How to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid?

Washing machines are expensive, and when buying, any user expects that the unit will work for more than one year. One of the common causes of failure of automatic washing machines is hard water. Rather, the scum that forms on the heater and other parts of the equipment. To prevent damage to the unit, the machine must be periodically cleaned, not only its outer panels, but also its internal parts. One of the simple ways is to use improvised tools, it is only important to use them correctly. How to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid - we will tell in this article.

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Features of the use of “lemons”

This ingredient is used for cleaning. electric kettles and samovars. A logical question arises: should I use a “lemon” to clean the washing machine? Naturally, regular related questions immediately arise:

• Will the substance destroy rubber gaskets and plastic parts?
• How much citric acid to use for effective and safe cleaning?
• Do I need to clean the washer at all?
• If necessary, what is the frequency of the procedure?

Below you will find the answers to these questions, which will allow you to extend the working life of the washing equipment.

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How to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid? - Step-by-step instruction:

1. About 60 g of citric acid are consumed to clean the washing machine, designed to load 3-4 kg of dry laundry. How much citric acid to pour to clean a washing machine, designed for 5 kg, can be determined by simple calculations.

Important! Depending on the type of packaging, you will need 3 sachets of 20 g or 4 of 15 g each. This will approximately amount to 2-3 tablespoons of powdered crystals.

2. Pour crystals into the compartment designed to fill the detergent powder and turn on the wash.
3. Choose a complete program that includes rinse and spin modes.

Important! You can choose the washing mode for cotton products at a temperature of 60 degrees. This is enough to effectively clean the machine for preventive purposes.

4. After you press the start button, the machine will do the rest on its own. Water with acid dissolved in it will clean the plaque, and all the dirt will be drained into the sewer.

Important! Specialists involved in the repair of washing machines advise cleaning the machine once every 4 months. If you live in a region with extremely hard water, you can use this method for cleaning more often.

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Advantages of the method:

• Of all the existing methods of cleaning the machine from limescale, this is considered the most affordable, simple and inexpensive.
• In addition, citric acid is soluble in water and in small quantities is absolutely safe. Along with this, many special products are poorly washed out, settling on the fibers of clothing.
• Moreover, the “lemon” is part of many special professional cleaning products.
• In terms of effectiveness, citric acid copes well with lime deposits.In any case, no worse than specialized tools that are sold in the store.

Important! It belongs to the category of carboxylic acids that react with insoluble salts.

If you are thinking about how to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid, do not doubt the effectiveness of the method.

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Why are hard sediments harmful?

When water is heated, salts in a dissolved state precipitate into an insoluble precipitate and settle on the heating element. This is the scum. If you neglect the cleaning of the washing machine, energy consumption is growing. But this is not the worst.

Over time, the heating element completely burns out. The plaque layer conducts heat poorly, and water heating is slower. At the same time, the heating element heats up more and more, eventually - it burns out.

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Security measures

With the use of citric acid, one must be guided by the same principle that doctors profess: “Do no harm!”

Here's what you need to know before cleaning your washing machine from limescale with citric acid:

• Too much substance can damage the parts of the washing machine. If you “go too far” with crystals and turn on the washing mode at 90 degrees, citric acid not only dissolves scale, but also corrodes parts made of rubber and plastic.
• Heated water only slightly speeds up the process, so you can cope with the scum without heating the water too much.

Important! The most intense scale is formed by boiling water, and it is not necessary to boil linen in the washing machine. Therefore, preventive cleaning once every four months to six months is enough to avoid malfunctions associated with scale.

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Prevention of plaque formation

So that the plaque on the details of the washing machine does not form so intensely, you must follow these recommendations:

• Use special softeners to help reduce water hardness.
• When using washing powder, strictly follow the instructions. It is advisable to use a tool that includes a water softener.
• Do not machine clothes that are too old, as fiber particles settle on the parts of the equipment.
• Do not forget to wipe the machine after washing with a dry soft cloth.
• Do not wash at temperatures exceeding 75 degrees.

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Stock footage

If you take care of the washing machine correctly and do not neglect regular preventive cleaning, then you will not often ask yourself how to clean the washing machine from limescale with citric acid.