DIY Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets: Homemade Cleaning Solution For Your Washer
Have you ever pulled your clothes out of the washing machine only to be surprised at the lack of clean, fresh scent? Did you forget to add detergent? Did something go wrong with the cycle? Were your clothes really THAT dirty?
More often than not, the answer is actually none of the above – your washing machine is probably dirty on the inside, and there may even be mold or mildew building up in the internal components, leading to a funky, un-clean smell that you definitely don’t want to be wearing.
The good news is that you don’t have to get inside your machine or pull it apart to clean it effectively – you can use washing machine cleaner tablets. The bad news is that many of these tablets contain harmful, harsh ingredients that aren’t good for your machine’s long-term health, let alone the environment.
This leads many people down a rabbit hole of how to make DIY washing machine cleaner tablets using safe, clean ingredients. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to make your own homemade washing machine cleaner tablets. But be warned, it’s not easy!
If you’re up for a challenge, follow the steps below for a DIY washer cleaning solution. Or, if you want an easier option that has more effective cleaning power and protects your washing machine in the long run, try our washing machine cleaner tablets, made from plant and mineral-based cleaning ingredients!
The Importance of Regularly Cleaning Your Washing Machine
Before we talk about how to make DIY washing machine cleaner tablets, why is it so important to clean your machine in the first place? While it might seem counterintuitive to clean a machine designed for cleaning, neglecting the maintenance of your washing machine can lead to a host of problems.
Over time, residues from detergents, fabric softeners, and dirt can build up in various parts of the machine, including the drum, detergent dispenser, and rubber door seal. This buildup creates a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria, resulting in foul odors that can transfer to your laundry.
Beyond odor, a dirty washing machine can’t clean your clothes properly. Residues left behind by detergents and fabric softeners can cling to fabrics, causing them to appear dull, stiff, or discolored – your clothes won’t look like they’ve been washed at all!
Regular cleaning of your washing machine is essential not only for maintaining its performance but also for prolonging its lifespan. Accumulated dirt and grime can put unnecessary strain on the machine’s components, potentially leading to mechanical issues and breakdowns.
By incorporating routine cleaning into your household maintenance routine, you can ensure that your washing machine operates efficiently and effectively for years to come – you’ll save yourself some serious headaches and money on what can often be expensive maintenance.
DIY Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets: Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets
Keeping your washing machine clean doesn’t have to involve harsh chemicals. With a few simple ingredients and a little effort, you can create your own DIY washing machine cleaner tablets that effectively remove buildup and odors. Here’s how.
Gathering Ingredients: What You’ll Need for Homemade Tablets
For homemade washing machine cleaner tablets, you’ll need a few basic ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen or laundry room, including:
- Borax (or other sodium borate product)
- Washing soda or sodium bicarbonate
- White vinegar
- Essential oil of your choice
Once you have these ingredients, you’re ready to start making your DIY washing machine cleaner tablets.
Ingredient Ratios: Balancing Cleaning Power and Safety
The key to effective homemade washing machine cleaner tablets lies in finding the right balance of ingredients. Borax and sodium bicarbonate provide the cleaning power, while distilled white vinegar helps to eliminate odors and disinfect.
Essential oils not only add a pleasant fragrance but also offer additional antibacterial properties. Experiment with different ratios of these ingredients to find a combination that works best for your washing machine’s needs – everybody’s machines and preferences are different!
To start with, try making the tablets from equal parts Borax and sodium bicarbonate, and just a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Don’t add the vinegar yet – that’s for later in the cleaning process!
Molding Techniques: Choosing the Right Shape and Size
Once you have your mixture prepared, you’ll need to mold it into your preferred shape and size. It partly depends on the size and shape of your washing machine’s detergent dispenser, but we recommend using a small, silicone ice cube tray for molding.
To reduce the mess (it can get very messy trying to move the powdery solution to your tray!) you can try using a small plastic filter to individually fill each ice cube compartment. Make sure the final size of your tablets will fit comfortably in the detergent dispenser without clogging the mechanism.
Drying Process: Ensuring Proper Solidification
After molding your washing machine cleaner tablets, allow them to dry thoroughly before use. This typically takes 24-48 hours, depending on humidity. Placing the tablets in a well-ventilated area or using a dehydrator can speed up the drying process. Once fully dry, store the tablets in an airtight container.
