Why Clean a Washing Machine with Essential Oils? (The Before Story)
Honestly, I never thought about cleaning my washing machine until the day I opened it and got hit with a smell that was part mildew, part forgotten gym sock. Not cute. So I went down the rabbit hole of store-bought cleaning tablets and bleach packets, but they all left behind that weird chemical ghost. That’s when I found this whole world of cleaning a washing machine with essential oils. And look, I’m not some crunchy granola person who oils everything in sight. But the idea of using something that actually smells good and doesn’t require a hazmat suit? Sold.
The photo you see at the top of this post shows the exact lineup I used: a bottle of Young Living Purification (that red one) and a bottle of Young Living Lemon (the yellow one). Right there on my gray counter. The middle panel spells out “How to Clean a Washing Machine Using Essential Oils” in a mix of red cursive and black text, and the bottom panel? That’s the drum after the whole thing. Like a mirror. I almost took a selfie with it. (I didn’t. But I thought about it.)
If your machine smells funky or just looks grimy inside, this tutorial is for you. No strong fumes, no scrubbing for hours. Just oils, hot water, and a little patience.
The Setup: What You Actually Need
Before you run off to grab your oils, let’s talk supplies. Here’s what I had sitting on my laundry room floor:
- Two essential oils. I used Young Living Purification and Lemon, but you can sub in tea tree or lavender if that’s what you’ve got. Purification is a blend of lemongrass, rosemary, and a few other things, and it’s a beast against nasty smells. Lemon is just bright and clean.
- A washing machine. Ideally one that’s been neglected for a while. (Mine was three years overdue.)
- A cup of white vinegar. Not essential but it helps break down old detergent gunk.
- Baking soda. Half a cup. Because why not.
- A microfiber cloth for the seals and doors.
Ok so that’s it. Nothing fancy. No special tablets, no expensive “machine cleaning pods” that cost a dollar each. The whole setup takes about thirty seconds to assemble.
One weird aside: I almost used grapefruit oil instead of lemon because I love the smell, but grapefruit can sometimes leave a sticky residue in high heat. Stick with lemon. Trust me on this one.
Step-by-Step: The Wash Cycle (A Theme of Simplicity)
This part is almost insultingly easy. I’m not going to pretend it’s rocket science. You literally add your oils and cleaners to the drum and let the machine do the work.
First, sprinkle half a cup of baking soda directly into the empty drum. Then pour a cup of white vinegar into the detergent drawer (or straight into the drum if your drawer is finicky like mine). Next, add 10 drops of Purification oil and 10 drops of Lemon oil. I just dripped them onto a old washcloth and tossed that in too, so the oils wouldn’t just float on the water surface.
Set your machine to the hottest, longest cycle. For a front-loader, that’s usually the “Clean Washer” or “Sanitize” setting. For a top-loader, just pick “Hot/Cold” and “Heavy Duty.” Start the cycle and walk away. Honestly, the hardest part is waiting.
And here’s the thing: you want to do this on a day when you’re home. The machine might pause during the cycle for soaking, and you don’t want it sitting with wet oils for hours if something goes wrong. Not that anything went wrong for me. But I’m a worrier.
The After: Drum Like New (And What That Photo Shows)
When the cycle finished, I opened the door and almost didn’t recognize my own washer. The bottom panel of that photo? That’s what I saw. A stainless steel drum that looked polished, not a single water stain or gray film in sight. And the smell. Oh, the smell. It was clean, fresh, a little lemony with a hint of herb from the Purification. No musty undertone. No “I just used bleach” stink.
I ran my finger along the top edge of the drum. Nothing. No slime, no residue. The rubber gasket had some leftover gunk that I wiped away with a microfiber cloth, but that was it. Less than five minutes of hands-on work total.
If your machine is really bad, you might need two cycles. Mine was moderately gross, so one did the trick. But here’s a pro tip: after the cycle, leave the door open for an hour to let everything dry out completely. That alone prevents most future smell issues.
Beyond the Drum: Seals, Dispensers, and Other Nooks (A Separate Theme)
Alright, the drum looks great. But what about the parts you don’t see in that close-up photo? The rubber seal around the door, the little detergent drawer, that weird crevice at the bottom of the front loader where socks go to die. Those need love too.
I sprayed a mix of water and a few drops of Lemon oil into a cloth and wiped down the seal. That’s it. No harsh scrubbing. For the detergent drawer, I pulled it out (check your manual, most front-loaders let you remove it completely) and soaked it in hot water with a drop of dish soap and a drop of Purification. Let it sit for ten minutes, then rinsed. It came out looking brand new.
The rubber gasket is where mold hides. And mold is why your clothes sometimes come out smelling worse than they went in. So don’t skip this. Even if you only do it once a month, it’s worth the extra two minutes.
Ongoing Maintenance: Make It a Habit (Or Not, Honestly)
Look, I’m not going to tell you to clean your washing machine every single week. That’s unrealistic for most of us. But once a month with this oil method? Totally doable. I set a reminder on my phone that says “Wash the washer” and it makes me chuckle every time
Here’s a quick bullet list of how I keep things fresh between deep cleans:
- Leave the door open after every load. Even just a crack. Air circulation is your friend.
- Wipe down the gasket with a dry towel if you see moisture hanging around.
- Run a monthly hot cycle with just two drops of tea tree oil and vinegar. Not a whole production.
- Check the drain pump filter every three months. (Mine had a penny and a hairball. Gross but easy to fix.)
And yeah, sometimes I forget for two months. Then I run another oil cycle and it’s like I never neglected it. That’s the beauty of using essential oils instead of harsh chemicals. No buildup, no weird residue.
Why This Beats Store-Bought Cleaners (And a Tiny Rant)
I used to buy those little plastic pods that claim to “deep clean” your machine. They cost a fortune and they always left this sickly sweet perfume smell that lingered for days. Not clean. Just perfumed. Using oils is different. You control the scent, the strength, and you know exactly what’s going into the water. No mystery ingredients. No plastic waste from the packaging.
Plus, a bottle of Purification costs maybe twenty bucks and lasts me a year of monthly washes. Lemon oil even longer. Compare that to buying a box of tablets every couple months. The price difference is real.
Anyway, that’s my whole spiel. If you’ve been putting off cleaning your washer because it seems like a hassle, try this. It takes almost no effort and the results are exactly what you see in that photo. A drum that actually looks clean. A wash that smells like fresh laundry, not a science experiment.
Go grab your oils and give it a shot. Your machine will thank you. (And so will your nose.)
#cleaningwithoils #washingmachinecleaner #essentialoils #laundrytips #nontoxic