Cleaning the washing machine with citric acid

Cleaning a washing machine with citric acid Washing in hard water is not only ineffective, but can also lead to damage to the washing machine. Salts in the water settle on the heating element and other parts of the machine, which leads to the formation of scale. This is why some experts recommend regular cleaning and using citric acid as a cleaner. However, it must be used with caution. In this article we will tell you how to clean a washing machine with citric acid and how often to do it?

Algorithm for cleaning a machine with citric acid

All that may be required when cleaning a washing machine is the lemon juice itself and a dry soft cloth. The entire washing process is as follows:

First you need to check whether the drum of the machine is empty. After all, an item left behind may become discolored when interacting with lemon.
Take about 100 grams of citric acid and pour it into the compartment of the powder tray. The question of how much lemons to sprinkle should be decided based on the maximum capacity of the drum, for example, for a machine whose drum holds 4 kg of laundry, 60 grams of lemons are enough.
Let's celebrate! You can put the lemon directly into the drum of the washing machine.
Now select the washing mode, which includes both rinsing and spinning. With little for a layer of scale, a water temperature of 60 will be enough⁰C, if the machine has not been cleaned for a long time, then you can select a mode with a water temperature of 90-95⁰WITH.
After the tray and drum are closed, you can safely press the “Start” button.
At the end of the washing cycle, you need to look under the rubber band of the drum and, if there are pieces of scale left there, remove them and wipe everything with a cloth.
Be sure to remove the water from the drain and also dry the powder tray.

If during the washing process or at the end of it you saw pieces of scale that had fallen off, it means that the citric acid for the washing machine coped with the task.

Experts recommend carrying out a similar procedure for cleaning the washing machine about 3 times a year. If the water hardness is high, you can clean the machine every 30 washes. And if the water has low hardness, then two procedures per year will be enough.

Why clean your washing machine with lemon?

limescale in the washing machine The question of how to clean a machine with lemon is quite clear and simple, but why do you need to do it at all? Everyone knows that the water entering the apartment through the tap contains a large amount of salts. When such water is heated, salts precipitate and scale forms on the heating element. This process can be observed in electric kettles, washing machines and dishwashers.

Scale on the heating element of an automatic washing machine can increase the time it takes to heat the water to the desired temperature, which in turn leads to greater energy consumption. In worst cases, the heating element may simply burn out. That is why you need to constantly descale the elements of your washing machine. And one of the cheapest remedies can help with this - citric acid.

Lemon in hot water interacts with salt deposits, making them more fragile. Simply put, the scale breaks down and breaks off from the machine elements.

Lemon for the washing machine: benefit or harm?

There is no doubt about the effectiveness of cleaning your machine from scale with lemon juice. It eats away plaque really well. But doesn't such a product harm machine parts?

The answer to this question is quite simple. Lemon is not harmful if used in reasonable quantities.If you add citric acid in large quantities and at the same time carry out cleaning at the maximum heating temperature of the water, the result may not be happy. Rubber and plastic parts can be destroyed when exposed to acid. Large pieces of scale may fall off along with rubber pieces.

Very important! Do not neglect the amount of lemon juice and the cleaning temperature. Lemon works even in cool water; heating only speeds up the process, so it is enough to heat the water to 60⁰WITH.

Having analyzed the reviews and advice of housewives who monitor the condition of their washing machine, we came to the conclusion that most of them still recommend using citric acid to clean the machine. Firstly, this is the cheapest and most accessible remedy. And, secondly, lemongrass is safe for humans, does not cause allergies and is easy to rinse.

It has been established that scale forms at 75⁰WITH. It’s rare to boil things in the car, and most things can only be washed at 40⁰S. Therefore, you should not be overzealous with citric acid. The benefits of lemon juice lie in its judicious use.

How to replace lemon juice or how to care for an automatic machine?

Are there other remedies that fight scale as effectively as lemon? Of course yes. There are quite a lot of such products in stores, most of them can be combined under the same name “Antinakipin”. Such products must be used strictly according to the instructions written on each package.

Don't be lazy and be sure to read the instructions for using the anti-scale agent for your washing machine every time you use it. After all, an error in the amount of product can lead to machine breakdown.

descaler Some people will ask if it is possible to replace the lemon juice with fresh lemon juice. Our answer is no, since the effect will not be achieved due to the low concentration of acid in the lemon. You should not replace lemon juice with vinegar, as it can negatively affect the machine parts. There are housewives who use Coca-Cola for the same purposes. It is enough to pour three liters of drink into the drum, select the washing mode at 60⁰C and wait for the process to complete.

To avoid having to deal with large scale deposits, you also need to properly care for your washing machine and follow the following recommendations.

To reduce water hardness, you can use special water softeners.
When washing, powder should be poured in the amount indicated on the package. In powders for automatic machines, a water softener is added.
You should not wash clothes that are too old or dilapidated in the machine, particles of fabrics of which may settle on the elements of the machine.
You need to wash things at temperatures below 75⁰WITH.
After washing, dry and wipe the machine elements with a soft cloth.

So, the process of cleaning a washing machine using citric acid is very simple; you can watch it in detail in the video. The main thing is to pour in the lemon and turn on the machine, and it will do the rest itself. Take care of your machine correctly, and then you won’t have to think about how to clean it.