Testing Your Homemade Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets
Once your homemade washing machine cleaner is dry, it’s time to test it! Drop a tablet into the detergent dispenser of your empty washing machine and run a cleaning cycle (if your machine has it) or a hot water wash cycle.
Keep an eye on the tablet, making sure it dissolves properly and doesn’t leave behind any residue in your machine. Once the cycle finishes, check to see if your machine smells or looks any cleaner. Again, check for residue build-up and make sure the tablet dissolved completely.
Once you’re happy with how the cleaning went, add two cups of vinegar to your detergent dispenser and run another cleaning or hot water wash cycle. Once finished, your machine should smell fresh and clean. Wipe out the drum and the door with a clean microfiber cloth.
Are DIY Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets Worth it or Should You Invest in a Professionally Formulated Solution?
Making a washing machine cleaner DIY isn’t simple, but it can be effective. But, is it really better than the pre-made washer cleaning solutions that are already out there? Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of the washing machine cleaner DIY approach.
The Appeal of Washing Machine Cleaner DIY
DIY washing machine cleaner tablets bring a few different benefits. Firstly, they typically use ingredients you already have, making them cost-effective. Plus, you can customize the ingredients and tailor the formulation to suit your preferences.
Also, DIY solutions are sometimes more eco-friendly, as they eliminate the need for single-use plastic packaging and reduce the environmental impact associated with the manufacturing and transportation of commercial washing machine cleaners.
Challenges and Considerations For DIY Washer Cleaner
On the flip side, a DIY washer cleaning solution also brings some challenges. It can take a while to figure out the right balance of ingredients and formula for your machine, which means you’re spending a lot of time (and money) before you finally have a cleaner that works properly.
Also, while it’s nice that homemade cleaners don’t contain harmful ingredients, they also usually don’t contain specialized ingredients found in commercial cleaners. Often, these ingredients aren’t harmful, but they are used to penetrate deeper inside your machine’s internal components.
Enzymes, surfactants, and other specialized ingredients are often used to target stubborn stains and residues, giving you better all-round cleaning results compared to your washing machine cleaner DIY tablets.
Commercial washing machine cleaners also undergo rigorous testing and quality control to make sure they’re as effective as possible, suitable for different machine types, and formulated with the right balance of ingredients. You just won’t get the same results at home!
Give Your Washer the Care It Deserves With Our Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets!
At Clean People, we have the best washing machine cleaner tablets. Suitable for all machine types, including high-efficiency machines, our tablets bring a powerful clean without harmful ingredients – our formula is basically a better version of a DIY washer cleaner solution!
Using just plant and mineral-based cleaning ingredients, our tablets penetrate deep inside your machine’s internal components. Designed to fully remove grime and build-up, they also tackle mildew and mold that may be lurking in your machine.
As well as our premium cleaner tablets, we also have the best smelling laundry sheets. Not only are our laundry sheets made in USA, but they’re also the safest laundry detergent for babies and hypoallergenic – ideal for anyone who has an allergic reaction to laundry detergent.
If you’ve weighed up laundry sheets vs pods and you still prefer laundry detergent pods, we have those too! Our pre-measured, septic-safe pods help you avoid toxic laundry detergent brands without sacrificing the brightness of your whites – it’s a win-win!
Got a little one at home? Our baby detergent pods are gentle and safe for sensitive skin, but tough on the stains, spills, and messes that inevitably come with youngsters. So, if you’re not sure where to buy laundry sheets or pods – check out our low-impact, highly effective options!
Wrapping Up Our Guide on Homemade Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets DIY
Making DIY washing machine cleaner tablets can be a fun project, but it can also quickly turn into a messy chore. Plus, the results you see often simply aren’t as good as a commercial cleaner can deliver, and without a thorough, deep clean, you may inadvertently reduce the life of your washer.
With natural, clean ingredients, our tablets are designed to clean deep, without harming your machine or the environment. Just pop a tablet in your machine once a month to keep it sparkling clean and operating like brand new – a little maintenance goes a long way!
Make your life easier, not harder. Skip the DIY, get your Clean People washing machine cleaner tablets today, and cross one more thing off your list!
