How to Clean a Whirlpool Washing Machine

There's a domino effect when your Whirlpool washing machine gets too dirty. By the time you notice that your washer smells musty and moldy, your clothes are probably starting to smell faintly musty too — and it won't be long before other people notice. Performing regular Whirlpool maintenance protects your investment (washers aren't cheap!) and ensures your clothes come out of the wash as clean as possible. Clean your Whirlpool washing machine about once a month to keep it in good condition.

With a front-loading model, cleaning the rubber seal is an important part of Whirlpool washer maintenance. This is a prime area for mold and mildew to build up in your washer over time. Whirlpool suggests using washing machine cleaner wipes to clean the inside and outside of the rubber seal. Wipe down the inside of the door, too. Alternately, use all-purpose cleaner and a cloth to clean the rubber seal and door of your front-loading washing machine.

Many models of Whirlpool washers are designed with removable detergent dispensers. Pull out the dispenser and wash it by hand with warm, soapy water. Scrub the crevices of the dispenser with a clean toothbrush. Use a soapy cloth and toothbrush to clean inside the area where the dispenser is housed as well.

If your detergent dispenser isn't removable, use washing machine cleaner wipes or all-purpose cleaning spray to clean out any old detergent residue.

You might not even realize that your washing machine has a filter, so cleaning the filter probably isn't a part of your regular Whirlpool washer maintenance routine. Your washer has a drain pump filter where lint and other debris accumulates. It's probably not necessary to clean the filter every time you wash the machine, but check the filter every few months to keep your washer working efficiently.

Generally the drain pump filter is located behind an access panel near the bottom of the washing machine. Have a towel on hand to absorb any dripping water and a container to collect any lint you find in the filter. Always unplug the washer, or turn off power to the part of the house where the washer is located, before opening up this part of the machine.

The official Whirlpool washer cleaning instructions recommend using Affresh washing machine cleaner tablets to clean the inside of the machine. Put a cleaning tablet in the bottom of the empty washer and run the machine on the "Clean Washer" mode or with hot water.

There's also an option to do Whirlpool washer cleaning with bleach rather than cleaning tablets. The company recommends pouring 1 cup of liquid chlorine bleach into the washer's bleach dispenser and running the empty machine on "Clean Washer" mode.

Open the door when the cycle is done and allow the washer's drum to air dry. Do this every time you finish a load of laundry to keep mold from growing.

As the washer runs with a cleaning tablet or bleach inside, wipe down the outside with washer machine cleaning wipes or a soapy cloth. Use a toothbrush dipped in soapy water to get into any crevices around knobs, buttons or other hard-to-reach areas. Dry the washer with a clean cloth.