How to Clean Your Laundry Room

Laundry rooms are often one of those out-of-sight out-of-mind areas of the home. You don’t love spending time there, so you’re in and out without giving much thought to them. Still, like any area of your home, the humble laundry room needs some TLC every now and then. If you’ve never cleaned your laundry room, we’re not surprised—most people don’t. 

However, a clean laundry room is more pleasant, more sanitary, and most of all, more efficient. Efficiency means spending less time doing laundry and less wasted energy. Here, we offer tips on how to clean your laundry room once a month in order to keep it running like a well-oiled machine!

Clean the Washer

You might be thinking, isn’t the washer always clean? It actually has the word “wash” in its name! Although your washer does run with soap and water, it also can get gummed up in its hoses. As well, if you have a front loader, the rubber door seal can get mouldy and start to stink. To clean your washer, follow these steps:

• Run an empty cycle using two cups of vinegar and hot water to flush out the hoses.
• Dip a clean cloth in a mix of vinegar and water, and wipe down the inside of the machine.
• Do a final run using just hot water.
• Wipe down the entire exterior using an all-purpose cleaning wipe or a spray cleaner and a clean cloth.
• Clean the little trays for fabric softener or detergent to remove residue.
• Pull out the washer from the wall, and vacuum up all the dust and dirt, being careful not to loosen or knock the hoses.

If you have a front-loading washer, you should also use a special cleaning product like Affresh once a month to remove residue that causes mould.

Clean the Dryer

Hopefully, you are removing the lint from the lint screen/trap with every load. This is very important for energy efficiency because the lint build-up actually reduces function. It also poses a serious fire hazard. As well, a full lint screen allows lint bits to get into the laundry as it dries, thus damaging your clothes. You can clean your dryer using these steps:

• Dryers have the one screen or lint trap inside the drum area, as well as another trap that is either on the dryer’s back wall or on the top right corner of the dryer. They should just slide up or out, so you can remove the lint. Using a vacuum does the best job.
• Check the drum for stains from things in peoples’ pockets like crayons, pens, gum, etc. The stains should be removed, or they can actually stain your clothes. Wipe them down with a good quality cleaner as best you can.
• Wipe down the exterior like you did with the washer.
• Move the dryer out gently so you can vacuum.

We also recommend having annual professional maintenance for your dryer to clean out the vent in order to reduce risk for fires and keep your machine more energy efficient.

Clean Small Laundry Appliances

This is a good time to also clean small laundry appliances such as irons or steamers. Irons can get a gummy residue that transfers to clothes when the iron heats up. To clean your iron, follow these steps:

• Clean the iron using dish detergent, or vinegar and baking soda if it’s really gummy.
• Fill the reservoir with distilled water and then set it on “high” to let the steam clear out the vents.
• If you have a steamer, clean it using vinegar and then set it on “high” to clear out the debris.

You can also toss your ironing board cover in the laundry to give it a good cleaning.

Clean the Counters and Cabinets

If you have a small laundry room, you won’t have to worry about this step. The average condo laundry room is either just a closet or has very limited space that only fits the washing machine and dryer. If you do have counters and cabinets, you can wipe them down with the same cleaner you use in the kitchen.

Dust the Floors and Ceilings

Laundry rooms are notorious for dust bunnies thanks to all that lint. You want to keep dust to a minimum because it can really gum up the works of your laundry machines. Use a vacuum to remove dust, dust bunnies, and cobwebs starting at the ceiling and working your way down. Get into nooks and crannies, and don’t forget the baseboards. If you have storage shelves, be sure to use a feather duster on them as well.

Clean the Floor

Your last step is washing the floor with a clean, fresh mop. All the dust and debris are out of the way, so you won’t just wet it and move it around with the mop. Follow these steps:

• Move out things like hampers and drying racks so you don’t have any obstacles in your way.
• Work your way from the farthest point from the door and back. 
• Let the floor air dry before you put everything back in the room.

Make sure you use the right cleaning product for your floor type.

Check Your Supplies

While you’re cleaning, check your supplies to make sure you have detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets. You can make a note of anything you’re running short on, and then restock your supplies the next time you go shopping.

Bonus Cleaning Tip: Freshen Your Laundry Hamper

Laundry hampers can hold onto the odour of dirty clothes. Since you’re going to wash the clothes anyway, this might not seem like a big deal. However, a stinky hamper can leave a smell in the room. If your hamper has a removable cloth laundry bag, consider tossing it in the laundry along with your clothes. 

You can also wipe down plastic laundry hampers and baskets with a clean rag and an all-purpose cleaner to keep them clean. Wicker baskets can be left in the sun for a natural odour-fighting solution. Just make sure they are left in a dry area.

If these laundry room cleaning tips sound like a hassle, our house cleaning services at Maid4Condos can take on the job for you. Speak to our team today at 647-822-0601, or click here for a quote.