A washing machine that gets regular maintenance lasts 50 percent longer, smells better, and washes more thoroughly than one that is ignored. The math is straightforward. A washer is a humid sealed box with electric motors, water pumps, rubber seals, and metal drums. Without maintenance, biofilm grows in the drum gasket, mineral deposits accumulate inside pipes, lint clogs the drain pump filter, and rubber hoses degrade until they crack and flood the laundry room. With maintenance, all of these failures get prevented at the cost of about 10 minutes per month.
This guide breaks down the maintenance routine into monthly, quarterly, and yearly tasks. The list is short and easy to follow. Doing each task on schedule pushes the typical washer service life from 8 to 10 years up to 12 to 15 years, prevents the musty laundry smell that ruins clean clothes, and avoids the catastrophic failures (flooded laundry rooms, burned-out motors) that account for most early replacements.
Monthly tasks
These take 5 to 10 minutes per month and address the most common washer problems.
Run a cleaning cycle on hot water
Either drop a washer cleaning tablet (Affresh, Tide Washing Machine Cleaner, or similar) into the empty drum, or pour 1 cup of distilled white vinegar plus half a cup of baking soda into the empty drum. Select the longest hot water cycle (usually called “Clean Washer”, “Tub Clean”, or “Sanitize”) and run it without any laundry inside.
The hot water plus cleaning agent loosens detergent buildup, kills the bacteria responsible for musty smells, dissolves mineral deposits inside the drum and pipes, and flushes everything down the drain. This is the single most important maintenance task; skipping it for 6 months leads to visible biofilm in the gasket and noticeable smells on clean clothes.
For severe mustiness: run a second cycle with 1 cup of household chlorine bleach (only after the first cycle has fully drained; never mix bleach with vinegar). Chlorine kills the bacteria the cleaning tablet missed. After the bleach cycle, run a third plain hot water cycle to rinse residual bleach.
Wipe the drum gasket and dispenser drawer
On front-load machines, pull back the rubber drum gasket and wipe inside with a microfiber cloth dampened with vinegar or all-purpose cleaner. Look for black streaks (mold), gray slime (biofilm), or hair and fabric debris trapped in the folds. Clean it all out.
Pull out the dispenser drawer (usually unlocks with a button or release tab) and rinse under hot tap water. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the corners where detergent and softener residue accumulate. Let dry fully before reinstalling.
On top-load machines, lift the agitator (if removable) and wipe the central spindle and underside of the agitator with vinegar. Check the rim of the drum for residue and clean it.
Check the drain hose for kinks
Pull the washer slightly forward and look at the drain hose at the back. A kinked or pinched hose causes incomplete draining, which contributes to mustiness, leaves wet clothes after the spin cycle, and stresses the drain pump. Straighten any kinks and make sure the hose has a high loop (the hose should bend up before entering the drain standpipe, not run flat into the drain).
Run plain hot water if no laundry needed cleaning
If you skipped the cleaning tablet cycle this month, at least run an empty hot water cycle to flush the system. Hot water dissolves more buildup than the warm and cold cycles you probably run most loads on.
Quarterly tasks
These take 15 to 30 minutes per quarter and address less frequent issues.
Clean the drain pump filter
On front-load washers, there is a drain pump filter behind a small access panel at the lower front of the machine. The panel is usually held by a thumb latch or small Phillips screw.
Procedure:
- Unplug the washer from power.
- Place a shallow towel and a baking pan on the floor in front of the panel.
- Open the panel and locate the filter (a round threaded plug).
- Slowly unscrew the filter. Water will dribble out from inside the pump housing (typically a half cup to 1 cup, depending on what is trapped).
- Pull out the filter once water has finished draining.
- Clear any lint, hair, coins, buttons, or small items trapped in the filter mesh.
- Rinse the filter under hot water with a toothbrush.
- Wipe the inside of the filter housing with a damp cloth.
- Reinstall the filter (turn until snug; do not overtighten).
- Close the panel and plug the washer back in.
The drain pump filter catches lint and debris that would otherwise damage the pump motor. A clogged filter is the single most common cause of premature drain pump failure (a $200 to $400 repair).
On top-load washers, the drain pump filter is usually internal and not user-accessible. Instead, clean the agitator-mounted lint trap (if present) by lifting the agitator and removing the lint catcher.
Check water inlet hoses and shut-off valves
Look at the two water hoses (hot and cold) connecting to the back of the washer. Check for bulges, kinks, cracks, or rust at the connections. Bulges and cracks are signs of hose degradation; replace immediately.
Test the water shut-off valves at the wall by turning each one off and on. Valves that are stuck open from years of disuse cannot be closed in an emergency (e.g., a burst hose). If a valve will not turn, plan to have a plumber replace it.
Best practice: replace the rubber water inlet hoses with stainless steel braided hoses if you have not already. Stainless braid hoses are flood-resistant and last 20 plus years. Pure rubber hoses degrade in 5 to 10 years and are responsible for thousands of washing machine floods per year nationwide.
Inspect the door seal (front-load)
The rubber gasket around the front-load door takes a beating. Pull it back gently and check the rubber for cracks, splits, or torn sections. A torn gasket causes water leaks during the wash cycle, which damage the floor and the underside of the washer.
