A deep clean not only keeps your laundry room fresh, but safe and efficient to boot
When you toss clothes in the washer to get clean, do you think about whether the machine itself is clean? If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your cleaning machines, it’s time to give your laundry room some TLC.
Doing a deep clean of your entire laundry room will keep your space look and feel fresh, plus it’ll make your appliances more safe and efficient to use. Follow this simple guide for a complete deep clean of your laundry room.
Since your laundry room is a space used primarily for cleaning, it stands to reason you’d want to keep it clean. The last place you want to clean and fold your clothes is in a dusty, dingy room where they’ll get dirty all over again.
Regularly cleaning your laundry room can also make your home safer. Your washer and dryer are two of your largest and hardest-working appliances, and you need to keep them clean so they continue to run efficiently. A dirty washing machine can cause buildup in your plumbing and a dirty dryer can cause a dryer fire in extreme cases.
Before you take any steps to clean your laundry room, start by taking out the contents of the cabinets and shelves so they’re clear for cleaning. Then, gather all the right cleaning supplies, including common household items like white vinegar, clean rags, dish soap, baking soda, and a mop.
If you don’t have a dryer lint brush, buying one can make cleaning your dryer easier. Another key tool is a vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment. A hose will help you reach behind and under your appliances and clear your dryer vent. If your current vacuum doesn’t have a hose, consider renting or purchasing a shop vacuum.
Cleaning your laundry room can be simple, but there are a lot of steps to manage. This guide breaks down each aspect of your laundry room into separate steps so you don’t miss an inch of your space.
Before you deep clean the laundry room, take steps to reduce dust. Dust your entire laundry room from top to bottom. Start in a corner and work your way from one side to the other, using a dust mop or vacuum hose to pick up cobwebs and dust bunnies. Dust on, behind, and under the washer and dryer, light fixtures, vents, shelves, windows, molding, baseboards, and ceiling fan blades.
You may assume your washing machine is clean because of all the soap and water that regularly runs through it. However, sanitizing it can remove built-up soap scum, eliminate odors, and protect your plumbing from damage. Follow these steps for proper washer cleaning:
Run a sanitizing load: Run an empty machine on a regular hot water cycle using two cups of white vinegar instead of laundry detergent.
Scrub your washer: Use a mixture of one part vinegar and one part water to scrub down the inside of the washer with a clean cloth.
Run a rinse cycle: Run another empty hot water cycle using one cup of baking soda.
Wipe down the exterior: Use a clean, damp cloth and mild soap to wipe down the top and sides, then vacuum up any dirt behind or under the machine.
Lint can make it harder for your dryer to work properly and it can be a major fire hazard if left unattended. However, even if you empty your lint screen regularly, tiny pieces of lint can build up in other parts of your dryer. To properly sanitize your dryer, take the following steps:
Remove your lint screen: Pull out and throw away any lint or wax on the screen by hand and rinse the screen out in a sink.
Clean the lint trap opening: Use your dryer lint brush to clean out the lint trap, vacuuming it clean and repeating until there is no more lint.
Perform a safety inspection: Give your dryer a safety inspection by unplugging the machine and unclamping the exhaust vent from the wall. Remove any lint you find from both the vent and the wall duct. If you don’t know how to clean your dryer vent, consider hiring a local professional dryer vent cleaner for this step.
Remove stains: Follow our guide to learn how to clean ink out of your dryer.
Wipe out the interior: Wipe down the interior walls of the dryer with a clean cloth dampened with white vinegar. Dry the cloth on a regular dry cycle to help with odors.
Wipe down the exterior: Use a clean, damp cloth and mild soap to wipe down the top and sides, then vacuum up any dirt behind or under the machine.
Aside from your washer and dryer, you may have smaller appliances that you need to sanitize regularly. You can clean an iron in two easy steps: Use soap, vinegar, salt, or baking soda to wipe your iron, and then fill the iron with distilled water and turn it on to let steam clean the vents.
To sanitize a steamer, fill it with a solution of water and vinegar, then turn it to the high heat setting to help remove any gunk that’s built up inside. Then, dump out the solution and heat clean, distilled water in the steamer to rinse it.
You should spray down laundry room windows on the inside and outside with a window cleaner solution. If you have a window screen, you can take it out and wash it in the sink. On a nice day, you can even rinse the outside of the window with your garden hose.
Some laundry rooms have sinks where clothes are regularly cleaned or treated. Soap scum and other gunk may build up in these sinks, which you spray down with vinegar or another cleaning solution and scrubbed with a cloth. You can even shine the faucets and handles with a microfiber cloth until they gleam like new.
Wipe down all other surfaces in your laundry room with a damp cloth and a mild cleaning solution. This step includes cabinet shelves and doors, countertops, and hardware such as door knobs and drawer handles. Scrub out any scuffs or stains before they become permanent. You should wipe everything down once every week or two to keep bacteria to a minimum.
Hampers are designed to hold dirty clothes, so it’s only natural that they get dirty, too. You can wipe down plastic hampers with a damp rag and cleaning solution, but you should clean wooden hampers by applying baking soda to the interior before vacuuming. You can toss fabric hampers in the washing machine according to the instructions on their care tag.
Your last step should be cleaning the floor since dirt and dust may have fallen while wiping down other surfaces. Follow these steps to clean laundry room floors:
Wipe down baseboards: Dust first, and then wipe them down with a damp, soapy cloth.
Remove objects from the floor: This step includes hampers, trash cans, and other easy-to-move items. If you have floor mats or rugs, throw these in the washer or take them outside to clean.
Mop in sections: Start in the corner farthest from the door, mopping in sections using a floor-safe cleaner compatible with the type of floors you have. Allow the floors to dry completely.
While an occasional deep clean is important, there are a few routine tips you can follow to keep your laundry room fresh for longer stretches.
Using baking soda as an air freshener, part of a cleaning solution, or in a load of laundry can help deodorize your washer, dryer, and clothes.
Adding essential oils, such as lavender or lemon oil, to your washer can reduce odors.
To cut down on clutter, fold and put away your laundry as soon as it’s clean.
If you don’t have cabinets, use an over-the-door storage organizer to keep your detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets neat and tidy.
You can clean your laundry room in a few hours using a few household supplies and tools. However, if you’re strapped for time and your laundry room needs a thorough deep clean, the cost to hire a professional cleaning service is about $30 to $50 per hour. You can hire a local cleaning service tosolely focus on the laundry room or tackle multiple parts of the house.
Laundry room cleaning also involves inspecting your appliances for issues, so you may decide you need to clean your dryer vent. The cost to have a dryer vent professionally cleaned is an average of $135.
You can use a variety of cleaning solutions to clean your laundry room. In most cases, you can use a mild detergent or white vinegar mixed with warm water to wipe down surfaces and scrub away grime. Baking soda is another commonly used material that can deodorize your space in addition to sanitizing it.
To keep a small laundry room clean, keep it well organized. Use an over-the-door storage organizer if you don’t have built-in solutions like cabinets, closets, or shelving. Store items in a convenient location, such as above your washing machine. Be sure to put back each item when you’re done using it.
