The quick answer
A washing machine cleans your clothes, but it can’t clean itself. To keep it fresh and working well, run a hot maintenance wash once a month, clean the drain filter monthly, wipe the door seal after every wash, and deep-clean the detergent drawer every few weeks. Stick to a simple routine and you’ll avoid smells, mould, black bits and drainage problems.
Your washing machine cleaning schedule
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Wipe the door seal and drum, leave door ajar | After every wash |
| Rinse the detergent drawer | Every 1–2 weeks |
| Hot maintenance wash (empty, 90°C + cleaner or vinegar) | Monthly |
| Clean the drain pump filter | Monthly |
| Deep-clean detergent drawer and recess | Monthly |
| Descale (hard-water areas) | Every 1–3 months |
| Check and clean the door seal thoroughly | Monthly |
Why each task matters
- Maintenance wash: flushes out biofilm, mould and detergent residue that cold washes leave behind.
- Filter: stops lint and coins blocking the pump, which is the top cause of drainage faults.
- Door seal: the number one spot for black mould on front-loaders.
- Detergent drawer: where powder cakes and softener turns to gunk.
- Descaling: protects the heater and drum from limescale in hard-water regions.
Signs you need to clean more often
- A musty or eggy smell from the drum.
- Black bits or grey film on your clothes.
- Clothes not coming out fresh even after washing.
- You mostly wash on cold, short cycles (these need more frequent hot washes to compensate).
For the step-by-step routines, see how to run a maintenance wash, how to clean the filter, and our complete drum and filter cleaning guide.
When to call a technician
Regular cleaning is a DIY job. But if smells, leaks or drainage problems persist despite following this schedule, there may be a build-up deep in the pipes or a failing component — at that point an appliance technician should inspect the machine.