Replace the gasket if torn (about $100 to $200 in parts plus labor; a moderate DIY job if you are mechanically inclined).
Yearly tasks
These take 30 to 60 minutes per year and address structural and electrical components.
Level the washer
Place a small bubble level on top of the washer (front-to-back and side-to-side). If the bubble is off-center, adjust the leveling feet at each corner. Most feet rotate to extend or shorten; use a wrench if they are stiff.
An unlevel washer vibrates excessively during the spin cycle. The vibration wears out drum bearings (a $500 to $800 repair), loosens internal connections, and can crack the cabinet structure. A properly leveled washer vibrates minimally and lasts much longer.
Check the leveling and stabilizer dampers
Reach under the washer (or pull it forward and look behind). The drum is suspended on springs (top-load) or shock-absorber-like dampers (front-load). Look for any visible damage, leakage, or broken mounts.
Failed dampers cause excessive drum movement during spin, which leads to the same vibration problems as poor leveling.
Inspect electrical connections at the back
Unplug the washer and check the power cord for fraying, cuts, or melted insulation near the plug. Make sure the outlet is grounded and that the washer is not sharing the circuit with a high-load appliance (a typical washer needs its own 15-amp circuit).
Schedule professional service at year 5 and year 10
A 30-minute appointment with an appliance technician every 5 years catches early issues that home maintenance misses. The technician will check bearing wear, motor health, control board integrity, and drum balance. The $80 to $150 service charge often prevents a $400 to $800 repair later.
Front-load specific extras
Front-load washers have a few unique maintenance needs:
Leave the door ajar between loads. Even 30 minutes of airing reduces biofilm growth significantly. Leaving the door open all day (when not in use) is better.
Wipe the gasket dry after each load. The gasket is the main biofilm trap. A quick wipe with a dry towel takes 10 seconds and prevents 80 percent of musty smell problems.
Use less detergent than the bottle says. Front-load washers use very little water, so excess detergent does not rinse out. Half the recommended dose is usually enough for normal loads. Overdosing is the leading cause of biofilm buildup and gasket residue.
Top-load specific extras
Top-load washers have different specific issues:
Check under the agitator (if removable) monthly. Detergent residue, hair, and small items collect in the spindle base. Clean it out before it causes balance problems.
Wipe the rim and lid seal. The lid seal collects moisture and detergent residue and develops biofilm similar to a front-load gasket but less dramatically.
Run hot water cycles more often than you think you need to. Top-load impeller washers often run cold or warm, and the hot cycles needed to flush biofilm get skipped. At least one hot cycle per week (or one cleaning cycle per month) keeps the system flushed.
Signs that maintenance is overdue
- Musty smell on clean clothes
- Black streaks or slime visible inside the drum gasket
- White or gray powder residue on dark clothes after wash
- Clothes still wet after the final spin cycle
- Excessive shaking during spin cycle
- Standing water in the drum after a cycle ends
- Error codes on the control panel related to drain pump or sensor problems
Any of these signals means at least one task in this guide has been skipped too long. Catch up on the corresponding maintenance task within a week to prevent the problem from worsening.
For impeller-vs-agitator decisions that affect maintenance approach, see our impeller vs agitator washing machine guide. For lifespan questions, see our washing machine lifespan and when to replace guide. Testing approach is on the methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my washing machine smell musty?+
The mustiness comes from a biofilm of bacteria and mold growing inside the drum gasket (front-load) or under the agitator (top-load). The biofilm forms in the constant moisture and small detergent residue that the rinse cycle leaves behind. It grows in areas the rinse cycle does not reach. Solution: run a hot empty cycle with washer cleaner or a cup of bleach every 4 to 6 weeks, plus wipe the gasket dry after each load on front-load machines.
How often should I clean the lint trap on a washer?+
Top-load washers with a lint trap (usually inside the agitator or under the rim): clean monthly. Front-load washers do not have a lint trap, but they do have a drain pump filter that needs cleaning every 2 to 3 months. The drain pump filter is behind a small access panel at the front bottom of the washer. Open carefully, hold a towel underneath, and unscrew to remove and clean.
Should I leave the washer door open between loads?+
Yes, especially on front-load washers. Leaving the door ajar for 30 to 60 minutes after each load lets the drum dry out and prevents the biofilm growth that causes musty smells. Keep the dispenser drawer slightly open as well; it is the other main moisture trap on a front-load. On top-load washers with a sealing lid, leave the lid up for an hour after the final load.
Can I extend my washer's life with maintenance?+
Yes, significantly. Properly maintained washers reach 12 to 15 years of service. Neglected machines fail in 7 to 9 years. The biggest factors are: cleaning the drain pump filter (prevents drain pump motor burnout), running monthly cleaning cycles (prevents biofilm corrosion of metal parts), checking water inlet hoses every 5 years (prevents flood damage), and leveling the machine properly (prevents bearing failure from vibration).
Do washing machine cleaning tablets actually work?+
Yes, when used correctly. Affresh, Tide Washing Machine Cleaner, and similar products contain oxidizing agents and surfactants that break down biofilm and dissolve residue. Run one tablet in an empty hot water cycle once a month. They work better than vinegar for serious biofilm removal but worse for routine mineral deposit prevention. For best results, alternate: tablets one month, vinegar the next.
