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Washing machine and dishwasher care checklist

Both machines fail the same way: a filter or seal nobody's checked in months. Ten minutes now is cheaper than a call-out later.

18 items

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The items

  1. Washing machine door and rubber seal wiped after every washLeft wet, the rubber seal is where mould starts and where the musty smell actually comes from.
  2. Detergent drawer removed and cleaned
  3. Soap build-up scrubbed out of the compartments
  4. Drawer cavity itself wiped, not just the drawer
  5. Pump filter emptiedBehind the small flap at the bottom front. Coins and buttons collect there and a blocked filter is the usual reason a machine won't drain.
  6. Maintenance wash run monthly, empty, on the hottest cycle with a proprietary cleaner or soda crystals
  7. Door left open between washes to let the drum dry out
  8. Hoses checked for kinks or wear, front and back of the machine
  9. Dishwasher filter removed and rinsed under a tapSits at the base under the bottom rack and clogs with food that never made it down the drain.
  10. Spray arms checked for blocked holesA dishwasher that leaves grit on plates almost always has a blocked spray arm rather than a fault.
  11. Top arm
  12. Bottom arm
  13. Dishwasher salt topped up, if the water is hardCheck the local water hardness rather than skipping it — most of the UK needs it for the softener to actually work.
  14. Rinse aid topped up
  15. Door seal on the dishwasher wiped down, where food debris collects
  16. Empty hot cycle run monthly with a dishwasher cleaner or vinegar on the top rackClears the smell and the limescale a normal wash at a lower temperature doesn't reach.
  17. Detergent drawer or dispenser checked it isn't gummed shut with old powder
  18. Machine levelled and not overloadedAn unlevel or overloaded machine vibrates more, which is what wears the drum bearings out early.

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Questions people ask

How often should the washing machine drum actually be cleaned?
Roughly once a month, with a hot maintenance wash or a proprietary cleaner. Skipping it is the usual reason for the musty smell people blame on the detergent.
What's the filter people forget on a washing machine?
The small pump filter, usually behind a flap at the bottom front. It catches coins, buttons and fluff, and a blocked one is a common cause of a machine that won't drain.
Does the dishwasher really need salt if the water's already soft?
Check the local water hardness before skipping it — most of the UK is hard enough that dishwasher salt still matters for how the softener inside the machine works.