Laundry Cleaning Checklist

No matter what size your laundry is, it’s important to have a clean space to do all your washing without constantly having to step over things and say, “What on earth is that doing there?” 

Sound familiar? 

We often neglect cleaning our laundry — I know I certainly do. So I want to give you some quick and easy tips to get your laundry sparkling and make it somewhere you don’t mind spending a bit of time!

First up, start with a good tidy-up. Throw out those odd socks that you’ve been holding on to for the last 6 months (or years), hoping to find their pair. The truth is…the sock monster ate them, it’s gone, and it’s time to move on

In my laundry, I always end up with a collection of ‘needs fixing’ and ‘I’ll need to soak that to get that stain out’. So, I have to make a decision. If they’ve been sitting there for a few months, do I really need them? The same goes for you. If you can’t part with them, give yourself 7 days to fix them or throw them away. That is that.

If you have drawers and/or cupboards in your laundry, go through them and do a therapeutic declutter. No doubt, you’ll find random bits and pieces, you know, the stuff that comes out of pockets but never finds a home. Well, today is the day to find its home and get your laundry back in order. Now that you’ve given the place a tidy-up, let’s move on to cleaning your machines.

Washing Machine:

There are so many different washing machines out there: top-loader, front-loader, washer and dryer in one. I won’t pretend to know how to clean each and every one, but these basics apply to most of them. When in doubt, always check your instruction manuals before using any cleaners.

First, give the exterior of your machine an easy clean. I like to use my very own home-made cleaning spray, and you can try this too:

- ½ water
- ½ vinegar
- A generous squirt of high-quality washing-up liquid
- Use a microfiber cloth

Wipe down all controls, drawers, and doors. If you have a front loader, your detergent drawer should be removable. Take it out and give it a good clean. Now, on to the filters. Every machine has different filters, so flick through your manual to learn how best to clean yours.

For front loaders, let’s attack the dreaded rubber seal. It’s a breeding ground for mould, and it can build up quickly! Pull back the rubber seal and take a look. Give it a wipe to start with and if there’s still mould left, soak a cloth in vinegar and clove oil and put the cloth inside the rubber seal for 20-30mins. Fun fact, clove oil is powerful for killing mould spores! Remove the cloth and give it another wipeout. If your machine has been sitting for a while with mould in the seal, it may take a couple of goes to remove it. In some cases, it unfortunately may not come out of the rubber if it’s been there for a long time.

Now, the machine itself. The interior of your machine can get pretty messy with all the dirt and grime that comes off your clothes. It’s important to give it a thorough internal clean. There are many washing machine cleaners on the market, but I like to use simple, plain old vinegar! I have a drum clean setting on my machine that helps, but if you don’t, use a normal wash cycle on the hottest setting. Add 2 cups of vinegar to the drum before starting the wash and let it do its thing. While that’s working, you can move on to some of the other jobs in the laundry.

Dryer:

There are so many different dryers out there so make sure you consult your manual before getting started with cleaning, but the basics apply to most machines. After every load, your filters should be cleaned to ensure that your dryer works at its best capacity and doesn’t become a fire risk. Give it a REALLY good clean. Remove all filters and give them a wash in a sink of water and washing-up liquid. The lint from a dryer gets EVERYWHERE, so a small brush comes in handy to get into all those nooks and crannies.

Once washed, dry the best you can and place in the sun to fully dry. While the filter is drying, a soft brush and your vacuum cleaner will work wonders for the next step. Clean all the parts of the machine that have lint stuck in them, as I said, that stuff gets everywhere! When finished, give the machine exterior/door a wipe down with your homemade cleaning spray. Once the filter is dry, put it all back together.

Depending on how your laundry is set up, it may be possible to move your machines and clean under them – this is perfect if you can, but not always possible. For those that can’t, I have a nifty solution for you! Grab a tea towel and a really thin coat hanger. Wrap the tea towel around the coat hanger and slide it under your machine.  The tea towel will collect any dust that is under there, so repeat a few times. It’s not perfect, but you’ll have peace of mind that there is less mess and dust under your machines. Hooray!

Laundry Baskets:

This might not be what you were expecting to find on this list, but your laundry baskets need to be cleaned too! Especially the ones you put your dirty clothes in. If you have cloth baskets, you might be able to take the cloth off and give them a wash in your newly cleaned and sparkling machine. Otherwise, plastic baskets can be wiped over with your cleaning spray. You will be surprised at how grubby they can get!

Finally, it’s time to sort out your supplies. If you use canisters or containers for your detergents and bits and bobs, give them a clean-out and freshen-up. Make a list of the supplies you are running low on so you can restock them in your next grocery shop.

So, now you’ve done the hard work, and you can give yourself a pat on the back! For a superior clean, give the floor a sweep or vacuum, and you can tick cleaning your laundry off the list! How awesome does that feel?