with the addition of substances that soften water.
• Remove small items from clothing pockets to prevent them from clogging the drain filter.
• Install magnesium filter. This method will make life easier for both the mechanism and its owners. This type of filter will make the water less hard, which is good for your health.

To prolong the life of your washing machine, remember to clean the outlet filter from time to time. It often accumulates hair, pieces of clothing and other small debris.It is recommended to use sediment filters that trap fine particles of sand or rust. This is useful not only for equipment, but also for the pipes themselves. Washing the "washer" is not at all difficult.

The filling valve is clogged if the water enters the machine too weakly, and when pouring, the equipment starts to buzz a lot, and the washing time increases significantly. In order to revive this component, first of all, you need to unscrew the inlet hose and carefully remove the mesh on it. Next, you should clean it of dirt with a soft brush, rinse it, put it in place, and screw the hose back on.

Do not overload the drum with dry laundry. Also, do not load less than half of the laundry in the drum. It is recommended to observe the "golden mean". A little more than half of the things in the drum are enough for an efficient and gentle wash. This method reduces vibrations that negatively affect the technique. In the spin mode, the vibration frequency of the washing machine increases markedly.

To keep your equipment safe, follow these guidelines:

• The machine must stand on a flat floor, it is advisable to fix it with nuts;
• If the legs of the machine are not screwed to the floor with nuts, and are also on a smooth tile, in spin mode it can “run” around the room. Therefore, it is desirable to fit a hard rubber mat under it.

If you notice mold growing inside the washer, ordinary baking soda will help you. It is necessary to mix it with water 1: 1 and apply to the drum and rubber cuff. Leave the substance for 30-40 minutes, and after this time, turn on the intensive wash with rinse. To eliminate mold, you can also use table vinegar, diluted with whiteness 1: 1 and hot water.You just need to pour liquid into the tank and run the wash cycle.

We hope that these tips were able to help you get rid of the existing problem, as well as get acquainted with the methods of their prevention. It is worth remembering that the best way to prevent a problem is awareness.

How to descale a washing machine with citric acid can be seen in the following video.