A Washing Machine does a lot of hard work: getting load upon load fresh and clean, and banishing the stains that we bring home on our clothes. What would we do without them? Yet, we're quick to forget that even our washer needs washing, and it's all about ongoing maintenance.

Giving our Washing Machine a regular MOT will not just banish mould, bad smells and clothes-ruining residue – but improve its performance, too.

So, without further ado, A Guide To Cleaning Your Washing Machine and Keeping It In Optimum Working Order.

How to clean the detergent drawer The Detergent Drawer can be a haven for all kinds of nastiness. From mould, dirt and detergent build-up, this little space gets dirtier faster than we would care to imagine.

this is how simple it is to remove the detergent drawer from an Ebac washing machine For the best possible clean, remove the drawer and soak it in hot, soap-filled water (washing up liquid will do) before tackling with an old toothbrush. With the toothbrush scrub off the build-up of detergent, fabric softener and mould, and rinse. Don't forget to clean where the drawer sits too!

How to clean the rubber drum seal When it comes to cleaning a Washing Machine, one of the most common mistakes people make is forgetting the space between the door and the drum. That rubber seal that stops water from spilling out on to the floor is also a place for excess detergent and dirt to hide. And, if left to build-up, will turn into mould.

clean rubber drum seal on an Ebac washing machine So, before and after each use, use a damp cloth to give the seal a gentle wipe, and that should be enough to keep this part of the Washing Machine gleaming. If needed, remove stubborn grime with a toothbrush.

How to clean inside the Washing Machine A Washing Machines Drum has lots of nooks and crannies where germs can hide and fester. To make sure our clothes don't just come out whiter than white but ensure a sweet-smelling pile of clothes.

clean drum after a hot wash with white vinegar and baking soda For the best possible clean, measure a cup of White Vinegar and half a cup of Baking Soda and run on a hot wash. Using Soda and Vinegar together is the perfect Washing Machine cleaner because of its abilities to kill germs and eliminate odours that have built-up in hard-to-see places.

How to clean the Washing Machine filter The Washing Machine filter, found beneath the drum door just above floor level, is there to protect the washers pump through stopping the unpleasant things that gather in the crevices – fluff, hair and coins.

this is an example of the build up of fluff found in Washing Machines It is also warm and humid, an ideal breeding ground for mould and mildew which can, in turn, make the Washing Machine smell.

With this, it's simple! Just remove the fluff and dirt that has gathered inside once a month, dependent on use. For more in-depth information regarding a specific model, the user manual should explain.

How to eliminate odours Modern front-loading Washing Machines are designed not just to be more efficient but to be gentler on clothes while cleaning them better. But, front-loading machines use a lot less water than top-loading machines, so when we douse them with detergent and fabric softener, there is almost always residue.

a before and after shot of an Ebac Washing Machine door that needs cleaning The drum ends up getting a coating of built-up scum, which, peppered with debris and dirt from our clothes, makes a pleasant home for bad smells.

Alongside all of the above, use a detergent made for efficient Washing Machines. Regular detergents produce more suds than our machines can handle; less suds means less scum for bad smells to cling to.

Keeping it clean Now that we know how to clean our Washing Machine, it's time to get our machines looking — and smelling — as good as new and keeping it like that for as long as possible!

Take clothes out as soon as possible Leaving our clean washing to sit in the drum for hours after the wash has finished will make both our clothes and our machine smell damp. So, take clothes out as soon as possible. Leave the Washing Machine door open In between washes, leave the Washing Machine door open to allow moisture to escape. This will help to air the drum out and prevent mould from forming inside the machine and between the seal. So that's it, our round-up Guide To Cleaning Your Washing Machine. Whether it's one or all five tricks, a little TLC will do wonders for our clothes and our machine!

While the cleaning methods we’ve shared can be effective, results will differ between machines, so make sure to check the manufacturer's instructions before.